Diwali and Fireworks: The Festival of Lights Explained

What Is Diwali?

If Christmas and Bonfire Night had a bright, sweet-toothed cousin who loved a good party, you’d get Diwali. Known as the Festival of Lights, it’s a five-day extravaganza celebrated by millions across the world. At its heart, Diwali is about light winning over darkness, hope winning over despair, and — let’s be honest — family gatherings fuelled by far too many sweets.

In India, entire cities glow with rows of tiny lamps called diyas. In the UK, Leicester turns the Golden Mile into something that looks like Blackpool Illuminations on festive steroids. And wherever Diwali goes, fireworks follow — because nothing says “evil be gone” quite like a rocket screaming into the sky and bursting into glitter.

The Stories Behind The Sparkle

Like any good party, Diwali comes with a few origin stories — depending on where you are and who you ask.

One of the most popular is from the Ramayana, the ancient epic where Lord Rama finally defeats the demon king Ravana and comes home after years of exile. Imagine the street party when he and Sita returned: the locals lined the roads with lamps and, if they’d had access to 500-gram cakes and multi-shot barrages, you can bet they’d have let rip with those too.

For others, Diwali is the night Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity, pops by. The idea is that she blesses the cleanest, brightest homes first. Which is why families scrub their houses within an inch of their lives — you don’t want the goddess of good fortune turning up and tutting at your dusty skirting boards.

For Sikhs, it’s Bandi Chhor Divas, when Guru Hargobind Ji was freed from captivity, while Jains mark the day Lord Mahavira reached nirvana. Different tales, same message: good things happen when light shines through the dark.

The Five Days Of Diwali

One day of Diwali just isn’t enough, so the festival stretches over five. Each comes with its own flavour:

• Day One – Dhanteras: Families go shopping. Traditionally for gold, these days also for flat-pack furniture, new phones, and frankly anything that can be justified as “auspicious.”

• Day Two – Naraka Chaturdashi: Celebrating Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Narakasura. Think of it as a pre-party warm-up with extra lamps and feasting.

• Day Three – Amavasya: The main event. Homes glow, temples ring with prayers, fireworks light up the sky, and Lakshmi does her rounds.

• Day Four – Govardhan Puja: Linked to Krishna lifting a mountain to save villagers from floods. Food is piled high, because nothing says divine protection like a buffet.

• Day Five – Bhai Dooj: Brothers and sisters celebrate their bond. Gifts are exchanged, prayers are offered, and there’s always more food.

Each day has its own customs, but the running theme is joy — shared meals, new clothes, glowing lamps, and the sense that the year is being reset with a clean slate and a fresh spark.

Why Fireworks Are a Significant Part of Diwali

Now, onto our favourite bit: the fireworks. Firecrackers and sparklers have been woven into Diwali celebrations for centuries. Traditionally, the noise and light were said to scare away evil spirits and bad luck. These days, it’s more about sheer joy — that fizzing, booming, dazzling kind of joy that makes your hair stand on end and the neighbours lean out the window.

In India, whole towns erupt with the crackle of fountains and rockets. The skies are filled with chrysanthemum bursts, golden palms, and glittering tails. Children whirl sparklers in the air, tracing their names in glowing light. It’s a feast for the senses: sight, sound, smell — even touch, if you count the thud in your chest when a big shell goes off.

Here in Britain, Diwali fireworks look a little different but carry the same spirit. Families often put on smaller DIY displays in gardens, or gather for community shows in parks and temples. A box of cakes, a few rockets, a pack of sparklers for the kids — suddenly your back garden feels like a stage for the Festival of Lights.

Fireworks aren’t just decoration. They’re a statement. A declaration that darkness won’t win, that joy can be noisy, and that sometimes the best way to say thank you to the gods is with a hundred-shot fan cake that makes the whole street stop and stare.

Lights Beyond Fireworks

Fireworks might get the headlines, but Diwali’s beauty goes way beyond the bangs.

Everywhere you look, there are diyas — small clay lamps filled with oil and topped with cotton wicks. They’re lined up on windowsills, staircases, balconies and gardens, glowing with a steady golden light. Modern life means candles and fairy lights often join in, but the principle’s the same: fill the darkness with light.

Rangoli is another show-stopper. These are intricate patterns drawn on the ground near entrances, made with coloured powders, rice, or flower petals. Swirls, flowers, peacocks, geometric shapes — they’re works of art that also carry a welcome for Lakshmi.

And then there’s the food. Sweets like laddoos, jalebi, gulab jamun and barfi are piled high. They’re so sugary that dentists probably lie awake at night muttering “Diwali” in their sleep, but nobody cares. Savoury snacks — samosas, pakoras, chivda — balance things out just enough to let you carry on eating.

Clothes are just as important. Families buy new outfits for Diwali, often in bright colours and embroidered fabrics. There’s a lovely symbolism here: a new start, wrapped up in silk and sparkle.

Diwali In The UK

You don’t have to fly to Delhi or Mumbai to feel Diwali’s glow. Britain has embraced the Festival of Lights in a big way.

Leicester is the most famous example — its Golden Mile hosts the largest Diwali celebrations outside India. Tens of thousands turn up each year to watch the light switch-on, enjoy cultural performances, and gaze at fireworks that rival Bonfire Night. Although the 2025 event has been scaled back due to crushing issues last year.

London also goes big, especially around Trafalgar Square and Southall, with performances, markets and food stalls. Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh are other cities that also light up spectacularly for Diwali.

For British Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, these events are a way to connect with tradition and share it with the wider community. For everyone else, it’s a chance to eat your weight in mithai, learn a few dance moves, and see the sky lit up with fireworks that make November feel that little bit warmer.

Practical Tips For A Brilliant Diwali Display

If you’re planning fireworks for Diwali, a bit of prep goes a long way. Here are three tips worth remembering:

1. Space it out. Give each firework a chance to shine rather than setting them off in a frantic bundle. A little pacing makes the show feel bigger.

2. Think about the order. Start with smaller fountains and roman candles, build to mines and save the barrages and big rockets for the finale. It’s like putting together a good playlist — you need the rise before the drop.

3. Keep it safe. Buckets of water, clear launch space, and no leaning over barrages with a lighter while wearing your best polyester kurta (stay a safe distance with a portfire instead). Simple, but essential.

Diwali Around The World

One of the joys of Diwali is how it adapts to wherever it lands.

In Mauritius, it’s a national holiday with beaches glowing at sunset. In Singapore, the streets of Little India are transformed with arches of lights and giant lanterns. In Trinidad, fireworks mingle with steel bands and street parties. In Fiji, Diwali is marked with lamps and family gatherings that carry on long into the night.

Wherever it’s celebrated, Diwali carries that same golden thread: bringing people together to celebrate light, hope, and community.

Why Fireworks Still Matter

Some cities in India have had to restrict firecracker use because of air pollution, sparking debates about whether fireworks should remain part of Diwali. But the tradition is deeply ingrained, and for many, the fireworks are inseparable from the festival itself.

Think of it this way: fireworks at Diwali aren’t just entertainment, they’re ritual. They carry echoes of ancient beliefs about banishing darkness, but they also represent modern joy, shared wonder, and the thrill of lighting up the sky.

And really — what’s a Festival of Lights without a few bangs, whistles, and golden palms?

FAQs

When is Diwali this year?

It usually falls between mid-October and mid-November, depending on the lunar calendar.

Why is it called the Festival of Lights?

Because the heart of Diwali is about light triumphing over darkness, symbolised by rows of diyas, lanterns and fireworks.

Do you have to be Hindu to celebrate Diwali?

Not at all. It’s rooted in Hinduism, but Sikhs, Jains and plenty of others also mark it — and many communities worldwide join in the fun.

Why are fireworks part of Diwali?

Traditionally, to scare away evil spirits. Today, because they’re spectacular and no proper celebration feels complete without them.

How long does Diwali last?

Five days, with the third day being the main event.

What do people eat during Diwali?

Plenty of sweets — laddoos, jalebi, gulab jamun — alongside savoury snacks and festive meals shared with family and friends.

The Final Word

Diwali isn’t just a festival, it’s a feeling — a glow that stretches across cities, homes, and hearts. It’s about lamps flickering on doorsteps, sweets passed round at family tables, stories retold year after year, and fireworks booming into the night to remind everyone that light will always have the last word.

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