Lamps on the banks of the Sarayu River for Diwali, Ayodhya, India

© SANJAY KANOJIA/AFP/Getty Image

A dazzling display for Diwali. Diwali

Diwali, the five-day festival of lights, holds significance in Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism. It is celebrated widely both in India, and in countries across the world with an Indian diaspora. The name 'Diwali' comes from the Sanskrit term 'Dipavali,' which means 'row of lights,' and the heart of the festival lies in the oil lamps, or 'diyas,' which illuminate homes and public spaces. They create a dazzling spectacle symbolizing the triumph of knowledge over ignorance and good over evil. The city of Ayodhya in Uttar Pradesh, India, pictured in today's image, hosts one of the world's largest displays of oil lamps. Hundreds of thousands of diyas are lit on the banks of the Sarayu River during Diwali.