by Pankaj Yadav
NEW DELHI, Nov. 8 (Xinhua) -- Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, was celebrated across India on Sunday with religious fervor and festive cheer. Dressed in their finest clothes, people decorated their houses with earthen lamps and electric lighting, and exchanged sweets and festive greetings with friends, relatives and neighbors.
As night fell, people set off firecrackers and enjoyed specially prepared home-cooked meals, including curries, fried breads, and a variety of desserts.
The festival's highlight was offering special prayers mainly dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth) by people during the evening hours in their respective homes.
Over the past week, markets and shopping malls in the country saw huge crowds as people indulged in festivities, buying sweets, gifts, dresses, electric lights, and other decorative items. In New Delhi, roads and streets were crowded, with long traffic jams witnessed.
Commemorating Lord Ram's return to his home, said to be in Ayodhya district of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, after 14 years in exile, Diwali is one of the major festivals celebrated across India every year. On Saturday, more than 3 million earthen lamps were lit along the banks of the Saryu River in Ayodhya to mark the festival.
Primarily a Hindu festival, over the years, Diwali has been celebrated by people from diverse religious and community background. It marks the victory of good over evil, as it is believed that Lord Ram killed demon Ravana to get his wife from the latter's custody, before returning home on the day of Diwali thousands of years ago.
However, a major downside of the festival has been the steep rise in air pollution levels due to the bursting of firecrackers. On Sunday evening, the Indian capital recorded an Air Quality Index (AQI) of over 400, categorized as "Severe" by the federal government's Central Pollution Control Board. The AQI was feared to rise further by Monday morning. ■
