In photos: How India celebrated Diwali 2025

India celebrated one of its biggest festivals, Diwali or Deepavali, with lights, fireworks, sweets, flowers and more on Monday (October 20) even as the stock market shone but air quality dipped.

Heavy rain dampened celebrations a bit in Tamil Nadu, but people celebrated nevertheless. People woke up early, wore new attire, and burst crackers to mark the Festival of Lights.

West Bengal celebrated doubly as it was also the day of Kali Puja, with colourful lights shining brightly in every nook and corner as evening set in.

Lakhs of devotees visited Kali temples across the state, offering pushpanjali (floral libations) to Goddess Kali amid chants of hymns by priests.

The famous Kali temples, from Kalighat in Kolkata to Tarapith, Kankalitala, and Maa Fullara temple in Birbhum district, and Dakshineswar and Baroma temple in North 24-Parganas, saw long queues of devotees.

In neighbouring Odisha, thousands of devotees gathered at the Jagannath Temple in Puri to perform Paya Shraddha, a ritual to honour ancestors on Diwali.

Rituals were held outside the Singha Dwar or Lion’s Gate of the temple, with devotees lighting up Kaunria Kathis (sacred sticks).

Chants of “bada badiya ho, andhara re asa, aloka re jao” that roughly translates to “forefathers who came in darkness go back along the lit-up path”, were heard.

Major temples, such as Kedarnath temple in Uttarakhand and the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Uttar Pradesh, were decorated with flowers and earthen lamps.

In Varanasi, homes, ghats and other temples were also decorated with an array of lamps and lights.

Annakoot, a ritualistic offering, made up of around 14 quintals of sweets and 56 other delicacies, was offered to Goddess Annapurna and Baba Vishwanath in the evening.

Here are some snapshots to show you how India celebrated the Festival of Lights, Diwali, on Monday.