Where to Celebrate the Festival of Light in India

In India, a celebration of Diwali is done annually and is focused on the triumph of the light over darkness and evilness in India. This celebration takes a maximum of five days, starting with Dhanteras on the first day of the festival, two days before Diwali night, and ends at Bhai Dooj. Also known as the festival of the lights, the festival varies based on the Hindu calendar. Those who observe this celebration go to great lengths to get ready for the period including home decoration and shopping. At Diwali, the celebration involves fireworks displays, Puja (prayers), feasts, and gift-giving.

So today I want to share some amazing cities in India where one can celebrate the Diwali festival of light with their friends, families, and loved ones…

New Delhi

New Delhi tops the list of the best places where to celebrate Diwali in India. Resident in this area goes a step further to make it an outstanding and extravagant affair. They ensure that they take it a notch higher in the display of fireworks. After this, the residents of New Delhi are known to retreat back to their homes to spend some quality time with friends and family members in welcoming in another year of good tidings.

Jaipur

Jaipur is another place where one can celebrate and actually get the real meaning of the celebration of the Diwali Festival of Lights, India. Jaipur locals are expected to celebrate the tradition with the royalty and bond over time, keeping their differences aside and starting on a new slate. In Jaipur, the religious celebration is taken seriously and they offer prayers to Laxmi, the Goddess of wealth. After the prayer ceremony, the locals dine together and are engaged in extensive gift-giving, specifically sweets and dried fruits before going back home to spend good old-fashioned quality time with their loved ones. I personally stayed in La Premier Resort to celebrate Diwali with my close pals…

Mumbai

However, to get the real feeling of the Diwali celebration and all its extravagance, Mumbai is the place to be. As the capital city of India, the residents do not leave any detail uncovered. They offer prayers to the Goddess Laxmi in an intense and emotional fair. However, what really is interesting about celebrating Diwali in Mumbai is the fact that they offer extravagant parties for all. Companies and businesses go out of their way to actually give time to their employees and customers in one big affair. This is made especially possible with the fact that the residents are mainly in stock market-related businesses and thus take a break to celebrate and pray for another great year.

Amritsar

Residents of Amritsar also observe Diwali, but for totally different reasons. As most of them are Sikhs, this date coincides with the celebration of the Bandi Chhor Divas. This celebration is done to mark the freedom of the sixth guru from imprisonment in the year 1619. He used his ingenious thinking to facilitate the release of the 52 princes by making a garment with 52 strings so that each can hold on to the end tail of his coat as he left the fort. This celebration marks his good deeds and how he twisted the order to save others. The festival and party help celebrate this day and are simply magnificent.

Goa

Finally, a worthwhile place for actually celebrating Diwali in India is Goa. This is believed to be the birthplace of the Diwali festival of lights in India based on the legend of Goa and the demon Narkasur who was arrogant and merciless. The celebration here is simply epic. Religious celebration and prayer are done and it is followed closely by the burning of effigies representing the demon. After this, residents of Goa go all out with parties, dancing, and gift-giving. Goa is one of the places in India that has excellent shopping areas to visit.