In Pictures: Diwali, Festival of Lights

The five-day Hindu festival Diwali—which means "rows of lighted lamps"—is known as the festival of lights. The holiday, which started as a harvest festival, honors Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and marks the beginning of a new financial year each October or November, depending on the Vikrama calendar. In India, it is celebrated with clay lamps, fireworks, electric lights, bonfires, flowers, and sweets, and is considered a time to clean the home, exchange gifts, and wear new clothes. The meaning of Diwali varies in different regions of India as well as in Nepal, Bengal and elsewhere.