Deepavali (दिवाली) (also called diwali) is a major holiday in India and places all over the world where Hindu believers live. It’s called a festival of lights because lanterns, candles and other artificial lights are lighted to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. It’s also a time when houses are decorated with colorful paper lanterns like the ones in the video :

If you want to participate in all the festivity that Diwali offers, make a rangoli decoration on the floor. As you can see in the video below, make an outline of a design. If you’d like a simple design, draw a large circle with several smaller circles inside the large circle. Then take some colored powder or flower petals and decorate each circle. When you’re done, place a lighted lamp in the middle of the circle or place small candles on the outside of the circle.

A ceremony called kali puja is observed in places like Bengal and Assam. An image of the Goddess Kali is made and people offer their prayers to the Goddess. Firecrackers are also lit in her honor.