Diwali
dee-VAH-lee
The Festival of Lights, a New Year Festival, is one of the most popular holidays in south Asia and is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. Houses, shops, public places and shrines are often decorated with lights. These symbolize the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. Sikhs celebrate this as Bandi Chhor Divas, or a day when Guru Hargobind Sahib freed many innocent people from prison.