Diwali festivities begin with Dhanteras on 6 November, according to the BBC

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is being celebrated in November 2026. Its traditions include lights such as oil lamps known as diyas, rangoli patterns, fireworks and gift-giving. The festival is also marked outside India. The BBC reports international celebrations, and a CBC headline refers to celebrations in cities across the GTA.

According to the BBC, this year's celebrations began on 6 November with Dhanteras, when buying gold, silver or new utensils is considered auspicious. The BBC reports that millions of people across India are set to illuminate homes, temples, offices and streets to symbolise the triumph of light over darkness.

The five days

The BBC describes five days of observance:

• Dhanteras
• Chhoti Diwali
• The main celebration on the third day, with evening prayers to the goddess Lakshmi
• A fourth day marked differently across India
• Bhai Dooj, which celebrates the bond between brothers and sisters

Traditions vary across regions and communities, the BBC reports. The festival is widely marked by prayers, family gatherings, the exchange of sweets and the lighting of firecrackers.

Why it matters

According to the BBC, Diwali falls on the darkest night of the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, when the moon is not visible. It celebrates Lord Ram's return to Ayodhya after his victory over Ravan in the Hindu epic Ramayana, and it symbolises the triumph of good over evil.

The occasion also has meaning for other faiths, the BBC reports. Sikhs mark Bandi Chhor Divas at the same time, commemorating the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment at Gwalior Fort in the early 17th Century. For Jains, Diwali marks the attainment of moksha by Lord Mahavira, the 24th and last Tirthankara of the current era.

Markets and transport

India's stock exchanges will hold a special one-hour Muhurat trading session on 8 November, according to the BBC. An NDTV headline says Delhi Metro services on three lines will start early on Diwali, with the last train at 10 pm.

What each side says

The BBC reports that Delhi's air quality index reached 391, in the 'very poor' category, on Friday morning, and that India's Supreme Court on Monday permitted certified 'green' firecrackers in Delhi and surrounding areas for a limited period. Critics cited by the BBC, who are not named, question how effective these firecrackers are at reducing pollution and are concerned that conventional firecrackers could still reach Delhi from neighbouring states.

What is not known

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not include national attendance, spending or trading figures for Diwali 2026. The BBC report does not give a specific calendar date for the main celebration. The reports also do not include the time of the Muhurat session or name the exchanges taking part.

Analysis

Diwali's significance, as described by the BBC, extends beyond a single faith or place: Hindu, Sikh and Jain observances coincide, and celebrations reach beyond India. The festival also touches daily routines, from stock market sessions to metro timetables. Because the reports reviewed by Vocemundi contain no national spending, attendance or trading figures, this year's economic scale cannot be assessed from them. Later data, if available, could offer a clearer picture, although changes from earlier years would not by themselves show what caused them.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.