Diwali, often called Deepavali, ranks as one of India's biggest and best-loved festivals. At its heart, the holiday celebrates light beating dark, virtue conquering vice, and wisdom pushing away ignorance. Millions take the message to heart, and the joy spreads far beyond India's shores. A lively global community has picked up the festival, adding local flavours that give Diwali its fresh spark each year.

From Fiji's warm beaches to London's busy streets, people blend home traditions with Indian customs. Colourful lanterns line front porches, spicy sweets fill kitchen counters, and fireworks paint the night sky in every new spot. Every celebration tells its own little story while still honouring the main theme: letting light in.

🇮🇳 1. India: The Heart of Diwali

We should first stop where it all started: India. Here, Diwali stretches over five exciting days, each with its own mix of myths and to-dos. The tales often recall the moment Lord Rama came back to Ayodhya after beating the demon king Ravana. Villagers lit tiny diyas then to help him find his way, and the same ritual hugs many front yards today.

Firecrackers, sweets, rangolis, and fresh clothes mark the time of year, yet every part of India adds its own flavour. In West Bengal, the focus shifts to the fierce worship of Goddess Kali, while Maharashtra opens the season with the quiet blessings of Vasubaras and Dhanteras. Taken together, Diwali across the subcontinent becomes both a loud spectacle and a private, spiritual journey.

🇫🇯 2. Fiji: Island Spirits and Ancestral Lights

Half a world away, the tiny Pacific nation of Fiji honours the festival just as loudly, thanks to its large Indo-Fijian community that arrived more than 150 years ago as indentured workers. Because of this history, Diwali is even a public holiday there-a rare mark of respect for a tradition born outside the islands. During the week, houses glow with clay diyas, bright LEDs, and sheets of patterned fabric, while laddus, barfi, and hot samosas are passed to neighbours from every background.

What really sets Fijian celebrations apart is the way they pull everyone in. People of every faith wander from house to house, local TV feeds play Bollywood hits, and dance troupes perform under makeshift stars. This mix of stories, smiles, and shared treats makes Diwali in Fiji feel like one big island family party.

🇹🇹 3. Trinidad and Tobago: Caribbean Colour and Devotion

In the twin-island paradise of Trinidad and Tobago, Diwali shines as both a national holiday and a vibrant cultural showcase. Streets and parks glow with thousands of tiny clay diyas, but the biggest show happens at Diwali Nagar, a lively village in Chaguanas that fills up for weeks with dance, bhajans, lectures, and always plenty of food stalls.

Families pull out Indian outfits, whip up tasty vegetarian dishes, and gather around home altars to do the Lakshmi puja with real heart. The Indo-Trinidadian community has kept these traditions alive, turning Diwali into a national jewel that mixes Indian spirit with that easy Caribbean rhythm everyone loves.

🇲🇾 4. Malaysia: Deepavali with a Multicultural Twist

In Malaysia, Deepavali feels like a huge community meal, thanks to the open-house tradition; families welcome anyone to their homes for rice, murukku, idiyappam, and curry puffs. While Tamil customs lead the celebration, Malay ketupat, Chinese pineapple tarts, and even ang pows slip into the feast, showing how easily the country's many cultures blend.

Open houses are a common tradition, where people of all faiths are invited to enjoy meals together. Traditional dishes like murukku, idiyappam, and curry puffs are served, and festivities are often combined with Malay and Chinese cultural influences, making Malaysian Deepavali a beautiful example of cross-cultural harmony.

🇬🇧 5. United Kingdom: Lights in London and Leicester

With more than 1.5 million people of Indian origin, the UK now holds some of the biggest Diwali parties outside India. Leicester kicks things off with a show-stopping light switch-on that draws tens of thousands; fireworks, dance troupes, food stalls, and prayers fill the night. London joins the fun in Trafalgar Square, where crowds enjoy live music, craft markets, and giant rangoli.

At home, families still do the Lakshmi puja, set out diyas, and whip up classic sweets, but younger, British-born Indians put their own spin on the festival by mixing Indian customs with local flavours; you might find ginger chai next to gulab jamun or a chocolate cake at the end of the meal.

🇸🇬 6. Singapore: Little India Illuminated

In Singapore Deepavali, also called Diwali, takes over the busy Little India district, turning streets into a sea of glittering lights, rainbow arches, and carnival shows.

Temples like the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple pull in thousands of visitors every year. In fact, the Singapore government pitches in by setting up street stalls, parades, and live music. Shopping for saris, candles, and sweet treats turns into a neighbourhood party, showing the city's belief that many cultures can celebrate together.

🇲🇺 7. Mauritius: Fire and Faith in the Indian Ocean

More than sixty percent of Mauritius's people have Indian roots, so Diwali is a big deal everywhere on the island. Homes glow with small clay lamps, and cooks whip up mouth-watering gato patate, ladoo, and jalebi.

Though prayers to Lakshmi and Ganesh sit at the heart of the holiday, Diwali has grown into a mark of national pride. Even those who don't follow Hinduism join in lighting lamps and passing around treats, turning the festival into a warm, island-wide bonding moment.

🇺🇸 8. United States: From Temples to Times Square

Diwali is becoming a familiar sight in the United States, particularly in big cities with large Indian communities such as New York, San Francisco, Chicago, and Dallas. Neighbourhood celebrations often feature cultural shows, community dinners, temple prayers, fireworks, and even street fairs. In 2023 the holiday took centre stage at Times Square, where a giant LED countdown and Bollywood dancers lit up the square for tourists and locals alike.

You'll also find Diwali marked in corporate offices, at colleges, and in public schools across the country. Staff lunches, student potlucks, and short workshops on diyas, rangoli, and Indian myths let people from all backgrounds taste the holiday spirit. For many Indian-American families, these moments help them stay connected to home while sharing a little bit of India with their neighbours.

🇳🇿 9. New Zealand: Community and Celebration

Over in New Zealand, Diwali is officially hailed as a nationwide festival, with Auckland and Wellington carrying the biggest celebrations. The Auckland Diwali Festival now attracts tens of thousands of visitors, who come for the fireworks, live music, henna stalls, craft booths, and a tempting spread of vegan Indian treats.

What really sets the celebration apart is its welcome. Māori whanau, Pacific Islanders, Europeans, and everyone in between turn up, ready to taste food, swap stories, and learn the meanings behind the lights. By coming together in this way, Diwali in Aotearoa becomes more than a single group's holiday; it turns into a friendly platform for respect and understanding among New Zealand's diverse communities.

💡 10. A Universal Message of Light

Wherever you find people marking Diwali-whether in the crowded lanes of Delhi, a seaside cabin in Fiji, or a small park in London-the festival shares one timeless promise: light can ever beat the dark. That simple truth travels farther than the lamps, telling us how traditions bend, mix, and grow instead of just sitting still.

Diwali crossing oceans shows how a celebration can pull strangers together, spark fresh ideas of who we are, and keep the flame of hope burning no matter the season. With every diya set out on a step, porch, or streetlamps from Kuala Lumpur to Queens, the call rings out to glow a little brighter, love a little harder, and enjoy the moment as one big family.