Stunning photos of Diwali celebrations from across the country

Ahmedabad. Siliguri. Amritsar. Chennai. Bhubaneswar.  People across the country have begun celebrating Diwali. Diwali, the festival of lights, is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and to protect from spiritual darkness. It is a festival which brings hope, health and happiness to the people. It is also known as Deepavali.

Preparations begin in advance and people start cleaning and decorating their homes. They also use this as an opportunity to go out and buy themselves new clothes, jewellery and lots of sweets. It is believed that Goddess Lakshmi - the Goddess of wealth - resides only in the clean areas and hence the custom of cleanliness is considered the most important part of the Diwali celebrations.

This year, the sacred festival will be celebrated on 19 October. The date changes every year as it is determined by the position of the moon.

Check out some amazing photos of Diwali celebrations from around the country.

Hope you all have a joyous Diwali this year!