Widows, who have been abandoned by their families, light sparklers after offering prayers on the banks of the river Yamuna as part of Diwali celebrations in Uttar Pradesh, India. PHOTO: REUTERS
People decorate the entrances of their homes and businesses with banana leaves and marigold flowers and light fire crackers to commemorate the festival which marks the victory over evil. We look at how Hindu devotees celebrate the festival as they worship cows, the goddess of wealth, Laxmi, and decorate their homes using garlands, oil lamps, candles and colourful light bulbs.
PHOTO: REUTERSA cow adorned with garlands and smeared with vermilion powder is pictured during Diwali, in Kathmandu Nepal
PHOTO: AFPHindu devotees light diyas at one of the ghats on the banks of the Yamuna river in Vrindavan, India
PHOTO: REUTERSIndian businessmen prepare their record-keeping books as part of a ritual to worship the Hindu deity of wealth goddess Lakshmi on Diwali
PHOTO: AFPIndian widows hold sparkers and diyas during Diwali celebrations at Kesi Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna river in Vrindavan
PHOTO: REUTERSA girl offers prayers to a cow during a religious ceremony in Kathmandu, Nepal
PHOTO: AFPIndian widows hold oil lamps on the banks of the Yamuna river in Vrindavan
PHOTO: REUTERSA boy crawls under a cow during Diwali, in Kathmandu, Nepal
PHOTO: AFPAn Indian man carries banana leaves at a market during Diwali, in Hyderabad
PHOTO: AFPA cow, considered sacred in Hindu-majority India, walks in the street during preparations for Diwali celebrations at the Meera Sahabhagini Widows Ashram in Vrindavan
PHOTO: REUTERSA cow hoof, smeared with vermilion powder, is pictured during the festival in Kathmandu, Nepal
PHOTO: AFP
PHOTO: REUTERSA devotee ties sacred threads around the tail of a cow during Diwali in Kathmandu, Nepal
PHOTO: AFPAn Hindu priest ties mango leaves at the entrance of a temple during Diwali in Hyderabad
PHOTO: REUTERSA devotee offers prayers to a cow in Nepal's Kathmandu
PHOTO: REUTERSA Hindu woman feeds her cow during Diwali celebrations in Kathmandu, Nepal
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