Explore These States For An Epic Diwali Celebration In India

-Mansi Senghar

India is known for its diverse culture and colourful celebrations and Diwali is the quintessential festival to showcase that. Although the entire country is in a festive mood for Diwali by the time fall hits, the festivities and celebrations differ from one place to another. Every state has their own magical way of turning Diwali into a LIT fest and none can’t be missed. There are a galore of places places to visit in Diwali but here’s a list of the top few that should definitely make it to your travel list.

Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh

The first on our list is Ayodhya, the land of Bhagwan Ram. Every year this place is decorated with millions of diyas, colorful paper, lights and other decorative items. This city holds a 4-day long celebration every year that turns out to be better than the last one, each time. Devotees from all over the world come to Ayodhya, to witness its magic and celebrate the spirit of this festival along the bank of the Saryu river where the river bank is lit up on Diwali. Several priests come together to perform the puja and aarti. After the aarti the river is afloat and lit up with thousands of floating diyas. The beautiful sight is accompanied by chants of Jai Siya Ram. The aarti and the chants by the river bank make the celebration different from all other cities and thus making it one of the best place to celebrate Diwali in India.

Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh

Also known as Benaras, Varanasi is one of the holiest sites of pilgrimage for Hindus. If you visit the place during Diwali, you will be amazed at how beautiful the city looks especially near the Ganga ghat. Begin your trip in Varanasi with a dip in the holy river, followed by a stroll down the colourful lanes of Benaras. The entire river bank is illuminated with thousands of earthen lamps accompanied by religious chants of the holy priests. To witness the illuminated Ganga river, take a boat ride at the sunset when the entire city is engrossed in the festivities. If you stay till after Diwali you can also witness the Dev Deepawali which is celebrated here as a part of Ganga Mahotsav.

Kolkata, West Bengal

While the entire country celebrates Diwali, Kolkata celebrates Kali Puja, to honour the goddess Kali and destruct evil. After Durga Pujo, this is the time when the Bengalis leave the pujo blues behind and put their festive shoes on. Thousands of pandals are decorated to commemorate the day. The celebration starts at midnight with an elaborate bhog of kichuri, torkari of seasonal vegetables, payesh, sooji, and luchi. The pujo also has a sacrificial goat which is then cooked in a vegetarian style, without using garlic and onion. If you are a big foodie and love trying out new dishes while exploring new places then this must definitely make it to your list.

Goa

Goa is the most loved destination during the entire year but did you know that Diwali is one of the times when you should definitely visit the ‘Tourist Paradise’. The Diwali celebration in the city is as unique as the city itself which starts from the Naraka Chaturdashi. All the houses in Goa is decorated beautifully with lanterns. To celebrate the auspicious day, locals build several larger-than-life-sized Narakasura effigies filled with firecrackers and grass and then burn them the next morning in the wee hours. Another fun part of the Goan celebration includes gambling to try out their luck. When it comes to hotels in Goa, there are several Bloom Hotels that provide beautiful lodging solutions at a very reasonable price. So, if you haven’t visited Goa yet and are still planning on it, then this is the best time for you to explore the gorgeous beaches, try your luck in gambling and indulge in the cultural festivities of Diwali in Goa.

Jaipur, Rajasthan

When it comes to a grand celebration, no one does it quite like the Rajasthani folk. Starting from their rich ethnic wear to their exquisite thali, they know how to bring in the celebration. Among all the festivals celebrated in Jaipur, Diwali is the one festival when the entire city is well-lit and looks glitzy, especially the Nahargarh Fort. The celebrations start right from Dhanteras when all the popular landmarks are adorned with thousands of lights. One of the best parts about the Diwali celebration here is the folk musicians that play in the city bazaars. The regal decoration and celebrations of Diwali in this Rajputana city is unmatched and thus attracts many tourists from various regions of India and Abroad.

Gujarat

Diwali in Gujarat is celebrated to mark the end of the year and is celebrated with zeal and enthusiasm. The festival is observed for 5 days here where the entire city is decorated with garlands and diyas. The goddess Lakshmi is worshipped for prosperity and wealth. The fifth day of Diwali, which is the Labh Pancham is extremely auspicious, as, on the day, the Gujarati folks start the new day of their traditional year by warding off the evil eye. The celebration here is extremely religious and less extravagant but definitely worth witnessing.

So these were the few places, that are a must-visit to get engrossed with the festive celebration of Diwali and witness the glory of different parts of your country.

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