Hindus, Jains and Sikhs will today celebrate the festival of light, Diwali. The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit deepavali, which means a row of lights.
The festival of Diwali is inspired by the philosophy of good conquering evil and is celebrated by people all over the world and by smaller South Asian religions as well.
Fireworks, candles and lanterns are used to brighten up the skies and cows, thought to be a reincarnation of the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi.
Even dogs join the in the fun, receiving garlands of marigolds and dustings of petals as thanks for providing security.
The start of a new year in the traditional Hindu calendar, it also marks the start of a new business year in the accounting world. Some historians believe the five day celebration performs a kind of harvest festival function, celebrating the end of a fruitful season.
It’s traditional to gamble on Diwali, as legend as it that Lady Parvati played dice with her husband Lord Shiv on this day. Gamble on Diwali and you will be rewarded have luck throughout the year.
Scroll down for incredible photographs of the celebrations:
Diwali 2015
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Women lighting diya lamps and enjoying Diwali festivities on November 10, 2015 in Indore, India. Festival of light Diwali is one of the most important festival of India celebrated with lighting of diyas, bursting of crackers and exchange of sweets and gifts. Lord Ganesha and Godess Lakshmi were worshipped as symbol of wealth and prosperity. (Photo by Shankar Mourya/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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An Indian man lights lamps at Akshardham temple on the eve of Diwali, the festival of lights, at Gandhinagar, about 30 kilometers (19 miles) north of Ahmadabad, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus across the country will celebrate Diwali on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Widows celebrating during the Diwali festival. Deepawali or Diwali is certainly the biggest and the brightest of all Hindu festivals is the festival of lights, that's marked by four days of celebration, which literally illuminates the country with its brilliance, and dazzles all with its joy. (Photo by Shashi Sharma/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) (credit:Pacific Press via Getty Images)
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Indian women shop for items at a roadside stall on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An Indian artist prepares the Hindu mythological characters on the occasion of Diwali festival in Kolkata, capital of eastern Indian state West Bengal, Nov. 9, 2015. Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, symbolizes the homecoming of Hindu god, Lord Rama, after his victory over demon King Ravana. (Xinhua/Tumpa Mondal via Getty Images) (credit:Xinhua News Agency via Getty Images)
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An Indian widow prays before a sacred tree during Diwali celebrations at the Meera Sahabhagini Widows Ashram in Vrindavan on November 10, 2015. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, celebrates the victory of good over evil and the triumphant return of Lord Ram to the city Ayodha after vanquishing Ravana in the kingdom of Lanka. AFP PHOTO/ Anna ZIEMINSKI (Photo credit should read ANNA ZIEMINSKI/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:ANNA ZIEMINSKI via Getty Images)
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People of city made portrait of Lord Buddha by lighting of approximate 4500 earthen lamps to spread peace and harmony on the eve of Diwali at Plaza sector 17 on November 10, 2015 in Chandigarh, India. Festival of light Diwali is one of the most important festival of India celebrated with lighting of diyas, bursting of crackers and exchange of sweets and gifts. Lord Ganesha and Godess Lakshmi were worshipped as symbol of wealth and prosperity. (Photo by Sanjeev Sharma/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
(08 of27)
An Indian woman lights an earthen lamp in Amritsar on November 10, 2015 on the eve of the Indian festival of Diwali. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, marks victory over evil and commemorates the time when Hindu god Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana and returned to his kingdom Ayodhya. AFP PHOTO / NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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An Indian Sikh Nihang (a traditional Sikh religious warrior) Baba 'Avtar' Singh wears an oversized giant traditional turban as he pay respects at the Golden temple in Amritsar on November 10,2015 on the eve of the Indian festival of Diwali, the festival of lights. There will be no spectacular show of light and fireworks this Diwali at the Golden Temple as the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided not to celebrate the festival in the wake of series of incidents of alleged desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book). AFP PHOTO/NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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An Indian sweets vendor displays sweets for sale on the occasion of Diwali, the festival of lights in Allahabad, India, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indians women look at artificial flowers in preparation for the Hindu festival of Diwali in Ahmadabad, India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. Diwali, the festival of lights that falls on Nov. 11, is popularly celebrated by lighting up homes with earthen lamps and bursting firecrackers. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian women shop for items at a roadside stall on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An artist gives final touches to idols of Hindu Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth, ahead of Diwali, the festival of lights in Hyderabad, India, Monday, Nov. 9, 2015. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indians shop for lanterns on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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People walk past decorated shops on the eve of Diwali, the festival of lights, at a market in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian buyers shop for decorative items for their house at a market on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Bikas Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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Indian women buy lanterns and lamps from roadside stalls ahead of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights in Hyderabad, India, Friday, Nov. 6, 2015. Diwali will be celebrated is most parts of India on Nov.11. (AP Photo/Mahesh Kumar A.) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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People purchase garlands of marigold at a makeshift flower market to decorate their homes on the occasion of Diwali festival, in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An Indian man stands near lanterns on display at a roadside stall on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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A flower seller waits for customers as people drop by at a makeshift flower market to purchase flowers and decorate their homes on occasion of Diwali festival , in New Delhi, India, Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2015. (AP Photo/Saurabh Das) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An Indian man arranges packets of firecrackers for display at a shop on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Channi Anand) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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An Indian woman lights an earthen lamp in Amritsar on November 10, 2015 on the eve of the Indian festival of Diwali. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, marks victory over evil and commemorates the time when Hindu god Lord Rama achieved victory over Ravana and returned to his kingdom Ayodhya. AFP PHOTO / NARINDER NANU (Photo credit should read NARINDER NANU/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:NARINDER NANU via Getty Images)
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GURGAON, INDIA - NOVEMBER 10: Aerial view of Indore city soaked in light and celebration ahead of Diwali on November 10, 2015 in Gurgaon, India. Festival of light Diwali is one of the most important festival of India celebrated with lighting of diyas, bursting of crackers and exchange of sweets and gifts. Lord Ganesha and Godess Lakshmi were worshipped as symbol of wealth and prosperity. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times via Getty Images) (credit:Hindustan Times via Getty Images)
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MUMBAI, INDIA - NOVEMBER 10: Indian people stand next to lanterns displayed at a roadside on the eve of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, in Mumbai, India, on November 10, 2015. Hindus light up their homes and pray to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, during the festival which will be celebrated on Wednesday. (Photo by Imtiyaz Shaikh /Anadolu Agency/Getty Images) (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
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A Nepalese police dog handler garlands a dog with marigolds and vermillion powder during a ceremony offering blessings to police dogs to mark the Tihar festival in Kathmandu on November 10, 2015. On Tihar, as the Hindu festival of Diwali is locally known, it is customary in Nepal for people offer blessings to dogs, which according to Hindu tradition, are the messengers of Yamaraj, the god of death. AFP PHOTO/ Prakash MATHEMA (Photo credit should read PRAKASH MATHEMA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:PRAKASH MATHEMA via Getty Images)
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Indians women look at artificial flowers in preparation for the Hindu festival of Diwali in Ahmadabad, India, Saturday, Nov. 7, 2015. Diwali, the festival of lights that falls on Nov. 11, is popularly celebrated by lighting up homes with earthen lamps and bursting firecrackers. (AP Photo/Ajit Solanki) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
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People light up the sky with lanterns ahead of Diwali festival in Lucknow, India, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2015. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh) (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)