The holiday, which marks the new year, is observed over five days in various ways, from decorating with lights, praying at the temple and feasts with loved ones. Much of that is different this year.
Air quality is awful in New Delhi in winter. Smoke from the fireworks of the Hindu festival of lights adds to the problem. That's a cause for concern during a pandemic caused by a respiratory virus.
Diwali — the Hindu festival of lights — has been blamed for cloaking New Delhi and other cities in unhealthy smog from massive amounts of fireworks that are set off day and night.
New Delhi suffers from intense air pollution every winter. On Monday, the stifling smog was particularly acute — in part because of the countless firecrackers set off for Diwali this weekend.
While most Westerners see the swastika as a symbol of Nazi Germany or white supremacy, it has been a symbol of good fortune in Asia thousands of years before Hitler.
It's called a diya. It's part of the upcoming Hindu festival of Diwali. And this year, the lamp is linked to politics in the U.S. — and in India as well.
