Deepavali
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Tamil:
தீபாவளி
tīpāvaḷi
Detailed etymology
definitions
noun
- the Hindu 'festival of lights', celebrated from around mid-October to mid-November, depending on the Tamil calendar; it is a public holiday for one assigned day a year in Singapore. Celebrations usually involve traditions such as decorating with lights and candles, the wearing of new clothes, eating traditional food and snacks such as muruku and athi resam, and decorating the entrance of homes with rangoli (colourful patterns made from coloured rice).
usage notes
Alternatively known as Diwali in much of the North Indian diaspora, though there are differences in the celebrations across different Indian cultures.