INDIA
RUPAK DE CHOWDHURI
Kolkata, India—A man paints earthenware lamps on October 17, two weeks before Diwali, a five-day festival of lights celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. Millions of these twinkling lamps will be filled with oil and lit to decorate temples and homes on October 30. Celebrated for more than a millennium, the festival marks the triumph of good over evil. For many Hindus, it can be traced back to the return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita and his brother Lakshmana to the ancient kingdom of Ayodhya upon defeating the demon king Ravana, after 14 years in exile. It marks the start of a new year for many in the Hindu community.