Diwali 2025 in Scotland: When is the Festival of Light, how it's celebrated and Scottish Diwali events

Instead they are likely to be part of celebrations to mark Diwali - something that’s marked by over a billion people around the globe each year.

It’s a five day celebration which will reach its peak on Monday, October 20.

Here’s everything you need to know about it.

What is Diwali?

Diwali is an annual festival which celebrates the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil and importance of knowledge over ignorance in October and November, in accordance with the lunar calendar.

The name of the religious event is derived from the word deepavali, which is a Sanskrit term meaning "rows of lighted lamps".

It coincides with the arrival of a new moon anytime between mid October to mid November, which is also known as the Kartik month in the Hindu calendar.

The ‘Festival of Light’ sees families and friends gather all over the world to light candles, small, sometimes decorated oil lamps known as diyas and lanterns around homes, places of worship and public areas.

The bright and colourful festival also sees those celebrating participate in a range of Diwali traditions such as creating colourful rangoli designs on floors and doormats as a sign of celebration and welcome, and considerable feasts and festivities involving Indian sweets and confectionary collectively known as mithai.

Hindus will also use Diwali to pay tribute to the Goddess Lakshmi, symbolising wealth, prosperity, good luck and fertility, who they believe will enter the home through the main door on the night of Diwali if guided by enough lights – with the Goddess bestowing blessings upon Hindu households of the homes she enters.

Who celebrates Diwali?

While Diwali is mostly worshipped by Hindus, it is also celebrated by Sikhs, some Buddhists and those who believe in Jainism – an ancient Indian religion considered to be one of the country’s oldest religious practices, worshipped by approximately 0.4 per cent of India’s population.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus according to the ancient text of Ramayana, with Diwali believed to mark the day on which Lord Rama triumphed over demon king King Ravana and was welcomed back to his homeland with wife Sita and brother Lakshman, with villagers lighting a path home for Rama, Sita and Lakshman with diyas and lights.

The festival is celebrated by millions of people across the world and is marked as an official holiday in countries such as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore.

How long does Diwali last?

Diwali celebrations burst into life on the third day of the five day festival of lights, which falls between October and November with a changing date each year.

The five days are as follows:

Day 1 – Dhanteras

On this day people tend to clean their homes and businesses, put up Diwali decorations and light lamps that will burn for the full five days.

Day 2 – Choti Diwali

On the second day it’s common to make or purchase traditional sweets to enjoy.

Day 3 – Diwali

The biggest day of the festival sees the youngest members in the family visit their elders, while later in the day people dress up in their finest clothes to enjoy colourful lights, lanterns and fireworks.

Day 4 – Padwa

The fourth day is a celebration of marriage, with husbands buying their wives presents and parents invite newly-marrieds to a special meal.

Day 5 – Bhai Duj

The final day of celebrations marks the bond between siblings, with brothers travelling to visit sisters and their families.

When is Diwali this year?

This year, Diwali begins on Saturday, October 18, and will continue until Wednesday, October 22 – with celebrations coming to a head on Monday, October 20.

Diwali celebrations are likely to see firework displays across cities in the UK as families and friends gather to enjoy food, welcome one another to their homes and unite in worship.

What’s happening in Scotland for Diwali 2025?

Scotland’s biggest Diwali celebration will actually take place a week after the big day in Edinburgh on Sunday, November 2.

It’s the 10th anniversary of the free event and will take place from 1-9pm at the Ross Bandstand in Princes Street Gardens. The fun will kick off with a parade starting at St Andrew Square at 1.15pm, with dance and live music at the bandstand from 3.30pm and a fireworks display at 6pm. There will also be plenty of tasty food available.

Meanwhile in Leith, the Edinburgh Hindu Mandir & Culture Centre are celebrating Diwali Pooja on Monday, October 20 from 6-8.35pm.

Glasgow’s self-proclaimed biggest Diwali Party is at the Classis Grand venue from 9-11.30pm on Saturday, October 18, with sweets and snacks, special Diwali decor and DJs playing Bollywood Dance Tunes. You can bag a ticket here.

In Woodlands there will be a community Diwali celebration at Flourish House on Ashley Street with Indian snacks, chai and live music. It takes place on Sunday, October 19, from 11am-2pm.

Glasgow’s Central Gurdwara will be holding their Diwali event on Tuesday, October 21, from 5pm with live music and a fireworks display at 8pm.