• Firecrackers, aerial fireworks light up the night sky in Sindh
• Families share sweets, clothes and other gifts on annual event
• Governor, CM extend greetings

KARACHI: The Hindu community in Pakistan celebrated Diwali, the annual festival of lights, on Monday. The day was spent exchanging gifts and sweets and the evening was lit up with lights from clay lamps, candles and fireworks, which also illuminated the sky.

In Karachi, Hyderabad, Umerkot and other parts of Sindh, the temples were decorated beautifully, and devotees offered prayers for prosperity and national unity.

The entrance floor of Hindu homes was also decorated with pretty Rangoli designs for good luck.

Diwali is celebrated to commemorate the return of Lord Rama and his wife Sita Devi and brother Lakshman to their homeland after remaining in exile for 14 years. According to Hindu mythology, Rama had defeated the evil Ravana and hence it was a time to rejoice. The villagers lit their path with clay lamps.

As for the tradition of drawing Rangoli, it is to give out good vibes of happiness, positivity and liveliness to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. Some people also draw Lakshmi’s feet facing outwards at their door to indicate her departure after blessing their home.

Since it is a happy occasion, it also presents a reason for exchanging gifts which include sweetmeats, chocolates and dry fruit if you are talking of eatables. Otherwise, clothes and jewellery items are common gifts among the womenfolk as are household use or kitchen items such as a set of bowls, drinking glasses, trays or dinner sets. But of course, the fireworks have left all these behind as they are front and centre of Diwali.

This Diwali, too, all the temples in Karachi remained luminous from the lights of lamps and candles, sparklers and flowerpot and of course the aerial fireworks as they echoed with the sounds of firecrackers.

At Shri Swaminarayan Mandir, the big ground behind the temple had been converted into a marketplace with 20 to 30 stalls selling all kinds of Diwali stuff. Almost every stall had small and big clay lamps painted in shiny colours. For a hundred rupees, one could buy three small ones and two bigger ones. One could also get three boxes of fire crackers in exchange for the red note. There were stickers and little statues of Rama, Sita and Lakshman for puja. The ones imported from India cost thousands, by the way. One particular ivory white murti [statue] of Rama with tame jungle animals looking up at the deity in admiration had a Rs12,000 price tag. Only serious customers ventured near that stall.

Diwali at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir was broken into three phases. Monday was the first day, known as the day of fortune or Dhanteras; Tuesday, the second day, will be celebrated as Chhoti Diwali or Naraka Chaturdashi and Wednesday, the third day, is to be reserved for Lakhshmi puja, when residents around the temple will create the pretty, colourful rangoli on their entrance floors.

Still, the celebration was in full swing at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir and Sikh Gurudwara on the first day with all types of fireworks going off and being lit up here or there. The government had also declared Monday as a holiday for the Hindu community.

The Hindu community also celebrated Diwali in Hyderabad and other parts of Sindh.

Diwali celebrated at Governor House

A programme to celebrate Diwali was also held at Sindh Governor House. Governor Kamran Tessori cut a cake on the occasion, adds APP.

He said that the Hindu community lives in Pakistan very peacefully and enjoys all the rights.

“Members of Hindu community also live in this Governor House and they also have a temple here,” he said.

Chief Minister of Sindh Syed Murad Ali Shah extended heartfelt Diwali greetings to the Hindu community here on Monday.

In his message, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah wished the Hindu community a joyous Diwali.

He said Sindh was a land of peace and love, where people belonging to all religions celebrate their festival freely.

Published in Dawn, October 21st, 2025