Diwali celebrations were underway in India Monday, where millions lit up their homes with oil lamps and decorative lights to celebrate the Hindu festival. 

The "festival of light" lasts for about five days and is celebrated most prominently in northern India.

Even still, people of various faiths, including Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists, join in on celebrations meant to mark the triumph of good over evil.

People often deep clean their homes or repaint them. Most often people gather together and wear new outfits. 

Families and friends exchange sweets called "mithai" and often eat meals together, with the weekend having been a boon for many this time.

The festival is also celebrated elsewhere in South Asia, most notably in Hindu-majority Nepal where it is largely known as "Tihar," and has gained increasing popularity among the Indian diaspora community in countries such as Malaysia and the US.

Schools and universities close for the festival season too, as do banks and government offices.

The debate over bursting firecrackers during Diwali

But there's been one aspect of the festival that has become increasingly politically charged — bursting firecrackers.

Many point out that bursting firecrackers exacerbates the dense pollution every year during winter in the capital, Delhi. Others say the activity is part of the festival's tradition.

India's top court last week allowed the sale of green firecrackers, deemed to be less polluting, with specific rules surrounding the buying and selling of crackers.

Bursting firecrackers has remained under a court-imposed restriction in Delhi and surrounding cities since 2018 because of poor air quality every winter. 

Ayodhya retains world record by lighting more than 2.6 million lamps

Even before Monday, celebrations were visible in Ayodhya city in northern Uttar Pradesh state.

Hindus believe the deity Lord Ram was born there and Diwali celebrates his homecoming after 14 years in exile.

On Sunday, the city lit more than 2.6 million lamps on the banks of the Saryu River, retaining the Guinness World Record set last year. 

Indian PM Modi meets navy personnel for Diwali

In addition, also on Monday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Indian navy personnel aboard the INS Vikrant off the coast of the western state of Goa.

Modi was met with a musical performance on the vessel, with personnel singing him the song "The Vow of Sindoor."

The song is a reference to India's brief conflict with Pakistan in May in which New Delhi launched strikes in a campaign it dubbed "Operation Sindoor."

Modi hailed India's military in his Diwali address, saying: "The glow of the sun's rays on the ocean's waters is like the Diwali lamps lit by brave soldiers."

He added that the vessel had given "sleepless nights" to Pakistan.

Edited by: Saim Dušan Inayatullah