Diwali: What is the festival of lights?

Diwali is the five-day Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world.

Diwali is a festival of new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness, and for some also coincides with harvest and new year celebrations.

The festival falls between mid-October and mid-November but changes each year because it is set by the lunar calendar.

Before you read on, take this Diwali quiz to see how much you know about the festival.

The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning "rows of lighted lamps".

Houses, shops and public places are decorated with small oil lamps called diyas. People also enjoy fireworks and sweets too, so it's really popular with children.

Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains, and each religion marks different historical events and stories.

Hindus celebrate the return of deities Rama and Sita to Ayodhya after their 14-year exile. They also celebrate the day Mother Goddess Durga destroyed a demon called Mahisha.

Sikhs particularly celebrate the release from prison of the sixth guru Hargobind Singh in 1619. But Sikhs celebrated the festival before this date.

In fact, the foundation stone of the Golden Temple at Amritsar, the most holy place in the Sikh world, was laid on Diwali in 1577.

The founder of Jainism is Lord Mahavira. During Diwali, Jains celebrate the moment he reached a state called Moksha (nirvana, or eternal bliss).

One of the ways people celebrate Diwali is by decorating their homes with colourful rangoli designs, lighting diyas or displaying lights around the house.

Many people clean their homes, and buy gold or silver items for luck and good fortune.

People also celebrate by lighting fireworks or sparklers.

Many people visit friends and family to exchange gifts, have parties and share delicious food and sweets like Jalebi, Kaju katli, Gulab jamun and Burfi.

Diwali is also a time for prayers and people also leave offerings to gods and goddesses - like Lakshmi the Hindu goddess of wealth - for good luck.