Diwali, festival of lights - in pictures

An child lights earthenware lamps on the eve of Diwali in Bhopal, India Photograph: Sanjeev Gupta/EPA

A man selects a picture of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, in Katmandu, Nepal Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

A vendor in Kathmandu sells powder dyes used for worship during Tihar, a five-day festival that incorporates Diwali Photograph: Navesh Chitrakar/Reuters

Street vendors sell artificial garlands for Diwali in Allahabad, India Photograph: Rajesh Kumar Singh/AP

A Hindu devotee performs rituals during the Tihar festival in Katmandu, Nepal Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

Hindu devotees take part in a ritual celebrating Diwali in Colombo, Sri Lanka Photograph: Gemunu Amarasinghe/AP

Women buy decorations in preparation for Diwali at a shop in New Delhi, India Photograph: Mustafa Quraishi/AP

Hindus are blessed by a priest holding an oil lamp at a temple in Colombo Photograph: Ishara S Kodikara/AFP/Getty Images

Policemen decorate their dogs for the Tihar festival at a police kennel division in Katmandu, Nepal Photograph: Niranjan Shrestha/AP

An artist puts the finishing touches to a rangoli depicting Steve Jobs in Mumbai, India. Rangoli, the art of arranging finely ground powder dyes, part of Diwali celebrations Photograph: Punit Paranjpe/AFP/Getty Images

Packets of firecrackers are displayed for sale outside a shop in Jammu, India Photograph: Channi Anand/AP

Women burn sparklers in Kolkata, India Photograph: Piyal Adhikary/EPA