This month Singapore’s Little India has erupted in a blaze of multi-coloured lights. The reason is of course Deepavali or Diwali, the Hindu festival whose name comes from the ancient Sanskrit dipavali or ‘row of lights’.

One of the largest celebrations in Hinduism, the five-day festival celebrates the victory of good over evil. Celebrants set oil-filled lamps outside buildings and set them adrift on rivers. The main festival day marks the Hindu New Year, and is celebrated with gift-giving and plentiful feasts. Devotees also play games commemorating the legendary games of dice played by the gods.

Over millennia Deepavali has shared its warmth with cultures that also bring light to the streets.

Thailand’s Loi Krathong is one of Thailand’s oldest and best preserved traditions. It is held on the full moon night of the twelfth lunar month and throughout Thailand hundreds of thousands of ornately decorated krathong, or banana leaf floats carrying candles and incense sticks, are set adrift in rivers and waterways.

In Sukhothai province the festival also features a procession of offerings, sound and firework displays.

The festival celebrates the teachings of Buddha and the act of floating away the candle raft is symbolic of letting go of all grudges and anger so that one can start life anew. Thais also cut their fingernails and hair and add them to the rafts as a symbol of letting go of the past.

Chahārshanbe-Sūri is an ancient festival from Iran dating back to 1700 B.C.E. This festival of fire comes before Norouz or the Iranian New Year, marking the arrival of spring and revival of nature.

The festival is celebrated on the last Tuesday night of the year, the word Chahārshanbe actually means Wednesday and Sūri is red. In the early evening bon fires are lit, this ancient act is to not let the sun set for one night. The fires burn bright until the new day’s dawn.

In addition to the bon fires another tradition is to make a special Ajeel of mixed nuts and berries and go door to door – a bit like Halloween without the creepy ghosts!

Another festival of light is the Jewish holiday Hanukkah, which literally lights up people’s homes. The eight-day, 2000-year-old holiday celebrates the victory of the Jews over their enemies and the freedom Jews enjoy today.

The story of Hanukkah begins in strife. Antiochus, a Greek who was king of Syria, marched with an army of soldiers into the kingdom of Judea, home to many Jews. He insisted that the Jews worship the Greek gods rather than the one god they worshipped. When the Jews refused, the soldiers attacked the prayer temples or cinegogs in Jerusalem and killed countless Jews.

After years of slavery the Jews of Jerusalem finally revolted and attacked the Greek soldiers. One of their first tasks after they claimed their city back was to clean up the temples. They restored the precious holy lamp, the menorah, but found only enough holy oil to last one day. By the end of the day the flame continued to burn. Mysteriously the menorah burned steadily for eight more days, with each passing day the flames grew brighter.

From then on, every year at that time (usually December), Jews have celebrated with a festival of light. Candles are lit at sundown for eight nights in a row. Today's menorahs have nine branches, the ninth branch is for the shamash, or servant light, which is used to light the other eight candles. People eat shredded potato latkes, exchange gifts, and like Deepavali play games.

Light plays a large role in cultural practices the world over. Like the sun, the lighting of lanterns and fires symbolizes a new beginning, the beauty of tomorrow and the power of light over dark. Something all of us can share in.

Enjoy the festival of lights!