Did You Know This Community Lights Diyas At The Cemetery On Diwali?

Diwali is one of the most significant festivals in the Hindu tradition, celebrated with devotion and grandeur. People worship Goddess Lakshmi, decorate their homes with lamps and electric lights, and burst

firecrackers to dispel darkness and bring happiness. However, in Karimnagar, the celebration takes a different form.

Every year, a week before Diwali, the crematorium is cleaned and the graves of deceased family members are painted and decorated with flowers. On the day of the festival, families gather at the cemetery in the evening. They light candles at the graves, make offerings including their ancestors’ favourite foods, and continue rituals until midnight. Firecrackers are also burst as part of the celebration.

This custom is deeply rooted in the belief that performing these rituals helps the souls of the deceased find peace. For the local community, remembering their elders in this manner is considered the true spirit of Diwali. Those who have moved to other places for work make it a point to return and participate, showing respect and maintaining family bonds.

While Diwali is widely celebrated across towns and villages in India with lights, decorations, and fireworks, in Karimnagar, it is a time to honour the departed. The local people continue this tradition without objection, emphasising that remembering ancestors is the essence of the festival.

As one local resident said, “It is nice to remember the memories of those who have passed. We would not be here without our ancestors, and that is why remembering them is the real Diwali.”