Diwali 2025: Safety, Supply and Global Reach

Diwali 2025 on 20 October is being observed across India with home pujas, rangolis and large public lamp and firework displays at sites including Ayodhya’s Ram Ki Paidi, Varanasi’s Dashashwamedh Ghat and the Golden Temple. Authorities and regulators have flagged safety and quality concerns: Fiji’s Consumer Council found expired, fungal or tampered food items and misleading promotions, while reporting from India warned of adulteration in mass‑produced mithai such as khoya cut with starch or ghee replaced by vanaspati. Early rains in some manufacturing hubs caused marginal fireworks shortages and modest price rises, and lighting supply chains showed friction as higher‑quality Made‑in‑India LED string lights—often incompatible with common connectors—left some buyers reliant on imports. International authorities also issued warnings: the UAE said unlicensed sale or use of fireworks is illegal year‑round, punishable by at least one year’s imprisonment and fines up to Dh100,000 under Federal Decree Law No.17/2019, with only SIRA‑accredited firms permitted to stage displays. The festival’s global reach is expanding—New Orleans staged its first citywide Diwali in October with parades and decorations centered on Jackson Square—while consumer preferences and public voices, including actors Pankaj Tripathi and Nimrit Kaur and frontline workers, emphasise greener, low‑noise fireworks, healthier sweets and simple, family‑centred observance focused on Lakshmi‑Ganesha‑Kubera pujas and auspicious muhurats.