All of our Labor Day weekend the Indian population celebrates Diwali.

The five-day event begins with traditional holiday staples like candles and oil lamps, called "diyas." Diwali, a contraction of the word "Deepavali" -- meaning row of lights in Sanskrit -- is often celebrated with food, dancing, parties and, of course, colorful lights hanging everywhere. Many Hindus celebrate with prayer to Sita, a descendant of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and beauty, and Rama, the supreme God and descendant of Vishnu.

The festival symbolizes the victory of light over dark, good over evil, and knowledge over darkness, and honors of the return of Hindu god Rama to his kingdom after years of exile. In the ancient Sanskrit epic "Ramayana," Lord Rama along with his wife Sita and brother Lakshmana are welcomed back to their kingdom Ayodhya, with residents lighting oil lamps following the defeat of the demon king Ravana.

Denarau was no exception. Each of the firve nights we saw fireworks over the harbor. There were not just one but five or six at a time.