Diwali: The festival of light illuminates Sydney Harbour

It's a stellar combination: A festival of light, with one of the world's best harbours.

For the second year running, the Sydney Opera House illuminated in gold on Nov. 12 to celebrate Diwali (or Deepavali), a light festival observed by Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and some Buddhists.

Diwali occurs between mid-October and mid-November, commemorating the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and is the most widely celebrated festival in India. Celebrants show off their best clothes, music and dances — with family and friends reunited and gifts shared during the occasion.

Diwali celebrations also occurred for the first time on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Chairman of the Hindu Council of Australia, Professor Nihal Agar, who has lived in Australia for 48 years, climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge for the first time as part of the festival on Nov. 10. He said it was a fantastic demonstration of "how multiculturalism has been inducted into the country."

The celebration, which took place 134 metres (493 feet) above sea level, is part of an "ongoing commitment to foster partnerships with international markets," according to BridgeClimb spokesperson Charli Beale.