Diwali celebrations in pictures

Updated: Saturday, November 2, 2013, 14:09 [IST]

New Delhi, Nov 2: As the nation prepares to celebrate Diwali on Sunday, the Delhi Metro has decided to halt services at 8 pm on Sunday for the occasion of Diwali, said an official release on Friday.

On Sunday, the last train will start at 8 pm from the terminal stations of all the six routes, namely, Dilshad Garden-Rithala, Jahangirpuri-HUDA City Centre, Yamuna Bank-Vaishali, Noida City Centre-Dwarka Sector-21, Inderlok-Mundka and Central Secretariat-Badarpur Metro station.

"Metro train services will run as usual for rest of the day on Diwali from 6 am onwards," said the release.

The Delhi Metro will also keep two extra trains on each route on the standby to handle the rush on the occasion of Bhai Duj on November 5, if required.

It will also deploy more agents to help and guide commuters at the busy Metro stations and will also run additional ticket counters, if required, said the release.

Metro train services on the Airport Express route will be available from 4.45 am to 11.30 pm on the occasion of Bhai Duj.

In Gujarat

The Akshardham temple is illuminated with lamps and light during Diwali festival in Gandhinagar on Friday night.

In Kolkata

An idol of Goddess Kali in Kolkata. Photo: Rabin Gupta

In Kolkata

An idol of Goddess Kali in Kolkata. Photo: Rabin Gupta

In Mumbai

Bollywood actor Tanisha Singh poses with diyas and crackers during a photo shoot for Pre-Diwali celebrations in Mumbai on Tuesday.

In Uttar Pradesh

Women prepare laddoos at a shop ahead of Diwali festival in Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, on Saturday.

In Kolkata

An idol of Goddess Kali in Kolkata. Photo: Rabin Gupta

In Rajasthan

A potter making earthen lamps ahead of Diwali in Jodhpur, Rajasthan.

Widows in Vrindavan

Widows celebrate Diwali by lighting crackers during a function organized by an NGO, Sulabh International, in Vrindaban on Thursday evening.

Widows in Vrindavan

Widows celebrate Diwali by lighting crackers in a function organized by an NGO, Sulabh International, in Vrindaban on Thursday evening.

in Kolkata

West Benagl Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee inaugurates a Kali Puja in Kolkata.

In Uttar Pradesh

Children carry earthen lamps to dry them in the sunlight ahead of Diwali festival in Moradabad, UP, in Sunday.

In Mumbai

Blind students celebrate diwali at kamla mehta blind school in Mumbai on Thursday.

Religion no bar

A Muslim woman participates in a cultural event ahead of Diwali festival in Ranchi, Jharkhand on Thursday.

For Sachin Tendulkar

Potters form a message for cricketer Sachin Tendulkar with the help of earthen lamps ahead of Diwali festival in Moradabad on Friday

In Australia

An Indian girl performs during Diwali celebration in Melbourne.

At Capitol Hill

Congressman Joe Crowley, Co-Chair of the Congressional India Caucus, lighting lamps during Diwali celebrations at the Capitol Hill in Washington on Tuesday.

In Gurgaon

College students display placards while participating in an awareness campaign on Diwali in Gurgaon on Wednesday.

In Uttar Pradesh

School students paint their faces to express their regards for master blaster Sachin Tendulkar on the occasion of Diwali festival in Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh.

Crackers

Fire crackers on display at a shop in Kolkata. Photo: Chirantan Roychowdhury

In Patiala

Students take part in an awareness rally supporting 'Green Diwali' in Patiala on Saturday.

In Patiala

Students take part in an awareness rally supporting 'Green Diwali' in Patiala on Saturday.

In Chennai

A police woman tries to control a crowd of people thronging a shopping hub for Diwali shopping, in Chennai.

In Chennai

Policemen tries to control the sea of people thronging the famous shopping hub of Ranganathan street for Diwali shopping, which is just 5 days away,in Chennai.