C.H. Booth Library presented a celebration program in conjunction with the holiday of Diwali on November 2.

A henna artist was a featured attraction. There was a formal presentation about the meaning of the holiday and there were readings about the holiday as well as crafts associated with the celebration of Diwali.

For people of Indian descent living in India and across the diaspora, Diwali is one of the most widely celebrated festivals, according to The Hindu American Foundation. The festival — whose name derives from the Sanskrit word dipavali, which means “row of lights” — serves as a beacon of brightness every year.

The holiday celebrates the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

It is an opportunity to get together with friends and family and rejoice in the light of one another’s company, while preparing for a fruitful year ahead. People commemorate Diwali (sometimes also spelled Divali) in a variety of ways across the culturally diverse regions of India and throughout the world.

Celebrated by people of Hindu, Buddhist, Jain and Sikh belief systems, as well as those from both Indian and non-Indian descent, the festival stretches for five days, starting on the 13th day of the dark half of the lunar month Ashvina to the second day of the light half of the lunar month Karttika.

Diwali was celebrated this year October 31-November 1.