From ocregister.com

By DEEPA BHARATH

Diwali is the most important festival of the year in India, particularly for Hindus, and widely marked by prayers, family gatherings and the lighting of fireworks.

More than one billion people across faiths celebrate it in the world’s most populous nation and its diaspora.

The name Diwali comes from “Deepavali,” meaning “a row of lights.” Celebrants place rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.

The festival follows the Hindu lunar calendar, typically falling in late October or early November. This year, Diwali falls on Nov. 8.

The victory of light over darkness

While Diwali is a major religious festival for Hindus, it is also observed by Sikhs, Jains and Buddhists. Its origin stories vary by region but share a theme: the victory of good over evil.

In southern India, Diwali celebrates Lord Krishna’s victory over the demon Naraka, who is said to have imprisoned women and tormented his subjects. In northern India, it honors the triumphant return of Lord Rama, his wife, Sita, and his brother, Lakshmana, after 14 years of exile in the forest.

Lights, fireworks and feasting

Traditions vary by region but commonly include lights, fireworks, feasting, new clothes and prayers.

In southern India, many people take an early morning bath with warm oil to symbolize bathing in the holy River Ganges for physical and spiritual purification. In the north, worship centers on the goddess Lakshmi, who symbolizes wealth and prosperity.

Gambling is a popular tradition, reflecting a belief that those who gamble on Diwali night will prosper throughout the year. Many people buy gold on Dhanteras, the first day of the festival, believing it will bring good luck.

Other traditions include setting off firecrackers and exchanging sweets and gifts with friends and family. Celebrations also feature rangoli — geometric and floral patterns drawn on the floor with colorful powders.

Other faiths’ traditions

Jains observe Diwali as the day Lord Mahavira, the last of their great teachers, attained nirvana, or liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, which overlaps with Diwali, to commemorate the release of Guru Hargobind from imprisonment under the Mughal emperor Jahangir.

Some Buddhists mark the day as the anniversary of Emperor Ashoka’s conversion to Buddhism in the third century B.C.

Celebrations across North America in 2026

Disney World in Florida held several days of Diwali festivities ahead of the holiday, featuring more than 500 dancers. Diwali at Times Square marked its 11th year in New York City with international performers, cultural bazaars and a lighting countdown at the Ball Drop Tower.

Other community events across North America include Diwali Eve on the Waterfront in Jersey City, Diwali Family Cruise Lights on the Hudson in New York, Diwali on the Bay in San Francisco and a Diwali Fusion Bollywood Boat Party in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Last year, California became the third U.S. state to make Diwali an official state holiday.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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From ocregister.com

By JOHN RABY

A storm system that caused what the National Weather Service calls a catastrophic, 1,000-year flood along the Tennessee-Georgia state line moved up the Eastern Seaboard on Friday, prompting flood advisories in coastal areas from North Carolina to Massachusetts.

In McCaysville, Georgia, and Copperhill, Tennessee, residents and crews spent Friday cleaning up alongside the Toccoa River. Rainfall across the surrounding mountain watershed measured 10.28 inches over a six-hour period and 11.19 inches over 12 hours into Thursday morning, according to the weather service in Atlanta.

Some instances of extreme weather are referred to as 1,000-year events because they have a 0.1%, or 1 in 1,000, chance of happening in a particular place in any given year. While uncommon, “it’s definitely possible to have multiple 1,000-year events in the same year,” the weather service said.

The Toccoa flows into the Ocoee River, where the Tennessee Valley Authority was managing high water levels at three of its hydroelectric dams. Swift-water teams from both states rescued dozens of people before the flooding receded, leaving downtown streets covered in mud and its water treatment plant out of commission.

At least one death was associated with the flooding. Julie Barrs, 56, died while apparently trying to drive her vehicle through floodwaters in a mountainous area of Murray County, Georgia, Sheriff Jimmy Davenport said Friday.

This was the second disastrous flood in three months for the communities — the weather service categorized the early August flood as a 1-in-500 year event — and McCaysville had reopened its renovated police building just last week. Police Chief Michael Otis Earley said his department “lost virtually everything” from the latest flood and that recovering again “will not be easy.”

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp declared a state of emergency for four counties to make resources available.

Access to the downtown area Friday was restricted to authorized personnel, business owners and residents, and a curfew remains in effect from dusk to dawn, Earley said in a statement.

“This disaster does not define who we are as a community,” Earley said. “How we come together, how we care for our neighbors, how we lift one another up, and how we move forward will define us. McCaysville may be down right now, but we are not defeated.”

With about 1,000 residents in McCaysville and fewer than 500 in Copperhill, the twin towns have been a quaint destination for scenic railroad rides — the Blue Ridge Railway on the Georgia side and the Copperhill Special in Tennessee. Both trains treat tourists to river and mountain views before stopping so visitors can sample the restaurants and shops.

The Copperhill General Store posted on social media that nearly all its wares are covered in mud.

“Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work through this devastating loss,” the store’s statement said.

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