Festival of lights ahead: Diyas in markets herald Diwali

As India gears up for Diwali, to be celebrated on November 4 this year, shopkeepers have brought out displays of traditional as well fancy lamps for the festival of lights. In pic, a shopkeeper sells colourful lamps ahead of Diwali at Kumbharwada, Dharavi, in Mumbai.

Sellers at Diwali markets are busy stocking a variety of lamps to meet the demand and aesthetics of different kinds of customers. In pic, a child looks for lamps of her choice at a market in Mumbai's Dharavi.

Potters too are busy in meeting the demand of earthen oil lamps ahead of the Festival of Lights. In pic, a potter makes a traditional earthen lamp using a potter's wheel.

Once the lamps are made, they are ready to be supplied to the market. In pic, a member of a potter family takes a set of earthen lamps inside after they have been dried in the sun.

Some of the traditional earthen oil lamps are sold in the market in their raw form i.e as they are supplied from the potter.

Some earthen lamps are again painted at workshops to give them a fancy and festive look.

A man works on an earthen lamp, before it makes its way to light up someone's home.