Diwali, also sometimes called Deepavali, is the Hindu new year. It's a five-day festival celebrated by Sikhs, Hindus and Jains around the world. It's called the "festival of lights" and honors the deities Ganesha (the elephant-headed goddess, that's her on the left) and Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. Diwali 2012 is celebrated from November 13-17 in the western calendar. Diwali means "garland of lights" (or row of lights) in Sanskrit and is referred to as the "Festival of lights." In the Indian calendar, Diwali is celebrated in late Ashwin (September-October) and ends in early Kartika (October-November). Here are printable Diwali coloring pages and decorative paper crafts called "rangoli." Free Printable Diwali Coloring Pages, Rangoli Crafts