Diwali is coming up, and based on celebration guidelines released by the government yesterday, here is all you need to know about having a joyous, yet safe, festival of lights. 

The celebration will be falling on the 4th of November 2021 and below are the Covid-19 rules, as well as regulations to keep in mind. 

1. Religious activities and prayers in temples are only allowed in states that are in their phase 3 & phase 4. 

2. Only fully-vaccinated individuals are allowed to partake in celebrations. 

3. The number of attendees in a temple are subject to the size of the premise. 

4. A social distance of 1m from each other should be kept at all times. 

5. Timings for religious activities will be: 6am to 2pm, 4pm to 10pm.

6. Only packaged food will be allowed; no dine-ins. 

7. Processions are prohibited. 

8. Diwali bazaars and markets are allowed with the approval of local authorities. 

9. House and cemetery visits are allowed, provided you are fully-vaccinated. 

10. Good hygiene and facemasks are to be practiced at all times. 

Those are the SOPs and let's do our best to restart life in this new norm!