Diwali Speech in English 2026 and 10 Lines on Diwali

Diwali Speech in English 2026 and 10 Lines on Diwali

A 1-minute and a 2-minute Diwali speech for school assembly are below, followed by 10 lines on Diwali for younger and older students and a short safe-Diwali message. Diwali 2026 falls on Sunday, 8 November. Most schools hold their Diwali assembly on the last working day before the festival break, so check which day yours is.

Need to write rather than speak? The essay on Diwali has 100, 250 and 500-word versions.

Before you start

• Main Diwali (Lakshmi Puja): Sunday, 8 November 2026
• The five days in 2026: Dhanteras on Friday 6 November; Chhoti Diwali (Naraka Chaturdashi) on Sunday 8 November, the same day as Lakshmi Puja this year; Govardhan Puja on 9 or 10 November (panchangs differ); and Bhai Dooj on Wednesday 11 November
• Why two of the days share a date: the Chaturdashi tithi is still running at sunrise on 8 November, and the new moon begins later that morning, so Chhoti Diwali and the main Diwali fall on the same Sunday. Some calendars show Saturday 7 November as Chhoti Diwali; Drik Panchang marks 7 November as Kali Chaudas.
• Speaking pace: about 120 words a minute on stage
• Keep it for everyone: your audience may include students who celebrate Diwali in different ways, or not at all. Light, family and kindness work for all of them.

The 2026 dates were checked against the Drik Panchang Diwali calendar for 2026 and the central government's holiday list for 2026 (DoPT Office Memorandum No. 12/2/2023-JCA, 3 July 2025), which also gives Sunday, 8 November.

1-minute speech on Diwali (about 130 words)

Good morning to our respected Principal, our teachers and all my dear friends.

In a few days, homes all over India will glow with diyas. Diwali, the festival of lights, falls this year on Sunday, the eighth of November.

The word Diwali comes from Deepavali, which means a row of lamps. Many families celebrate it as the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile, when the people lit lamps to welcome him home.

We clean our homes, draw rangoli, wear new clothes and share sweets with our neighbours. But the real light of Diwali is kindness.

So this Diwali, let us light more diyas and burst fewer crackers, and share our sweets with someone who has less than we do.

Wishing you all a very happy and safe Diwali. Thank you.

2-minute speech on Diwali (about 260 words)

Respected Principal, respected teachers and my dear friends, a very good morning to all of you.

In a few days we will celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. This year the main day of Diwali, when families perform the Lakshmi Puja, falls on Sunday, the eighth of November.

Diwali is not one day but five. It begins with Dhanteras, when families buy something new for the home. Next comes Chhoti Diwali, then the main festival night, then Govardhan Puja, and finally Bhai Dooj, a day for brothers and sisters.

Different parts of India tell the story of Diwali differently. In the North, it celebrates Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating Ravana. In many parts of the South, it marks Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura. In Bengal, families worship Goddess Kali on the same night. Jains remember the day Lord Mahavira attained nirvana, and Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas. Every one of these stories says the same thing: light wins over darkness, and good wins over evil.

Friends, Diwali is also a time to think about others. Loud crackers frighten animals, older people and small babies, and the smoke makes the air harder to breathe for days. A diya, a rangoli and a box of sweets shared with a neighbour bring far more joy.

So let us celebrate a Diwali that hurts no one. Let us light up our homes, and also the life of someone who needs it.

I wish all of you and your families a very happy, safe and bright Diwali.

Thank you.

10 lines on Diwali: Classes 1 to 3

Short sentences, one idea each. About forty seconds.

1. Diwali is the festival of lights.
2. It is one of the biggest festivals in India.
3. In 2026, Diwali is on Sunday, 8 November.
4. We clean and decorate our homes before Diwali.
5. We light diyas and candles in the evening.
6. People worship Goddess Lakshmi on Diwali night.
7. We draw a colourful rangoli at the door.
8. We wear new clothes and eat sweets.
9. We share sweets with our friends and neighbours.
10. Diwali makes everyone happy.

10 lines on Diwali: Classes 4 to 8

Longer sentences with a little history. About a minute and a quarter.

1. Diwali, or Deepavali, is the festival of lights, celebrated across India and by Indians around the world.
2. The name Deepavali means a row of lamps.
3. It falls on the new-moon night of the Hindu month of Kartik, so its date changes every year.
4. In 2026, the main day of Diwali is Sunday, 8 November.
5. Many people celebrate it as the day Lord Rama returned to Ayodhya after fourteen years of exile.
6. In parts of South India, it marks Lord Krishna's victory over the demon Narakasura.
7. The festival lasts five days, from Dhanteras to Bhai Dooj.
8. On the main night, families perform the Lakshmi Puja and light diyas all around the home.
9. People exchange sweets and gifts and visit friends and relatives.
10. A green Diwali, with diyas and fewer crackers, keeps the air clean for everyone.

A short safe-Diwali message for assembly (under a minute)

Useful for a teacher, the head boy or head girl, or the last speaker before the break. It is about 90 words, which takes around 45 seconds at stage pace.

Before we go home for the holidays, a quick reminder. If you burst crackers, do it only with an adult beside you, in an open space, with a bucket of water nearby. Wear cotton clothes, not synthetic ones, near diyas and crackers. Keep pets and younger children indoors when crackers are going off. And remember that some people around you, especially older people and anyone with asthma, find the smoke hard to bear. Have a happy, safe Diwali, and we will see you all back here, safe and smiling.

How to deliver it

• Smile on the greeting. It is a festival. Let your face say so before your words do.
• Pause after the date. "Sunday, the eighth of November" is the one fact everyone is listening for.
• Slow down on the last line. The wish at the end is what the audience will repeat to each other on the way out.
• For 10 lines, breathe at every full stop. Younger speakers rush; one breath per line fixes the speed.

Children's Day follows six days after Diwali, on Saturday, 14 November 2026. If you are asked to speak again, the Children's Day speech in English has 1, 2 and 3-minute versions written for the same kind of school assembly.

Frequently Asked Questions