Diya (plural "diyas") is a contracted form of deep or light given by small earthen pots (also known as Pradeep), with wick made of cotton and dipped in ghee. It is traditionally lit up in huge numbers during Diwali. Cotton is a soft fibre that grows around the seeds of the cotton plant, a shrub native to the tropical and subtropical regions of both the Old World and the New World. ... Wikibooks Cookbook has more about this subject: Ghee Ghee (Hindi घी, from Sanskrit ghá¹›ta घृत sprinkled) is a type of clarified butter important in Indian cuisine and tradition. ... Collections of Diyas Dīpãvali (also transliterated Deepavali; Sanskrit: row of lights) or Diwãli (contracted spelling) is the Hindu Festival of Lights and marks the victory of good over the evil. ...

They are also used for praying to the deceased ancestors and are floated on leaves over the holy rivers like the Ganges at Haridwar. Early morning on the Ganges The River Ganges (Ganga in Indian languages) (Devanagiri गंगा) is a major river in northern India. ... Haridwar (also known as Hardwar) is a holy city in the state of Uttaranchal in northern India. ...