Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday wished people a happy Diwali.

"It is my wish that the festival brings happiness, prosperity and good fortune in everyone's life," he said.

One of the most popular Hindu festivals, Diwali is associated with the day when Lord Ram is believed to have returned to Ayodhya with his wife Sita and brother Lakshman after defeating Ravana, and is seen as a celebration of the victory of good over evil.