Sydney Opera House wore a crimson red hue today to mark Diwali
As Indians across the globe got into the festive mood to celebrate Diwali, members of the Indian cricket team, currently in Australia to participate in the ICC T20 World Cup, ushered in the festivities in Sydney today.
After India beat Pakistan in a thriller, thanks largely to a swashbuckling, unbeaten 82 by former captain Virat Kohli, in their opening match of the tournament in Melbourne last night, the Indian team travelled to Sydney for their next engagement against the Netherlands on Thursday.
Commenting on India's fabulous win over arch-rivals Pakistan in Melbourne and how Sydney was all set to soak up the festival of lights, the Indian Consulate in Sydney tweeted today: "After a Viraat Sunday, Sydney all geared up to witness grand Diwali."
To mark the occasion, the iconic Sydney Opera House was lit up in crimson red today.
Several members of the Indian team - including Virat Kohli, captain Rohit Sharma, Deepak Hooda, Ravindra Jadeja, Yuzvendra Chahal - took to social media to post greetings and visuals to mark the festival.
Conveying his Diwali greetings, Kohli tweeted today: "A very Happy Diwali to you all. May the festival of lights bring you peace, joy and prosperity."
The festivities began in Sydney on Saturday and will continue until Wednesday. Sydney, like most other major Australian cities, has a large presence of South Asians and a sizeable number of Indian expatriates for whom Diwali is the biggest festival on the calendar.