MUSCAT — Indian expatriates across Oman are celebrating Diwali today, with family gatherings, prayers and the exchange of sweets bringing a festive touch to the start of the working week.

With the festival falling on Sunday, a working day in the Sultanate, many have taken leave to spend the occasion with their families, making time for traditions that connect them to home.

Sweet shops are enjoying brisk business as residents pick up boxes of treats for relatives, friends and colleagues. For many families, sharing sweets is as much a part of Diwali as lighting lamps and gathering for a festive meal.

Rakesh Joshi, a shopkeeper in Ghubrah said: “We have seen strong demand for sweets as families prepare for Diwali. Customers are buying both for their own celebrations and to give to friends and colleagues.”

For those taking the day off, celebrations offer a welcome pause from busy routines, with time set aside for prayers, preparing traditional food and visiting loved ones.

Others are balancing the occasion with work, planning to join their families and friends for celebrations in the evening.

Away from India, these familiar customs carry an added emotional significance. Lighting a lamp, sharing a favourite sweet or calling relatives back home helps bridge the distance and preserve traditions across generations.

The celebrations also extend to friends, neighbours and colleagues, with gifts of sweets offering a simple way to share the joy of the occasion.

For Indian expatriates making Oman their home, Diwali today is a celebration of both belonging and connection, bringing families together while keeping memories of home close.