Diwali lights in Australia have to do in a November dusk what rows of oil lamps do in India at the same hour – and they have to survive wind, strata rules and a 240 V power point that may be inside the sliding door. This guide covers the types of Diwali lights, how much you need for a balcony, a window or a house front, what they cost at our Seven Hills store, and how to hang them safely.
What kinds of Diwali lights are there?
There are five kinds worth knowing: string (fairy) lights, diya-shaped hanging lights, curtain lights, solar lights and LED or water-sensor diyas. Golden string lights (5 m, $16) are the workhorse for rails and window frames. Diya hanging lights ($29) are a string of lamp-shaped LEDs that read as a row of diyas from the street. Curtain lights ($44.99) and small-diya curtain lights ($35) drop from a rail or a curtain rod to cover a whole opening. Solar lights ($24.99) and the solar candle lamp ($18) need no power point. And water-sensor ($3) and LED tea-light ($1.50) diyas replace flames in rows and in urlis. Symbol lights – Om and swastik ($29) and deep Om ($34.99) – go at the door or above the altar.
How many metres of lights do you need for a balcony?
A standard Sydney apartment balcony rail of three to four metres takes one 5-metre run of string lights with a little left to wrap a corner post; a wrap-around or terrace balcony needs two. For the full Diwali effect, pair the rail run with one string of diya hanging lights along the top of the sliding door, and stand a row of clay or LED diyas along the balcony edge on Diwali night. If the only power point is inside, run the cable through the door seal with a flat extension lead, or use the solar set on the rail and a battery-powered curtain light inside the glass – lit from inside, it shows through to the street.
How do you light a window for Diwali?
Windows are lit from the inside, which is also the strata-safe option for high floors. A curtain light hung from the curtain rod covers the whole window; a 5-metre string taped around the frame outlines it; and two or three LED diyas on the sill finish the row-of-lamps look. For a street-facing window, an Om or swastik light in the centre is the Diwali equivalent of a wreath. Use warm or golden LEDs throughout – cool white reads as Christmas – and put the string on a timer so it comes on at dusk (around 7.30 pm in Sydney in November) and off at midnight.
How do you light the front of a house for Diwali?
A house front needs lights along the eaves or veranda, a lit path to the door, and the door itself. Two or three 5-metre runs cover a veranda or the fascia of a standard frontage; a diya hanging string across the porch beam frames the entrance; and clay diyas or solar lamps every metre along the path lead to the rangoli and toran at the door. The Jhula ($29.99) – a swing-shaped LED lamp – and the revolving kalash ($49.99) make a focal point on a porch table. Outdoor lights should be rated for outdoor use; check the pack for an IP rating before leaving a string out in rain.
Are LED Diwali lights safe, and what about open flames?
LED lights run cool and draw very little power, so a dozen strings on one outdoor-rated extension board is fine; the hazards are water in connectors and cables across walkways, not heat. Open flames are the real question in apartments: most Sydney strata by-laws allow diyas inside your lot and on your balcony but not in common areas, and some restrict flames on upper-floor balconies. Keep flames away from torans, curtains and railings, stand clay diyas on a tray, and use water-sensor or LED diyas in any spot where a gust could knock a flame over. Lights go up on or before Dhanteras (Friday 6 November 2026) and traditionally stay up through Bhai Dooj, two days after Diwali.
Diwali lights shopping list
- Balcony: 1–2 × 5 m golden string lights, 1 × diya hanging lights, LED diyas for the edge
- Windows: 1 × curtain light per window, Om/swastik light for the front window
- House front: 2–3 × 5 m strings, 1 × diya hanging string, solar path lamps
- Inside: water-sensor diyas for the urli, LED tea-lights for shelves
- Outdoor-rated extension board and a plug-in timer
See the full LED Diyas, Candles & Diwali Lights collection and all Diwali Decorations, or visit Shop 3 & 4, 36 Johnson Avenue, Seven Hills – open seven days, late Thursday to Saturday.