Signing off for Diwali: The best holiday destinations for the season

As winter sets in and large parts of India battle smog, people are taking a short break in places that offer respite

Diwali means families and friends visiting each other for parties, eating good food, and having a good time. They do that at home or at a staycation, a place for a short vacation away from home.

As winter sets in North India and the pollution gets worse, bookings for hotel rooms and villas have increased.

For Saffron Stays, which runs luxury villas and private vacation homes, Diwali brings business. Deven Parulekar, founder of Saffron Stays, says: "This year too we are growing close to 50 per cent over last year's Diwali and it's a mix of value growth and volume