Early sign: Festival of prudence in Calcutta

Calcuttans made the Calcutta High Court ban on crackers successful in the early hours of the Diwali evening.

The city had an unusually quiet Diwali — the occasional beat of the dhak and the flickering fairy lights on parapets the only reminders of a festival evening.

Police said no significant violation had been reported till around 8pm in the usual problem areas. A Ballygunge resident said this had been the best Diwali not just for her but for her pet Alsatian too.

New Delhi witnessed several violations, PTI reported.