(CNN) — At the end of this month, Hindus in India and around the globe will adorn their houses with lamps, share feasts and exchange gifts to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights. For Hindus, light symbolizes the triumph of good over darkness, or of knowledge over ignorance. In many Hindu traditions, the sun -- our planet's source of light -- is a major source of energy and power; now, as the world seeks to address climate change, Diwali's celebration of light takes on a very contemporary significance.