Holi & Diwali are two of the many Indian Seasonal festivals. Diwali marks the start of winter season, Holi the end of winter season. Before severe winter & associated dump weather sets in Indians clean their house, decorate it & on Diwali day celebrate with light and sound. read more
Keralites don’t celebrate Diwali (with as much gusto as the rest of India) because it is a Vedic festival. Historically, Kerala was cut off from the rest of India geographically and culturally. Kerala followed a different school of Sanatana Dharma - Tantra. read more
Diwali is celebrated big time in Trivandrum - full with firecrackers and stuff. I am not really sure why it is not in other parts of Kerala. A teacher in my school said that it was essentially a North Indian festival with no traditional root in Kerala culture. But contradicting that, it is a big festival in Tamil Nadu. read more