Holidays come once a year, and during those days most schools typically have the day or week off to celebrate or to have a break. But Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights, held from October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India. -- Willa Oxley, 8th grade
Holidays come once a year, and during those days most schools typically have the day or week off to celebrate or to have a break. But Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights, held from October to November. It is particularly associated with Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, and marks the beginning of the fiscal year in India, is celebrated by millions of Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. And only now there is a push to make Diwali a Federal and Public School Holiday, especially within Midtown Manhattan, New York City.
There are lots of holidays within the year, including the favorites: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, and Hanukkah to name a few. Diwali, also called Deepavali, is also celebrated, though not recognized as a Federal Holiday nor is it a Public School Holiday. It’s important to bring Diwali into the light because it allows others to learn about what Diwali is and its culture.
Diwali, which for some also coincides with harvest and New Year celebrations, is a festival of new beginnings and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, and being inclusive of that and officially celebrating it in the US is important because it brings people together for it is a festival that symbolizes love, togetherness, happiness, joy, and enthusiasm.
“We came here,” said Sen. Kevin Thomas, the first Indian-American lawmaker to serve in the State Senate. “We left everything in India and we settled here, we’re not going back. So if we’re getting those holidays back home, let’s try to do something here.”
New York City specifically has been trying to make Diwali an official holiday since 2018, when Queens Councilmember Daniel Dromm introduced a resolution calling on the city to declare Diwali a school holiday. However, the measure hadn’t gone anywhere. This wasn’t the only complication, as Mayor Bill de Blasio said the “school calendar has gotten very, very full,” putting the city in danger of not meeting the state minimum standard for class time. Despite De Blasio’s remarks, he still expressed hope that students could honor Diwali in some way.
Because of the push to make Diwali a Federal Holiday, Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney from New York recently announced that a bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to declare Diwali, festival of lights, a Federal Holiday. And for the very first time, New York City’s World Trade Center lit up for its first Diwali celebration on November 4th.
Even so, celebrating last year in 2020 before it was widely celebrated in New York was difficult. The pandemic had recently started and vaccines were unavailable. It was a disappointing time for some. Potlucks that would usually be around 20 people turned into only a handful of people who had to isolate themselves before attending. Large community gatherings with traditional Indian dances, sweet treats and fashion shows to celebrate had to come to a halt. But this year people had gathered around the World Trade Center to see a digital mural in celebration.
Sadly, Diwali isn’t a National Holiday in the US as of 2021. Carolyn Maloney, would make Diwali the 12th federal holiday recognized by the United States. Though Diwali being a national holiday in some countries like Malaysia, Fiji, Nepal, Mauritius, Singapore and Sri Lanka are prominent, it is not a National Holiday throughout the US, New York City will most likely continue to celebrate it every November 4th. And Although we may celebrate it for only one day, Diwali typically lasts five days.
On day one, Indians clean their homes and create rangoli, which are designs made of colored rice, sand or flowers, on the floor. Day two is spent preparing or buying special food, particularly sweets called mithai, and praying for ancestral spirits in the afterlife. Day three is the main day of Diwali for most Indians, celebrated with families gathering to light lanterns and candles in their homes and along their streets, as well as erupt fireworks.
On day four, in many traditions, the fourth day celebrates the bond between husband and wife, so spouses will typically give gifts to one another. And lastly on day five, the day traditionally celebrates the bond between siblings, specifically between brothers and sisters. Currently there are 2.757 million Hindus, Sikhs and Jains living in the United States of which most celebrate Diwali.
There are lots of holidays within the year, including the favorites: Christmas, Thanksgiving, New Years, and Hanukkah to name a few. Diwali, also called Deepavali, is also celebrated, though not recognized as a Federal Holiday nor is it a Public School Holiday. It’s important to bring Diwali into the light because it allows others to learn about what Diwali is and its culture.
Diwali, which for some also coincides with harvest and New Year celebrations, is a festival of new beginnings and symbolizes the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali is India’s biggest and most important holiday of the year, and being inclusive of that and officially celebrating it in the US is important because it brings people together for it is a festival that symbolizes love, togetherness, happiness, joy, and enthusiasm.
“We came here,” said Sen. Kevin Thomas, the first Indian-American lawmaker to serve in the State Senate. “We left everything in India and we settled here, we’re not going back. So if we’re getting those holidays back home, let’s try to do something here.”
New York City specifically has been trying to make Diwali an official holiday since 2018, when Queens Councilmember Daniel Dromm introduced a resolution calling on the city to declare Diwali a school holiday. However, the measure hadn’t gone anywhere. This wasn’t the only complication, as Mayor Bill de Blasio said the “school calendar has gotten very, very full,” putting the city in danger of not meeting the state minimum standard for class time. Despite De Blasio’s remarks, he still expressed hope that students could honor Diwali in some way.
Because of the push to make Diwali a Federal Holiday, Congresswoman Carolyn B Maloney from New York recently announced that a bill has been introduced in the House of Representatives to declare Diwali, festival of lights, a Federal Holiday. And for the very first time, New York City’s World Trade Center lit up for its first Diwali celebration on November 4th.
Even so, celebrating last year in 2020 before it was widely celebrated in New York was difficult. The pandemic had recently started and vaccines were unavailable. It was a disappointing time for some. Potlucks that would usually be around 20 people turned into only a handful of people who had to isolate themselves before attending. Large community gatherings with traditional Indian dances, sweet treats and fashion shows to celebrate had to come to a halt. But this year people had gathered around the World Trade Center to see a digital mural in celebration.
Sadly, Diwali isn’t a National Holiday in the US as of 2021. Carolyn Maloney, would make Diwali the 12th federal holiday recognized by the United States. Though Diwali being a national holiday in some countries like Malaysia, Fiji, Nepal, Mauritius, Singapore and Sri Lanka are prominent, it is not a National Holiday throughout the US, New York City will most likely continue to celebrate it every November 4th. And Although we may celebrate it for only one day, Diwali typically lasts five days.
On day one, Indians clean their homes and create rangoli, which are designs made of colored rice, sand or flowers, on the floor. Day two is spent preparing or buying special food, particularly sweets called mithai, and praying for ancestral spirits in the afterlife. Day three is the main day of Diwali for most Indians, celebrated with families gathering to light lanterns and candles in their homes and along their streets, as well as erupt fireworks.
On day four, in many traditions, the fourth day celebrates the bond between husband and wife, so spouses will typically give gifts to one another. And lastly on day five, the day traditionally celebrates the bond between siblings, specifically between brothers and sisters. Currently there are 2.757 million Hindus, Sikhs and Jains living in the United States of which most celebrate Diwali.