{"id":9722,"date":"2021-11-10T19:23:37","date_gmt":"2021-11-10T19:23:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/?p=9722"},"modified":"2021-11-10T19:23:37","modified_gmt":"2021-11-10T19:23:37","slug":"how-america-celebrated-diwali-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/hindi\/how-america-celebrated-diwali-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"How America Celebrated Diwali 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

Last week, Hindus in America celebrated Diwali<\/a>, the Hindu festival \u0924\u094d\u092f\u094c\u0939\u093e\u0930 of lights. At one time this would have seemed far-fetched. But, this year I was surprised \u0935\u093f\u0938\u094d\u092e\u093f\u0924 to read a Target ad on Diwali! Then, as the week went by I saw more and more news \u0938\u092e\u093e\u091a\u093e\u0930 about the festival on television. I also heard about various \u0935\u093f\u092d\u093f\u0928\u094d\u0928 Diwali events in the area.<\/p>\n

South Street Seaport in New York City has, for many \u092c\u0939\u0941\u0924 years, hosted a Diwali festival that is organized \u0915\u093e \u0906\u092f\u094b\u091c\u0928 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e by the Association of Indians in America, which is the oldest \u0938\u092c\u0938\u0947 \u092a\u0941\u0930\u093e\u0928\u0947 community organization for Indians in America.<\/p>\n

\"Fireworks

Photo Courtesy: Nicole Herbert Dean<\/p><\/div>\n

However, this year, people watched fireworks \u0906\u0924\u093f\u0936\u092c\u093e\u091c\u0940 that they organized, lit along the Hudson River on the day of the festival. And the World Trade Center was lit up on Diwali.<\/p>\n

Indiaspora, another non-profit \u0917\u0948\u0930 \u0932\u093e\u092d community organization organized a celebration \u0909\u0924\u094d\u0938\u0935 to honor Indian Americans in public service, on Capitol Hill. Four Indian American members of Congress, lit ceremonial \u0905\u0928\u0941\u0937\u094d\u0920\u093e\u0928\u093f\u0915 lamps to celebrate the occasion\u0905\u0935\u0938\u0930 .<\/p>\n

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\"Clay

Photo Courtesy: Nicole Herbert Dean<\/p><\/div>\n

Our President issued \u091c\u093e\u0930\u0940 \u0915\u093f\u092f\u093e \u0917\u092f\u093e a statement, \u201cLike many cherished holidays during the pandemic \u0935\u0948\u0936\u094d\u0935\u093f\u0915 \u092e\u0939\u093e\u092e\u093e\u0930\u0940 , we know this year\u2019s Diwali carries an even deeper \u0914\u0930 \u0917\u0939\u0930\u093e meaning. To those who have lost loved ones, we hope this sacred\u092a\u0935\u093f\u0924\u094d\u0930\u00a0 time provides comfort and purpose \u092a\u094d\u0930\u092f\u094b\u091c\u0928 in their memory.\u201d He and Vice President, members of Congress, to prominent South Asian Americans, took part in expressing their sentiments \u092d\u093e\u0935\u0928\u093e and attending parties.<\/p>\n

The influx of Indian immigrants \u0906\u092a\u094d\u0930\u0935\u093e\u0938\u093f\u092f\u094b\u0902 created the need to bring in these celebrations with all their trappings. It is easy now to get Indian sweets and food typical to the festival,\u00a0 fireworks, powders for Rangoli decorating \u0938\u091c\u093e, and various items for the worship times, etc. In big cities across America, long lines form outside the Indian sweet shops like Rajbhog or Haldiram sweets in NYC. Social media is filled with videos and images of this festival.<\/p>\n

\"Tray

Photo courtesy Nicole Herbert Dean<\/p><\/div>\n

American’s are curious \u091c\u093f\u091c\u094d\u091e\u093e\u0938\u0941 and delighted to participate in the festivities. We had one such party in my neighborhood. Four all-American families came and were happy to learn<\/a> about the five days of Diwali and what each meant. They ate the spicy pao bhaji and mithai and were delighted \u092a\u094d\u0930\u0938\u0928\u094d\u0928 as toddlers to hold sparklers afterward.<\/p>\n

American culture is accepting and integrating \u090f\u0915\u0940\u0915\u0943\u0924 Diwali in such a way that it may become a federal holiday soon. US Representative Carolyn Maloney is about to introduce \u092a\u0930\u093f\u091a\u092f \u0915\u0930\u093e\u0928\u093e legislation to make it one.<\/p>\n

Many recognize \u092a\u0939\u091a\u093e\u0928\u0928\u093e the sizeable Indian population and have been exposed to at least one professional \u092a\u0947\u0936\u0947\u0935\u0930 of Indian descent by now. Also, with many Indians marrying Americans, families are considering it very necessary \u091c\u093c\u0930\u0942\u0930\u0940 to bring in the mixed Indo-American heritage \u0935\u093f\u0930\u093e\u0938\u0924 into their homes.<\/p>\n

So, the awareness of this beautiful Indian festival is definitely \u0928\u093f\u0936\u094d\u091a\u093f\u0924 \u0930\u0942\u092a \u0938\u0947 growing on the North American continent. There are organizations \u0938\u0902\u0917\u0920\u0928 such as Culture Tree<\/a> that create events to showcase the history and significance of holidays on the subcontinent of India.<\/p>\n

In a country with a growing second-generation population of Indians, parents are eager to keep their heritage and traditions alive while understanding that their children are essentially\u0905\u0928\u093f\u0935\u093e\u0930\u094d\u092f \u0930\u0942\u092a \u0938\u0947 growing up as Americans. This beautiful blend \u092e\u093f\u0936\u094d\u0930\u0923 of cultures is what makes America beautiful and we hope that this tradition of Diwali will be appreciated \u0938\u0930\u093e\u0939\u0928\u093e and accepted for years to come as a national tradition.<\/p>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\"Little

Last week, Hindus in America celebrated Diwali, the Hindu festival \u0924\u094d\u092f\u094c\u0939\u093e\u0930 of lights. At one time this would have seemed far-fetched. But, this year I was surprised \u0935\u093f\u0938\u094d\u092e\u093f\u0924 to read a Target ad on Diwali! Then, as the week went by I saw more and more news \u0938\u092e\u093e\u091a\u093e\u0930 about the festival on television. I also…<\/p>\n

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