Diwali At Times Square: Indians Mark Festival Of Lights Ahead Of US Polls

Celebrations sparkled up the Times Square in New York City yesterday as the Indian community and several US citizens gathered to observe the Hindu festival of lights.

The event featured performances from various cultural groups. Among the notable attendees were Mayor Eric Adams, New York State Assemblywoman Jennifer Rajkumar, Senator Chuck Schumer and Consul General of India in New York, Binaya Pradhan. Ms Rajkumar has been a key advocate for recognizing Diwali as a school holiday in the USA throughout. 

Mayor Adams took to social media platform X (formerly, Twitter) to address the event.

"Proud to be with our Hindu brothers and sisters today for the annual Diwali at Times Square celebration as we push away the darkness and welcome in light all across our city," he wrote.

What better place to celebrate the festival of lights than in the Crossroads of the World?

Proud to be with our Hindu brothers and sisters today for the annual Diwali at Times Square celebration as we push away the darkness and welcome in light all across our city. pic.twitter.com/VauEgY14IO — Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) October 20, 2024

The official Twitter account of the Consulate General of India, New York also shared pictures of the glamourous celebrations on social media.

Diwali @ TimesSquare : Indian American Community & American Friends join together at Times Square to celebrate Diwali.@narendramodi @PMOIndia @MEAIndia @IndianEmbassyUS @IndianDiplomacy @diaspora_india @binaysrikant76 pic.twitter.com/kylTXrtbni — India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024

Neeta Bhasin, founder of Diwali at Times Square, also played an instrumental role during the celebration. The festivities culminated in a ceremonial lighting of diyas (lamps), symbolizing hope and renewal.

Diwali has been celebrated in the heart of New York City since 2013. As attendees gathered to witness this moment, they were reminded of the festival's core values and its ability to unite diverse communities.

CG @binaysrikant76 joined friends from Indian-American Community & American friends to celebrate Diwali; Spl thanks to Senate Majority Leader Senator @SenSchumer , Mayor Eric Adams @NYCMayor , Assemblywoman @JeniferRajkumar for joining & to main organiser of the event Ms. Neeta… pic.twitter.com/Ul7gsLoiYb — India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024

Diwali has also been officially recognized as a school holiday in New York City last year. About 4.4 million Indian origin people reside in the US with persons of Indian origin constituting the third largest Asian ethnic group in the US, according to ANI. New York, San Francisco and Chicago metropolitan areas are places in the USA which have the highest population of the Indian community in the country.

Another event to commemorate Diwali was organised by the Indian Consulate in Pennsylvania. 

Deputy Consul General @varunjeph joined the Diwali celebrations by Khalsa Asian American Association in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania along with members of the Indian diaspora and Asian American community.

Thank you @UpperDarbyPA Mayor Ed Brown and PA State Senator Tim Kearny… pic.twitter.com/6LzwVJ3FR1 — India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) October 20, 2024

Deputy Consul General Varun Jeph joined the Diwali celebrations by the Khalsa Asian American Association along with members of the Indian and Asian American community.

While the festive spirit, through such events and recognitions, continues to exhibit an attempt at endeavours towards fostering a spirit of unity and equality, the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI)'s recent report showed another side of South Asian experiences. As reported by Reuters, the AAPI study shows that South Asian people in the US have been facing alarmingly high levels of hate ahead of the 2024 elections, which transcends not just to the common people but also to heavyweights such as Kamala Harris, and Usha Vance. Such celebrations of South Asian festivities thus do their bit in bringing together the diverse communities in a dazzling show of vibrant unity across the globe.

Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi sent a video message to 'the attendees, emphasizing the festival's role in promoting unity and goodwill. He stated that Diwali serves as a reminder of the victory of good over evil and the importance of knowledge over ignorance. He has also highlighted the importance of the Indian community in the US and referred to them as a 'living bridge' connecting the two places. Diwali falls on November 1st this year.