Effective in 2023, the public schools in New York City will observe Diwali as a holiday, according to Mayor Eric Adams.
Beginning in 2023, the public schools in New York City will observe Diwali as a holiday, according to Mayor Eric Adams. Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar of New York, who had proposed the legislation to recognize Diwali as a holiday, joined Adams.
"The time has come to recognize almost 200,000 New Yorkers of the Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, and Jain religions who celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights," Rajkumar stated during a press conference. Compared to Diwali, which is observed by an "increasing number of New Yorkers," she dubbed Anniversary Day "an obscure and antiquated day."
People have said that the New York City school calendar does not have enough space for a Diwali vacation, the assemblywoman added, to which it was said that "I guess my law fills the space.”
Rajkumar noted that the 180 days specified by the state's education rules would still be included in the new school year. Adams referred to the choice as a "far overdue" recognition of the Hindu, Sikh, Jain, and Buddhist groups throughout the conference.
Adams proclaimed, "We are going to urge kids to learn about Diwali." The Festival of Lights and how to turn on a light within yourself will be two topics that they will begin discussing, he continued. The mayor stated, "When we take this time to recognize Diwali, we're acknowledging the light that is inside us, the light that obviously has the power to drive away the darkness."
More than 1 billion Hindus worldwide celebrate Diwali, the most well-known Hindu holiday in India. Due to various sects' adoption of the event, including Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism, the origins of the celebration differ between religions and nations.
However, the celebration stands for the triumph of virtue over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and light over darkness, and this is its unifying theme.
The festival this year kicks out on October 22. Due to the lunar calendar, the precise dates vary every year, although it is normally observed over a 5-day period in October or November:
People clean their homes and go shopping for items that may bring them luck, like gold or new kitchen tools, on the first day. On day two, individuals decorate their homes with clay lamps and rangolis, floor designs created with colored sand or powder.
The most important day of the celebration is day three. Families gather for celebrations, fireworks, and Lakshmi puja, or prayers to the goddess of riches Lakshmi. The new year officially begins on day four, and friends and families share gifts and best wishes. On the fifth day, brothers visit and eat with their wedded sisters.
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