Every autumn, America’s calendar glows a little brighter. Once it was pumpkins in October and turkeys in November. Now, another radiance joins the season, rows of diyas on windowsills, temples lit like cities, and celebrations that spill into public squares. Diwali, the Festival of Lights, has become part of the American rhythm of autumn, carrying with it timeless lessons of peace, renewal, and gratitude.
Diwali has traveled across centuries and continents. Rooted in the Ramayana, it celebrates the homecoming of Lord Rama after exile and his victory over Ravana. The people of Ayodhya lined their city with clay lamps, turning a night of darkness into a celebration of dawn. Today, every diya lit echoes that same hope that light can guide us home.
✨ Explore our Diwali Village: Dive into Rama’s Journey, light your own diya, play festive games; sparks of light for every age. 🗝️ FESTIVELIGHTS
Today, that story lives on in every diya lit. Across traditions, Diwali signifies renewal, the triumph of light over darkness, wisdom over ignorance, and hope over despair. To sweep one’s home is not only to tidy, but to let go of what weighs heavy. To light a lamp is not just ritual, but a declaration that clarity and kindness still matter. To exchange sweets is to affirm a truth: Joy multiplies when it is shared.
Diwali in the American Story
Here in the U.S., what began in living rooms is now written into the public record:
Pennsylvania became the first state to declare Diwali an official holiday.
Connecticut followed soon after.
In New York City, nearly a million students now see Diwali on their school calendars.
Texas legalized fireworks sales around the festival.
New Jersey, home to nearly 400,000 Indian Americans, hosts massive gatherings at the BAPS Mandir, the largest Hindu temple outside Asia.
Most recently, California’s legislature passed AB 268, moving to officially recognize Diwali as a state holiday; Turning the Golden State to…
These milestones are not just symbolic. They are the outcome of parents petitioning schools, lawmakers introducing bills, and community leaders organizing festivals that draw tens of thousands. They show that persistence matters, and that recognition can bloom even within slow-moving systems.
The Anthem of Light
Alongside legislation and petitions, culture itself carries the story forward. This year, The Weekly Chai launched the Diwali Anthem, a song of light, belonging, and homecoming. It is our small gift to the season, and a way to weave sound into the story of Diwali’s American journey.
We invite you to share the anthem not just with family and friends, and also with the people behind this growing movement, teachers, school boards, city councils, and lawmakers. When music travels, light spreads. Together, we can make sure Diwali’s song is heard in every corner of the country.
Placed side by side, the festivals of autumn complement one another, each carrying its own light into the season.
Diwali radiates hope and fresh beginnings. It reminds us that even after the longest exile or the darkest night, renewal is possible. Each diya lit is a promise that clarity and compassion can return, and that community shines brightest when we gather in joy.
Halloween teaches us to face fear and laugh at it. With masks and lanterns, tricks and treats, it gives us a chance to play with the shadows rather than shrink from them. At its heart, Halloween whispers a lesson: what we fear loses its power when we name it, when we laugh at it, when we walk through it together.
Thanksgiving grounds us in gratitude and reflection. Around long tables and with full plates, it calls us to pause, to give thanks for what sustains us, and to see abundance not as accumulation but as a gift meant to be shared. Thanksgiving’s light is quieter, softer, it flickers in prayers, in embraces, in the small rituals of generosity.
Together, these traditions create a rhythm that feels deeply human; renewal after darkness, courage in the face of fear, gratitude in the wake of harvest. They remind us that light takes many forms, radiant, playful, reflective but always moves us closer to one another.
💌 Carry the light forward: If this story warmed your heart, share The Weekly Chai with a friend. Each diya shines brighter when another is lit. Pass this on, and let the season glow together.