After decades of lobbying, New York City schools finally announced they would close on November 1 in observance of the Hindu holiday of Diwali. It was the first time that city schools would be recognizing the holiday.
Dilip Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner of the Mayor’s Office for International Affairs, made the major announcement. “This year, Diwali is special. For the first time in the history of New York City, schools will be closed on Friday, November 1, for the festival of Diwali,” he said.
Chauhan shared that declaring a public holiday in a city with 1.1 million students was not an easy task, to say the least. “This has been a goal of so many community leaders and activists for an eternity”, he said. So, finally, during the administration of Mayor Eric Adams, they were able to reach this landmark. He continued with excitement, “Administration declared November 1st as a school holiday.”
He emphasized how significant this decision was to the students and families. Many students have had to make the difficult choice of going to school or celebrating Diwali. “Diwali is not a one-day thing; it is a five-day celebration. Students are forced to decide whether to go to school or pay a visit to the temple,” said Chauhan. Now, with Diwali established as a holiday, they do not. “After the 31st, it’s Halloween night, so they won’t have to worry about school the next day,” he said.
Chauhan then thanked Mayor Eric Adams for being able to make this happen. “We are so proud, and we are all very grateful to him. Happy Diwali to all of us!” he exclaimed.
New York City officially made Diwali a public school holiday earlier in June. This day of lights is one of the major celebrations for Hindus, Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists. Under new measures now, students in New York City will have the day off to join in the festivities.
First Lady Jill Biden and President Joe Biden held a Diwali celebration at the White House on October 28th. They invited Indian-Americans from around the nation to join in their festivities. This is their last celebration after all these years as President and First Lady. With time, Diwalis have added a layer of vivacity from the couple to the vibrancy of the tradition.
The White House tweeted pictures of the Diwali celebrations on X, with a caption that read: “Happy Diwali from the White House! Together, may we show the power in the gathering of light.” Meanwhile, this year’s celebrations reflect a growing recognition of Diwali and its place within American culture.
ANI
