With the changing demographics and the active presence of the Indian Hindu population in the local New York school districts, both social and political, it seems to amaze me how much our community has grown in New York City alongside Long Island. With this widespread growth, we would like to request the local governing district’s to recognize Diwali as a formal holiday on the school calendar. These school districts already recognize a diverse list of religious holidays including Eid, Rosh Hashanah, and Christmas, it's only fair that Diwali is on that list.

Diwali is the Hindu religion ‘Festival of Light’, Light ‘Dias’ – ‘Candles’ (Similar to Hannuakah), a time when people come together to celebrate good conquering evil, light conquering dark. This celebration of new beginnings coincides with the Hindu New Year and the start of the new business year, so there are prayers to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, and Ganesh, the god of wisdom and luck, for a successful year. It’s the biggest event in the Hindu calendar, and Sikhs and Jains celebrate similar festivals at the same time as Hindus celebrate Diwali. (note from – Insider-Journeys)

Hindu students can request the day off as an optional holiday under New York City’s religious accommodations. Students would not be marked as absent but they would still miss classes, Parents are not necessarily comfortable with that.

Diwali is a well-known and widely celebrated holiday. Diwali is a festival of lights it comes in the October to November people clean and decorates their house before the festival. Diwali is an official holiday for Indian, Nepali, Sri Lankan, Singaporean, Malaysian, Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyanese, Trinidad, and Tobago all who reside in a melting pot like New York City.

We kindly ask that New York City recognizes Diwali as a formal holiday on the school calendar.

Please sign this petition and support this request. We often get recognized as a minority group but our community plays a crucial part and a majority voice.  By New York City recognizing Diwali as a holiday, it will be received and recognized by many communities and religions citywide, not only New York Hindu’s. Citywide children of our future will acknowledge a Hindu friend and simply say “Happy Diwali” as I grew up saying “Merry Christmas” to many of my friends. This acknowledgment will be a sign of unity and we are asking New Yorkers to hold true to its value.

Help us reach 5,000 + Petitioners, I will also contact local leaders who have taken the initiative to start groups, petitions that already exist to recognize Diwali as a holiday, meanwhile simply participate in this and start the movement!