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How Do Indians Celebrate Diwali in the USA?

Posted On: October 22, 2014

If you have colleagues from India in your office in the US, you may wonder, “How do Indians celebrate Diwali in the USA?”

 

While Indians living outside India say there is nothing like celebrating Diwali in India, Indians worldwide celebrate Diwali with fanfare regardless of where in the world they live!

 

Indians living outside of India are called Non-Resident Indians, or NRIs. Indians are admired worldwide by many for being able to adapt to their host country while maintaining strong ties to their native culture through speaking in their native language and passing down their culture and traditions to their children born outside of India.

1. 1. 1. Cook a big traditional meal and invite friends over
      2. Have a pot-luck dinner (each invitee brings a cooked dish and shares it)
      3. Have a Diwali party – dancing, socializing, and maybe even, drinking!
      4. Burst crackers (fireworks). This can be done only in state where it’s legal for individuals to buy and set off fireworks.
      5. Hold a cultural program.
         NRIs living in communities with many Indians may be a member of a pan Indian group or a regional Indian group (Gujarati, Malayalee, Tamil, etc.). These groups often plan a cultural program followed by a dinner for major Indian holidays. People prepare months in advance for dances (such as Thiruvathirakali for Onam), skits, re-enactments, singing songs and other cultural program numbers. Some may even bring costumes, props and décor from India months or a year in advance for these events.
      6. Have a rangoli / kolum competition.
      7. Go to the Hindu temple.
      8. Hold a puja at home, and maybe invite other Indians who live nearby. These pujas often turn into potluck parties, where the food served was given during the puja from each family as prasadam.
      9. Bring new clothes from India months or a year ahead of time and wear it on Diwali.
      10. Arrange a Diwali party along with a little talk on the importance of Diwali for one’s officemates or classmates in school or college.
      11. Hand make clay diyas with friends and light diyas or fix lights to the house for bringing out a Diwali mood.
      12. While some may say this one doesn’t count, some may board flights to visit their family in India during this auspicious time. 

• • • Myths, legends and folklore about Diwali  
    • Diwali food

 

Updated: 2014, 8, 2022