Three U.S. States Shine a Long Overdue Light on Diwali

Homes lit up with tiny clay lamps. Families spending hours creating rangoli designs that look like living pieces of art. Diwali is more than just a holiday to those who celebrate it. Known as the Festival of Lights (or Deepavali, which translates into “a row of lights” in Sanskrit), Diwali is a time of year when millions commemorate the power of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.

For Hindus, according to Wikipedia, it marks Lord Ram’s victorious return to Ayodhya. For Sikhs, it’s Bandi Chhor Divas, the day Guru Hargobind Ji was released from captivity. For Jains, it’s the liberation of Lord Mahavira. But for just about everyone who celebrates, Diwali is about faith, food, and family and hands down is the most sacred time of the year.

Celebrating Diwali for most in America meant having their kids skip school, burning through their PTO, or explaining to thier boss why they need the day off. That’s finally starting to change. In a substantial shift of American civic policy, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and California have now officially recognized Diwali as a state holiday. Millions of Indian Americans and South Asians for the first time are seeing their most important festival written into U.S. state law.

The change started with Pennsylvania in 2024, thanks to State Rep. Arvind Venkat, who helped champion the bill. He made sure to point out that it wasn’t just a win for the Hindu community. It also mattered deeply to Nepali and Bhutanese families who celebrate Tihar around the same time. Then came Connecticut, powered by community leader Rajeev Pahuja, who grew up in Hamden balancing football practice with private family Diwali rituals. For him, this wasn’t just politics. It was a deeply personal quest. His grassroots push paid off when the state officially recognized Diwali.

“We are the basketball capital of the world, we are the pizza capital of the world, and we will become the Diwali capital of the world,” Pahuja said after Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont signed the bill in June, as reported by the Religion News Service.

And now, California, home to the largest Indian American population in the country, just signed its own Diwali bill in early October 2025, perfectly timed with the festival itself. The move is symbolic but powerful. With state recognition, parents can finally tell schools, “Yes, my kid’s staying home for Diwali,” and actually have it be respected. No guilt, no makeup tests, no awkward explanations.

No, not every office will close yet, but the message is clear. South Asians aren’t just a “community” anymore, they’re part of the American mainstream, and this wave of legislation is proof that visibility and advocacy work. Diwali isn’t just a South Asian holiday. It’s becoming a recognized part of the larger American story. So, light a candle on October 20. The flame will burn just a little bit brighter now for all.

Photo by Umesh Soni/Unsplash