Advocating and Educating for Diwali

Festivals are more than just celebrations. They are vital threads that weave together the fabric of our communities. Young Hindu Americans, such as myself, grow up celebrating popular Hindu festivals-especially the fun aspects. However, we are not always aware of the richness and depth of our Hindu cultural heritage. Perhaps some of it gets lost as we balance our Hindu, Indian, and American identities. 

For me, Diwali was a celebration that I looked forward to every year. The celebrations helped form a unique sense of belonging. The festival, with its dazzling lights and vibrant traditions, allowed me to step into my Hindu cultural heritage, embrace it wholeheartedly, and celebrate who I am. However, I didn’t fully understand the reason or the context behind the rituals that we practiced. I didn’t know WHY we were lighting diyas, eating sweets, and hanging torans – I was just doing them because I was told to. 

But then in 2023 my home state of Georgia also joined the fun, declaring October as Hindu Heritage Month, thanks to efforts of groups like CoHNA and it motivated me to look at Diwali as more then just a festival, as we launched a series of events to educate.

I myself got the opportunity to lead a Diwali event, which helped me understand the meaning behind the rituals that are a big part of every celebration. In fact the event helped many of my peers in the community also understand this and reconnect with their roots. 

The youth-led Diwali event was more than just an evening of festivities. It was a celebration of our heritage and a testament to our ability to bridge cultural gaps. It gave us a space and platform to express our cultural identity in a meaningful way. The traditional dances, the lighting of lamps, and the collective joy felt throughout the evening brought us closer to our centuries-old traditions.

It was a space where we could proudly showcase our heritage, not just to ourselves, but to the entire community, highlighting the beauty of what we know more superficially as the ‘Festival of Lights’.

Diwali events celebrating Hindu Heritage Month,  were held in schools, hospitals and libraries like Roswell and Sandy Springs. It showed the resilience and creativity of our generation – rooted in history while building a lifeline to our culture. By participating and leading such events, we not only take pride in our unique identities in a world that often expects conformity, but also get the confidence to embrace the fusion of our Hindu and American cultures.  

It’s been so exciting to see the fruits of our effort show up in the excited faces of the kids attending and in my social media feeds. I look forward to more next year and ask you to join the fun and plan Diwali celebrations in your schools and libraries.

Neel Irkal is a High School student in Atlanta, GA and a CoHNA Youth Volunteer.