Hindu Heritage Month is a time for Hindu communities to tell our own stories—to share our traditions with the wider public, see Hindu heritage represented in civic and cultural institutions, and help younger generations build meaningful connections with the traditions they inherit. It provides an opportunity to explore and celebrate the depth and diversity of Hindu traditions and the contributions of Hindu communities to North American society.

Across the US and Canada, the month(s) are marked in different ways: through educational programs and library displays, lectures and discussions, music and dance, devotional traditions, children’s activities, community celebrations, and recognition by public institutions and elected bodies.

The observance also falls during a part of the Hindu calendar that often includes major festivals and sacred occasions. Because Hindu festivals follow lunisolar calendars, their Gregorian dates vary from year to year.

In the United States, the coordinated Hindu Heritage Month initiative chose October in part because it commonly encompasses festivals such as Navaratri, Dussehra, and Deepavali. In Ontario, Canada, the preamble to the 2016 Hindu Heritage Month Act similarly notes that Diwali falls in October or November depending on the lunar calendar and identifies November as an opportunity to celebrate and educate future generations about Hindu Canadians. 

CoHNA works with libraries, community organizations, Hindu and Dharmic groups, public institutions, and community leaders across North America to bring Hindu Heritage Month to life through education, cultural programming, community engagement, and civic recognition.