During school days, Diwali’s excitement started right from Dushhehra and Kanya Pujan and extended till at least a week after the official Diwali dates. Then, when you grew up, Diwali was all about getting newer clothes. If you were a particularly creative person, you might have also helped with the rangoli-making aspect of the celebration. But now that you will soon be a pardesi, you might not get these experiences again.
You see, Aditi, holidays and festivals in ‘Amreeca’ are very different from India. In fact, unlike the Indian festivals, which start from September’s Ganesha Chaturthi and extend till February/March’s Holi, America’s major festivals are quite far and few. While the Indian community does take part in some of these American festivities, sometimes, these festivals also overlap with one of our biggest Indian festivals, Diwali. It is usually close to Halloween, and of course, once Halloween is over, the American population starts decking the Christmas trees with baubles. But you see, Aditi, Indians are nothing if not a jugadu.
Diwali As A Feeling Is The Most Important
Remember the days when all you could think about was when you would get to light the fuljhadis and the anaars with your family and friends? As you grew up, those feelings might have dulled down a bit, but the excitement of Diwali never went away. However, when you are away from your homeland, festivals become a bit too sad and depressing. Yes, Rahul, we said ‘sad and depressing,’ and we know, ‘tum nahi samjhoge.’ So let us explain. You see, when you are away from home, in an entirely new place where you know close to no one, you feel a bit lonely. And this feeling intensifies when you want to celebrate a festival like you did back home but have no one to celebrate it with.-
Your Indian-ness is your advantage!
However, being an Indian might give you an advantage. You see, Indians are everywhere. Some countries like Canada, sorry, Cannedda, have so many Indians that you can call them something of an India 2.0. The same is the case with America. It has a lot of Indians, some of whom have been living there for two or three generations and some who just arrived a few years ago. This also means that these desis have to spend all their Indian festivals back on US soil. But this hasn’t stopped the Indians from celebrating their major festivals like Holi, Diwali, or even Raksha Bandhan.
You see, our NRIs feel that they might be away from home, but their dil is still Hindustani. So, they still try to celebrate as many Indian festivals as possible. Diwali is one such festival they give importance to, along with Holi. The NRIs believe they might not be able to celebrate Diwali the way they do at home, but just feeling the festival’s spirit is more important. So our fellow desis have come up with some ingenious ways and means that are your answer to the question – ‘how to celebrate diwali in America.’
How Do NRIs Celebrate Diwali when Halloween and Christmas Are All The Rage?
When you are an immigrant, you are often at a disadvantage. You see, as an immigrant, you are often a minority, and there is also a high chance that there is a mismatch between your home country’s culture and your host country’s culture. The same is the case of an Indian traveling to America. Indian and American cultures are the same as dal makhni and a grilled cheese sandwich (do we even need to explain this?) So it is natural that the festivals and holidays for both countries will also be very different. While India is an amalgamation of diverse cultures, America is pretty consistent with its religious beliefs and overall cultural alignment. Now, while we can get more technical about the differences between the two countries, we will be nice and stop before you cry, Rahul.The only thing that you need to understand is that the American lifestyle is very different from your ‘desi rehan-sehan.’ And since we are talking about festivals here, even they are different.
Since most people in the USA are Christian or from similar religions, they celebrate festivals like Thanksgiving, Easter, Christmas, Halloween, etc. And while not all of these coincide with the Indian ‘tithis’ and festival dates, a few major festivals do. One of these is the Indian festival of Diwali, which falls around the same time as Halloween. And while Halloween is really all the rage in the US, this hasn’t stopped Indians from celebrating Diwali at all. On the contrary, the desi folks have devised very creative ways to do so. In fact, their ways and means to celebrate this festival have become so popular that now, even the Americans are part of the celebration in some places. Some world leaders also understand Diwali’s importance as they have made it into a state/federal holiday. So, if you are wondering how to celebrate diwali in America, we might have some answers for you.
How are the Desis Making the Diwali buzz between the Halloween Dressup & The Christmas Jingles?
Congratulations! You finally made it to the part where we tell you some of the tips and tricks our NRI friends are adopting to retain their cultural heritage, and the Diwali celebration is a big part of it. Now, you are leaving for the US soon, so there is a chance that you will be celebrating your next Diwali in a sea of white people. But fear not, Aditi, kyuki dar ke aage jeet hain, and in this case, immigration ke aage NRI friends and family ka sahara hai. So, without further ado, let us see what these desis away from the desh have done for the Diwali celebration.
Mandatory puja
While Diwali might be celebrated in different ways in all the different cultures of India, one thing is the same—a big puja is always a part of the celebration. Many NRIs try to hold on to that part of their heritage and imbibe it into the celebration. Many Indian families get together with their kids and do the puja for the prosperity and happiness of the home.
This pooja isn’t just limited to people living with their families in the States. On the contrary, many Indian students and bachelors also like to get together and conduct these poojas. In fact, the pujas are becoming increasingly popular thanks to Karan Johar’s mega movies, where Diwali, Karwa Chauth, or Holi are always a big celebration complete with an arti ki thali. So, the millennials eat the ‘trend’ up and organize small, intimate get-togethers with their family and friends to perform the puja for the celebration.
Community celebrations
Every Indian face is almost a gift from God in a sea of unfamiliar faces. In fact, these ‘Indian faces’ are also a part of the answer to ‘how to celebrate diwali in America.’ This is because, when it is time for a festival, Indians overseas like to get together with other Indians, regardless of whether they are friends or not, and celebrate. This is especially true in the case of Diwali because even back in India, Diwali really begins when you have a large number of people with whom to burn crackers and light the diyas.
So, the desis band with fellow desis to visit their nearest temples or Gurudwaras. They then have celebrations together full of lights (it is a festival of lights yaar, come on!), the mandatory fuljhadis, anaar, and chakris, diyas, and of course dance and music because what is India without its patent Bollywood-ness?
Halloween costumes have no game compared to Indian kurtas, salwar suits, and sarees
You know all about Halloween dress-ups from the F.r.i.e.n.d.s. And Modern Family reruns. You also know that the kids, especially American kids, love this festival because it allows them to dress up as their favorite movie and tv show characters and acts as an excuse to eat plenty of candy. But you would have to be blind to see that this is nothing compared to the bling and glam of Diwali. Indian aunties have more gold and jewelry than any lady in any other country. This jewelry, along with the finest dresses, comes out on Diwali. So, the NRI ladies do the same when celebrating Diwali in America. They dress up in some really nice suits and sarees and go all out on the glam make-up. Before you start arguing, yes, Rahul, we know you are not a ‘lady,’ but even you have to agree that nothing makes you look smarter than a kurta. In fact, it might also give you a bollywood moment like Shah Rukh and Deepika.
You see, Diwali comes around the same time as Halloween, and while the rest of America is busy dressing up as a TV or movie character, the Indian community makes a conscious effort to dress up in traditional Indian attire to set the ‘vibe’ of the festival. You can browse online to shop for traditional wear on sites like Hatkay, which includes a tremendous Indian wear collection for women, which, true to the website’s name, is hatkay. It is also very affordable and has many trendy and latest styles. Then there is ‘Chrios by Jigyasa,’ which has a collection of very glamorous traditional Indian outfits for women at great discounted rates to make them both affordable and festive!
NRI parents on making efforts to instill the festive value in their kids
Do you know what an ABCD is? No, it’s not the first four letters of the alphabet. It stands for ‘American Born Confused Desis.’ These are basically kids born to Indian parents when they went to America around the 1970s. Since these kids are born in America, they are more familiar with the American culture than they are with the Indian culture. However, they are also not fully American, so these kids were, and some of them are still confused about their identity.
The ‘ABCD disease’ is what the newer generation of parents are trying to protect their children from. So many NRIs with young kids have taken it upon themselves to keep their kids connected with their roots. How does this fit in as the answer to ‘how to celebrate diwali in America’? Well, as part of the Diwali festivities, the NRI parents make it a point to teach their kids the various legends and mythologies associated with Diwali. They do so in the form of immersive story-telling (making it a traditional Diwali story) and sometimes even try to add a fun activity element in the form of rangoli making.
Preparing and distributing sweet
A big part of the Indian festivals are the sweets and the savory dishes that come with them. Don’t lie and say that gujjiya wasn’t the first thing that came to mind when we said ‘Diwali,’ Rahul!
Since sweets are also a big part of Halloween and the next big American festival of Christmas, the NRIs have taken it upon themselves to celebrate a mixture of Halloween and Diwali. Not only do they dress up in really nice clothes, but they also distribute sweet Diwali treats like gujjiya, batashas, soan papdis, etc, to their neighbor and other community members.
This sates the spirit of Diwali, and since it is also around the same time as Halloween, dressing up for a traditional festival is even more fun! It gives Diwali a more international feeling. And if you don’t want to make/prepare Indian sweets yourself, you can always find their packaged version in your nearest Indian stores like Little India or, if you are in New Jersey, then at Sukhadia. They also sell sweets online. And talking about online sweet delivery stores, Rajbhog Foods has some delicious sweets at great prices.
Gifts on Diwali rather than Christmas
It is very easy for kids of NRI parents to become ABCDs. So, some parents have resorted to different ways to instill the’ Hindustani spirit’ in their kids. They try to relate the Indian festivals to the American ones since they are the ones their kids grew up around.
Two such festivals that the NRIs try to relate to are Diwali and Christmas. Both of these are big festivals on their own continents. But they have similarities like a family celebration, big decorations and most importantly ‘gifts’! So, as an answer to how to celebrate Diwali in America, the desis took a not-so-traditional route to get their children into the Diwali spirit. One way is to exchange gifts on Diwali rather than on Christmas. Since kids love gifts, receiving them on Diwali makes it an exciting festival for little ones.
Places That Hold Official Diwali Celebrations
While Diwali might not be as big a festival in the US as it is in India, there are still many ways to celebrate it here. You see, Indians know how to throw a big party. In fact, they do everything with a big bang! So when an occasion as big as Diwali arrives, it is only natural that the NRIs would love to rouse their party spirit again. Luckily, the same is the case with the American desis.
A lot of the NRI folks like to have communal celebrations, and they even hold big celebrations that other people can also be a part of. Some of these are on cruises like the Diwali 2023 celebration at the New York City Marina. Other places, like the Hard Rock Cafe on West Ontario Street, Chicago, held a Bollywood-style Diwali party last year. Even Eddison’s Royal Ambassador Banquets had a Diwali get-together as well in 2023. So keep an eye out for such events. You can also make great social connections at these events, as you might meet many fellow NRIs there.
These are just some ways the American Indians, or the NRIs as we call them, have been celebrating the festival of lights so far. It doesn’t matter that the festival isn’t as big as Christmas or Halloween in America; it is still the biggest one in India, and that’s all the encouragement an NRI needs to celebrate it. Of course, you can also celebrate it how you want and add it to the list because kitni bhi koshish karo Bunny, kuchh na kuchh hamesha chhut ki jaata hai.
Diwali Is Lighting Up America A Well (pun intended)!
We know we have repeatedly said that Indians are everywhere, but it is true! Every country in the world has some percent of the Indian-origin population living there. So it is obvious that these people would celebrate even the Indian festivals in other countries. But America still remains the number one choice of every NRI, and it seems the number of Indians in the states is only growing. These Indians also celebrate all the Indian festivals with great fervor, and even the Americans seem to have caught on to this fervor.
Diwali has become a significant event in many places in America. Diwali is a day of celebration and joy, especially in the New York Metropolitan area, where many Hindus live. But this doesn’t mean the ‘Diwali’ cheer is limited to the NY metropolitan. On the contrary, it has spread far and wide. Pennsylvania has declared it a national holiday. And while Washington DC doesn’t close offices and schools for the celebration, the White House does have a small Diwali party on the premises! So it looks like the question ‘how to celebrate diwali in America’ might soon turn into ‘What more can you do to celebrate diwali in America!
American Markets Also Thrive During Diwali
Remember how your mom used to shop for new things like jewelry, utensils, or even bigger things like cars during Dhanteras? In fact, you might remember the big Diwali sales in India because every Indian asked, ‘Diwali kab hai?’ because they wanted to make big purchases on the auspicious day. Well, it seems you can take a desi out of India, but you can never take India out of a desi because even in America, our NRIs treat Diwali as a shopping spree!
The NRIs try to purchase things on Diwali as it is an auspicious occasion, according to the Hindu calendar. Even American businessmen have seemed to realize this and have seen the business potential and opportunity in this situation. So there are more and more blinging diyas, Indian sweets and savory snacks, and even more Indian dresses in shopping complexes, malls, and even at Target and Walmart. A businessman knows a business opportunity when he sees one, and Indians in America during Diwali is the most enormous opportunity out there!
Diwali Shopping Essentials
Back at home, in India, Diwali is the time to make all big and small purchases. However, this is the year when you are away from home. While it might seem sad and lonely to spend such a big festival 1000s of miles away from family and friends, there are still some ways to celebrate Diwali the way you did back home. One of these ways is by shopping for things you will need to celebrate Diwali on your own. Relax Rahul! We are giving you a cute and to-the-point list of what you need and can buy!
- Rangoli Powder
Remember the hours your mom spent making the Rangoli back home at Diwali? Well, Diwali celebrations feel incomplete without this cute pop of color decorating various floor surfaces of the house. So, we advise you to buy these color pouches or packets and bring out your inner M F Hussain. You can purchase these online on Amazon as bottles of color or pouches/packets, but be sure to search for ‘Rangoli powder’ on Amazon. You can even shop from some online Indian stores as well. If you want to shop for it offline, you can always visit your nearest Walmart.
- Diyas
Diwali is the festival of lights. Now we know that you are going to decorate your house with a cute Pinterest aesthetic with fairy lights and some yellow lamps. But don’t forget those clay diyas, as they would be the perfect decor items and add to the festival’s spiritual vibe. Diyas are a cute and affordable way to celebrate Diwali and can be found on Amazon in packs of 6, 12, 16, and more or from your local Indian store like Sukhadia.
- Diwali Sweets
Before you panic, Aditi, we haven’t forgotten your gujjiyas. Now if you want to make Gujjiyas at home, you need a maida (all-purpose flour),ghee, Coconut shavings, sugar, and even a gujjiya mould (or a simple dumpling mould)! Luckily, you can buy all this from various online stores. Then there is the prepackaged Gujjiya, which is available on Amazon or in any online Indian store that you like.
Other Indian sweets like Baalushahi, Gulab Jamun, Rasgulla (or Rasogulla, for all the Bengalis out there), and various laddoos can be found in both online and offline stores. Then there is the concern about savory snacks like chaklis, chudaas, and many more decadent dishes that can be bought from the same stores.
- Puja Kits and Materials –
Another important item on the list of ‘how to celebrate diwali in america’ is doing the Laxmi and Ganesha puja. This is where nostalgia might hit you when you remember how your mom and dad or your grandparents used to do the puja. Back then, you used to wait for the puja to get over so you could go out and burst the crackers with your friends. However, the story might have changed a bit as you would want to do the puja just to feel closer to home in spirit. Since you just shifted to the US, you might not have the necessary materials for the puja. But Amazon has got you covered with puja kits complete with diyas, agarbattis, and even idols of Lakshmi and Ganesha in some of the kits.
- Traditional Clothes –
The occasion of Diwali holds great significance for Indian culture. And a big part of the Diwali celebration is wearing Indian clothes. Now, this is where you can let your inner diva take over and go on a shopping spree for all the newest wear you can find. While Amazon has some great options, check out a few Indian stores as well that we mentioned above. And if you want to recycle your mom’s saree or dad’s kurta, then it would be an even sweeter moment!
- Artificial Flower Strings/Garlands—
Genz is all about aesthetic appeal, so we have a very cute home decor idea. Along with fairy lights and diyas, you can also use some artificial flower strings/garlands to give your home a more festive appeal. They add a pop of color, and if you use artificial marigold flower strings, you give your home a more Indian vibe, too! You can find many flower string/garland options on Amazon; all of them look adorable and great for home decoration.
While our list ends here, you can always add your won items to make it more appealing. But these are just some basic things that you will need to make your Diwali experience as close as possible to the authentic one.
Conclusion – Halloween & Diwali Are Nothing When It Comes To The Festival Of Lights
Lord Ram returned home after 14 years of exile and defeating the biggest evil in Ravan. His homecoming is the essence of Diwali. But the NRIs can’t necessarily come home to celebrate Diwali. So home comes to them. They celebrate Diwali even when they are away from home. In fact, they have come up with some very ingenious answers to the question, ‘how to celebrate diwali in America?’
While Americans may be more enthusiastic about Halloween, following which they are giddy about Christmas, it hasn’t been able to overshadow the Diwali spirit and festivities at all. In fact, the more Indians that come to the US every year, the more there is an amalgamation of two cultures to celebrate a unique blend of Diwali mixed with some American style. But Diwali is still the first love of NRIs before Halloween candy or Santa’s gifts!
