The Times Square Diwali, a most popular cultural extravaganza in New York City, set a precedent for Diwali celebrations across the United States this year. President Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden lit the ceremonial lamp to continue the tradition of celebrating Deepavali at the White House on October 24. The Indian-origin community and other South Asian communities were looking forward to be greeted by their President and Vice President. The ceremonial Diwali event at Capitol Hill denotes to America’s pluralistic culture and ethnic inclusiveness. Biden said, “Diwali is a reminder that each of us has the power to dispel darkness and bring light to the world.”
The Diwali bash that Vice President Kamala Harris threw at her official residence in the national capital on October 22 has become the talk of the town. The who’s who of the political corridor and from other walks of life attended the party. The founder of Indiaspora, M Ra Rangaswami; Dr. Vivek Murthy, the surgeon general of America; Neera Tanden, Senior Advisor and Staff Secretary to the President; Reshma Saujani, CEO of Girls Who Code; Vaibhav Jain, the AAPI Community Organizer; and Cincinnati’s Mayor Aftab Karma Singh Pureval were in attendance and enjoyed the celebration over the glitters of diyas as well as sparkles of firecrackers.
Kamala Harris recollected her childhood days in Chennai and share with the guests how she celebrated Diwali with her grandparents there. The guests were treated to traditional Indian refreshments like Gulab Jamun and Panipuri. They were entertained over garba and bhangra performances at her Diwali party.
