New York's Times Square lights up as Indian community gather to celebrate Diwali

A vibrant celebration of Diwali took place in the heart of New York City on Saturday (local time), as scores of Indian community members and US citizens gathered in Times Square. The iconic Midtown Manhattan location was transformed into a colourful display of culture and brotherhood.

The event saw the participation of several heavyweights, including the New York Mayor, Mayor Eric Adams, New York state representative Jenifer Rajkumar Consul General Binaya Pradhan, amongst others.

Mayor Adams said it was a proud moment to be with the Indian community in Times Square. He tweeted, "What better place to celebrate the festival of lights than in the Crossroads of the World? Proud to be with our Hindu brothers and sisters today for the annual Diwali at Times Square celebration as we push away the darkness and welcome in light all across our city".

Indians gather at Times Square every year to celebrate Diwali. This year's Diwali falls on November 1.

Celebrations were also held in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania. Deputy Consul General of India, Varun Jeph, joined the celebrations organized by the Khalsa Asian American Association. Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown and State Senator Tim Kearney also attended the gathering.

"Thank You Upper Darby Mayor Ed Brown and PA State Senator Tim Kearny for joining the celebrations and for your support to the Indian American community and fostering India-US ties," the Indian Embassy in the US tweeted.

In November 2023, in a historic move, the New York State Governor announced Diwali as a school holiday for New York City public schools every year. The governor, Kathy Hochul, said then, “New York City is rich in different religions and cultures, and we’re taking an important step to recognise and celebrate this diversity in the school calendar".

The United States has more than 48 lakh Indian Americans and around half of them live in just four states -- California, Texas , New Jersey and New York.