California has become the third US state to announce Diwali as an official statewide holiday, according to a report by the international news agency. Governor of California Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on Tuesday, which will take effect on January 1.
The legislation permits public schools and community colleges to close on Diwali. State employees may choose to take the day off, while public school students will be granted an excused absence to observe the festival. The new law also acknowledges that Diwali is celebrated by Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. Pennsylvania became the first US state to declare Diwali a statewide holiday in 2024, followed by Connecticut earlier this year.
Former US President Barack Obama was the first to celebrate Diwali at the White House. In 2009, accompanied by First Lady Michelle Obama, he lit diyas in the presence of Hindu priests. Successive presidents, including Donald Trump and Joe Biden, have also marked the festival.
In 2018, Trump said, “I am thrilled to be here for the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, and I am honoured to host this beautiful ceremony at the White House. Very, very special people… Our nation is blessed to be home to millions of hardworking citizens of Indian and Southeast Asian heritage who enrich our country in countless ways. Together, we are one proud American family.”
While Christmas has long been observed at the presidential residence, other religious and cultural festivals, including Diwali, have been embraced only in recent decades.
