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Like food, fashion and faith, Indians organize with them their beloved feasts wherever they earn their living.
It's no different in the United States, where people of Indian origin live since the 1820s.
Over the years, a growing Indian immigrant population has been celebrating Diwali, the festival of Hindu lights, and is aiming to replicate the huge festivities organized from their homeland.
The scale of the celebrations has become such that American tourist spots such as Disneyland California and Times Square in New York are painted in vibrant Indian colors. Even the White House has been celebrating this festival for many years. After all, the 3.1 million American Indians form one of the most prosperous immigrant communities in the United States.
Just a stone's throw away from Diwali, communities where the diaspora is very present have been temporarily transformed into Indian neighborhoods, with lamps, lights, fairs, party-goers, rituals and optimistic minds.
Diwali falls this year on November 7th, but the party begins much earlier in the United States.
Stamp of tradition
Hindu temples in the United States are a key point of convergence in Diwali. Most Indians have every interest in paying homage to the goddess Lakshmi.
But this is only the beginning.
Across the country, wherever there is a large Indian population, shops selling Diwali trinkets are doing business in full swing. Melas (fairs) are also a matter of routine.
"Now, there is a Patel Brothers, a Usha Foods or an Apna Bazaar in most places."
"We buy our diyas (wick lamps), puja Things, aarthi prayer books, as well as Indian treats and snacks at local Indian stores, "said Neena Shah, a 48-year-old resident of Roslyn, Long Island, New York. "Previously, there were pockets (of these stores) where the Indians lived, like in Flushing or Hicksville (New York), but there is now a Patel Brothers, a Usha Foods, or an Apna Bazaar in most places . " people are even turning to Amazon and other online services to shop.
What was even harder to find earlier was a priest for the puja rituals. But now, even technology is simplifying this process. For example, Puja N Pujari, based in Bengaluru, which is present in Texas in the United States, allows users to book a priest. "Sometimes people have been duped and charged a hefty $ 500 (about 36,000 rupees) for a relatively simple sentence. Satyanarayan puja"Said Kalpaja Dalavoi, CEO and co-founder of Puja N Pujari. This exploitation peaks during Diwali, when the demand increases, she says.
In fact, many others now choose to do the puja themselves with the help of YouTube tutorials.
The long-standing tradition of popping crackers – a practice currently discouraged in India because of environmental problems – has also spread in the West. In some areas, communities get special permission from their local police chief to crack crackers on Diwali's day.
In the United States, several companies are increasingly allowing their employees to observe a religious holiday in Diwali. Nevertheless, a day off is not enough to travel to India, so he found alternatives.
Like at home
For Indians who can not live the real deal in India, their best choice is to bring Diwali to America.
"My parents have not returned to India for Diwali for more than 25 years," said Raghav Mishra, 24, a product manager at a health technology company in New York, who grew up in Boston. "Since we do not have a very large family in the United States, it's really a bit lonely compared to India."
What used to be a small puja and small parties with friends and families has now found a place in various communities.
But that did not stop Mishra's father from getting involved in organizing small Diwali events in his Boston neighborhood since the 1980s. And he did not know that two and a half years later his son born to United States would also help to organize such events: "When I was president of the Hindu Students Council of New York University, we organized events every year in Diwali. students, "said Mishra.
What was a little puja and small parties with friends and families have now found space in various communities. "In the last 10 years, the Indian population has really exploded," said Priya Das, a resident of Ashburn, Virginia. "For the Ganesha holiday a month or two ago, the Indian people organized a huge festival and built a 10-meter tall Lord Ganesh statue that lasted about a week. campus annually.
As smaller communities have come together, they have also paved the way for larger celebrations.
Surati
For example, in downtown Jersey City, Surati, a non-profit organization, kicked off the festivities with a Ramayana in English on Broadway on October 20, performing with a multicultural cast from around the world, said the founder and artistic director Rimli Roy. A street fair and an indoor party also followed.
Hum Sub, a non-profit Indian cultural organization based in Cary, North Carolina, is hosting one of the largest Diwali events in the region. The one-day celebration, interspersed with performances by local community members and Indian celebrities, began nearly two decades ago in 2000 and is free for the general public. This year, it was held on October 13, and the singer Sadhana Sargam and celebrity singer Amit Sana performed in front of nearly 15,000 people.
But why are these events weeks before Diwali?
"Cary Diwali is an outdoor event," said Prakash Punj, chairman of Hum Sub. "In November, it will be too cold for an outdoor event and the theater, which can accommodate as many people, is hard to get." Most of these activities take place on weekends around Diwali, mainly when the date and time allow. for organizers and participants.
Thus, far from their country, the American Indians continue to celebrate the biggest Hindu festival, even if they play according to slightly different rules.
