Kids are dressing up in costumes and parents are getting bowls of candy ready for trick-or-treaters this Halloween. And, for Hindus, today also marks the holy day, Diwali, often referred to as the Festival of Lights.
An American holiday honoring the eerie and an Indian holiday celebrating the light — all on the same day.
There are some American pop culture references to Diwali. Most notably Michael Scott’s comment to Diwali being a “Hindu Halloween.” As usual, Steve Carell's character from "The Office" is more than a little off.
Diwali, pronounced with a "v" instead of a "w" sound, is actually the Hindu festival of lights, which celebrates the triumph of good over evil and signifies renewal.
Saritha Reddy, a mother of two who lives in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, has been preparing for her Diwali celebration.
On a recent trip to the Indian grocery store, she held a diamond-shaped cashew fudge, a favorite Indian sweet of hers called Kaju Katli.
“This one [has] like saffron and rose petals in it And if you see this, this is like a dry fruit filling, like inside the sweet,” Reddy said.
After she leaves Spices of India, in West Springfield, she runs over to Costco to grab candy for Halloween.
“Growing up here, they are like, you know, want to celebrate both of them. And they are giving some time for Diwali to celebrate. So I'm happy,” Reddy said.
Her 14-year-old son, Akshaj Pundla, says he’s excited about both celebrations, but his eyes lit up when asked about trick-or-treating.
“I like Halloween, like a little, just like a little bit better because, like, I get to go trick-or-treating with my friends and get lots of candy,” Akshaj said.
Akshaj said he has a plan for the evening.
After school, he said, he’ll change into a traditional Indian kurta outfit and have a small puja or moment of prayer dedicated to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity, with his family. Then, he’ll hit the streets for sweets.
“I want to wear a karate gi and dress up as a character (Miguel Diaz) from my favorite TV show. It’s called, 'Cobra Kai,'" Akshaj said.
But at a recent Indian folk dance festival at West Springfield Middle School, there were a variety of opinions about the overlap of Diwali and Halloween this year.
Anjori Gandhi, 11, said she prefers to keep the holidays separate.
“Because they're two different holidays, and it would be weird celebrating them together. And it's like you're celebrating two, like, opposite things on the same day,” Gandhi said.
Diwali is typically a five-day festival where the biggest celebration, the lighting of candles called diyas, happens on the third day.
Leena Thakkar, 50, said a blend of holidays may just be too confusing for her nieces and nephews.
“It's hard with Halloween. It's very like the opposite, right? Like, it's very dark and that sort of thing. It becomes really difficult to blend. So, it's better to enjoy each festival separately on its own,” Thakkar said.
But 24-year-old Nistha Patel said both can be celebrated together.
“If you want to keep tradition alive, you have to flex, you have to adjust and keep up with the times and let them do both. Honor both, because they're also growing up in this world where all their friends aren't doing Diwali,” Patel said.
Along with sharing American candy, Saritha Reddy said she can share her culture too.
“I'm excited that Diwali will reach more people as they are falling on the same day,” Reddy said.
So, whether you’re reaching for a Kit Kat bar, Kaju Katli or both, one thing’s for certain — your sweet tooth will definitely be satisfied today.
