The New York Times
NEW YORK CITY, U.S.A., January 18, 2004: New York City’s Hindu population of 171,000 is asking the city to recognize the Hindu celebration of Deepavali. Deepavali is a five-day festival of lights marking the end of the Hindu year. The city already recognizes the Muslim holiday of Id al-Fitr, the end of Ramadan. President of the Jackson Heights Merchants Association, Shiv Dass, says, “I wrote to Mayor Bloomberg last month urging the city to recognize the first day of Deepavali as a holiday. They have the sacred holiday for Muslims on Id — why not for Hindus on Deepavali. The Indian’s contribution is not less valuable to this country.”