Source: getahead.rediff.com
USA, November 4, 2010: Indian Americans in inter-faith marriages also celebrated Diwali with pomp.
“It’s our Christmas,” is how many Indian immigrants explained Diwali to American co-workers and neighbors. As more and more Indian immigrants and their children enter mixed-faith marriages, they already have a Christmas on the family holiday schedule. These are, as one Brooklyn group calls it, the “mixed masala” families. Some of these families share their stories about how they keep traditions from both faiths alive and meaningful. Diwali becomes the kick-off to the holiday season of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Hanukkah.
Sandip Roy is married to a devout Catholic. She shares:
“I grew up in Calcutta (now Kolkata) and remember participating in the Kali Puja. Then we moved to New York City and then to Houston. But we always celebrated Diwali. My mother had over 100 clay diyas and we would place them around our house. We still do that. In fact, my children say one of their favorite parts about Diwali is putting diyas around the house and around the pool.”
We now have an annual Diwali party at our house. Anywhere between 20 to 100 people show up. We have dinner and fireworks. We’ve been doing this every year since we got married. We are doing this for the children — to teach them about their heritage. More and more people from different backgrounds are getting married these days. Children need to know who they are. It does not mean they need to grow up Catholic or Hindu. They can choose.”