In what its prime sponsor frames as a victory for and celebration of Pennsylvanians of South Asian descent, legislation passed by the House Wednesday aims to designate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, as a state holiday.
House Bill 436 would designate the 15th day of the Hindu lunisolar month of Kartik, in the fall, as Diwali Day in Pennsylvania.
“This legislation is important in that it reflects the increased diversity of Pennsylvania,” said state Rep. Arvind Venkat, D-McCandless. “Our state holidays should reflect the vibrancy of the many cultures that call this state home, and this bill is getting us closer to that goal.”
Venkat, who was born in Madurai, India, and is the first Pennsylvania state representative of Indian American background, noted that Diwali is observed by more than 1 billion people worldwide and that Pennsylvania is home to nearly 200,000 South Asian residents, many of whom participate in Diwali as an essential time of reflection and gathering.
“I am fortunate to have a significant Hindu and South Asian community in the North Hills of Pittsburgh, and the House’s passage of this bill by an overwhelming majority lets them and others in the South Asian community statewide know that their voices and traditions matter to us and that they are an integral part of the fabric of our state,” Venkat said.
The bill, which passed 200-1, now heads to the Senate. A similar bill, sponsored by State Sen. Greg Rothman (R-34) and Sen. Nikil Saval (D-1), passed in the Senate by a vote of 50-1 on Wednesday, Rothman tweeted. It’s headed to the House to be considered.
Neither bills would require government or school closings.
Bob, a feature writer and editor at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, is currently on strike and serving as interim editor of the Pittsburgh Union Progress. Contact him at bbatz@unionprogress.com.
