Deepavali 2006 Greetings - Hindu American Foundation [HAF]

"I would like to wish you and yours a Happy Diwali"

Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA)

"It is an honor to be associated with such a dynamic organization as The Hindu American Foundation. I am especially grateful to have the opportunity, as a Member of Congress, to join my colleagues in promoting legislation that acknowledges the rich cultural heritage of the American people, including the Hindu community. I am proud to have introduced a resolution that recognizes the religious and historical significance of the Hindu holiday of Diwali. Termed the "Festival of Lights," Diwali is one of the most significant and highly celebrated Hindu festivals. The illumination on this important holiday signifies the enlightenment of all individuals as to the importance of religious tolerance and understanding."

"I am pleased to send my warmest wishes to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) upon the upcoming celebration of Diwali. This religious and cultural event marks the important role Indian Americans play in our great nation. Our country has always cherished the importance of religion, and I believe people of all walks of life can appreciate and respect how faith strengthens our families and communities. I look forward to continuing working with HAF in the years ahead. It is an honor to represent the people of the Second Congressional District of South Carolina, and I value your input. If I may be of further assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me."

"Dear Friends, On behalf of the constituents of the Eighteenth Congressional District of Texas, I am pleased to wish the Hindu American Foundation and members of the Hindu American community a very Happy Diwali. As a member of the Congressional India Caucus, I take great pride in extending my most heartfelt greetings to you all as you celebrate this festival of lights. The Hindu community in America has grown by leaps and bounds both in size and prominence. I am proud that the Hindu American Foundation has led the way in civic involvement for Hindu-Americans and for this great nation. I commend you on your unmatched enthusiasm, compassion, and commitment. Accordingly, I salute you all and wish you the very best on this auspicious celebration. Truly Yours,"

"Dear Friends, Please accept my best wishes as you celebrate Diwali, the Festival of Lights. Indians and South Asians from around the world will celebrate the triumph of good over evil and internal illumination that is manifest in each lamp that is lit this holiday. In a region that is known for its celebratory intensity, it is no surprise that Diwali is such a festive occasion. In my home district of Orange County, we have a prominent South Asian community that is equally vibrant. I am told by many of my constituents that this is the one time of year when children awake long before their parents to begin the joyous festivities. For many, Diwali is an occasion to spend with friends and family, renewing old acquaintances and spending time with loved ones. It’s also time to reflect on past achievements and hopes for the future. Again, I extend my best wishes to you on this auspicious occasion and wish you a happy Diwali. Sincerely."

“I am delighted to offer my good wishes to the people of India on the occasion of the celebration of Diwali, a festival of lights that marks the victory of good over evil, of light over darkness, and a celebration of the joy of life itself. It is on such occasions that we can transcend whatever differences of belief, creed, politics or race that serve to divide us, and reflect upon our true commonality: one humanity, alike in all the ways that are truly important. I wish all who observe this wonderful occasion true peace and happiness.”

Congressman Tom Lantos (D-CA)
Ranking Member, House International Relations Committee

"As the Representative of Florida's 12th Congressional District, I would like to wish my friends in the Hindu American Community a joyous and prosperous Diwali. Signifying the dispelling of ignorance with knowledge and enlightenment of the soul, Diwali demonstrates the importance of religious tolerance and understanding. I look forward to working with the Hindu American Foundation and its members in the years to come. With my best wishes, I remain. Sincerely,"

"On behalf of the citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia, I am pleased to extend warm greetings to everyone in the Hindu, Sikh, and Jain Communities celebrating the traditional Festival of Diwali.

Virginia is strengthened by the diversity of its residents and we are blessed to have a large and vibrant Hindu American community in the Commonwealth. The strong South Asian influence has enriched us all and has helped to promote cultural diversity while maintaining our own individual identities. I commend all of you for your dedication to your heritage and your hard work to continue the traditions that honor your culture.

I commend the Hindu American Foundation for their hard work and dedication on behalf of the over 2 million Hindu Americans to ensuring that the Festival of Diwali is recognized in this country. The Commonwealth is grateful for the opportunity to share in your rich culture.

"I wish everyone peace, happiness and prosperity on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. I also send warm greetings to the Hindu American Foundation for Diwali celebrations on October 21, 2006."

"GREETINGS FROM THE CITY OF FREMONT! It is my great pleasure to recognize the Festival of Diwali/Deepavali which is being observed this October 21, 2006. I extend heart-felt greetings to all the celebrants on this significant day. Please accept my best wishes for a meaningful celebration for this most important Festival shared by Fremont’s Hindu, Sikh, and Jain communities! Sincerely,"

"Warm greetings and a very happy Diwali to all. As we celebrate this festival of lights, let us also illuminate our communities with stronger family and neighborhood ties, cherish its symbolism of the victory of good over evil and use this opportunity to reflect on us being part of the global community."

"Best wishes for a happy Diwali, a row of lamp symbolizing the prevailing of knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. It is of great significance to Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. As we celebrate Diwali, let us remember our rich cultural heritage and value system which we brought into the U.S.A. and let us promote peace, and prosperity in this world. Let us pray for a free world where all people are treated with respect and dignity."

"For as long as I can remember, Diwali has been a special time for the Chaudhary family. As a leader of the Indian community in Minnesota, I wish peace and happiness to all of those who celebrate Diwali around the world."

"I am honored to be included in your recognition of the festival of Diwali/Deepavali. Your efforts and commitment to this year’s festival and to pass legislation highlighting this significant event is commendable. I know that all of your work will provide an experience that is powerful and offer great spiritual healing. And I wish you the best as you continue on your spiritual journey. Respectfully,"

"During this time of world conflict and tension, may Diwali be especially meaningful as we seek to spread enlightenment, peace, understanding and goodness throughout the world. Let us light lamps not only in our hearths so as to emanate light outward, but also in our hearts, so that we conquer our own fears and pockets of darkness, and so that each of us, within every faith tradition, embarks upon the internal journey necessary for us collectively to become (as Gandhi so famously said) the change we wish to see in the world."

Preeta Bansal, Esq.
Commissioner & Past Chair, U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom
Former Solicitor General of the State of New York

"Dear Friends, It gives me great pleasure to offer my support and recognition to the Hindu American Foundation and the festival of Diwali being celebrated on October 21, 2006. Please accept my best wishes and recognition of the religious and historical significance of Diwali. I understand this festival is of great significance to Indian Americans and South Asian Americans celebrated annually by 2 million Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains throughout the United States. We are fortunate to have organizations, like the Hindu American Foundation, that are committed to educating the public about the Diwali tradition. The Hindu American Foundation is an exemplary organization and I am grateful for your effort in your Diwali initiative. Once again, best wishes during this celebration. Very Truly Yours,"

"The Republican Jewish Coalition of California expresses respectful best wishes to the Hindu American community celebrating the festival of Diwali/Deepavali. May light warm our friendships, and may you celebrate with meaning as free and prosperous American citizens."

"It is a joy, on behalf of URI’s global community of people of all faiths, to wish you a joyous and light-filled Diwali. In these days where we are so troubled by the darkness of violence, hatred and intolerance, it is especially important to celebrate the coming of light – the light of internal illumination that enables us, individually and collectively, to be the light of peace, justice and healing for our world. May this Diwali be filled with blessing and light; and may blessing and light flow from it into our world. Faithfully,"

"As the Hindu community prepares to celebrate Diwali, this is a good time to remind the world of our shared unity of purpose in the war against terror. The Mumbai bombings and other terror attacks in India parallel the suicide terror that has impacted the daily life of Israelis. Jews, Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and Muslims of good will must unite against hate and terror unleashed around the world in the name of a perverted ideology that invokes God's name to justify the destruction of innocent people whose only desire is to be able to pursue their daily lives in peace, secure their family s future, and worship as they choose. At this time of year, I wish my friends in the Hindu community peace and happiness for the coming year."

Rabbi Abraham Cooper
Associate Dean and Co-Founder of the Simon Wiesenthal Center

"Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, symbolizes the victory of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance, although the actual legends that go with the festival are different in different parts of India. It is a season when barriers break down that divide one Indian from another Indian. What the festival of lights really stands for today is a reaffirmation of hope, a renewed commitment to friendship and goodwill, and a religiously sanctioned celebration of the simple — and some not so simple — joys of life. May the lamps of this Diwali Season signify that whatever the darkness, however profound the sense of lostness, the light of God’s love – be it Ram, Allah or Jesus - will continue to shine, for those Indians who have the eyes to see, a heart to love and a soul to believe. May the kindly light of these lamps of Diwali lead every Indian world over from darkness to light."

"Please accept greetings from the Akshaya Patra Foundation. The Akshaya Patra Foundation wishes you a glorious Diwali, the harbinger of peace and prosperity. Let the Festival of Lights uphold your tireless efforts in providing a voice to the large Diasporas, strengthen your convictions of Vedic culture and its teachings, spread the message of tolerance and pluralism and illuminate your life with name and fame. On this auspicious occasion may you be showered with Lord Krishna’s blessings in all your endeavors to promote the tenets of Sanatana Dharma in the US and the rest of the world. Thanks. In the cause of the underprivileged,"

"Jai Jinendra. Diwali is one of the few festivals in the world that is significant to several religions and many people of Indian origin around the globe. Lord Mahavir and Ganadhar Gautam attained Nirvana on the day of Diwali which adds to its significance for Jains. On behalf of JAINA, I am pleased to convey my Diwali greetings and best wishes to all for peace and prosperity on this auspicious occasion. Happy New Year and Sal Mubarak Vikram Samvat 2063! May the lamp of love always light in our hearts and may the festival of light bring in divine illumination in our souls."

Kirit C. Daftary
President, Federation of Jain Associations in North America (JAINA)

"We American Muslims who hail from all parts of the Islamic world want to convey their heartfelt appreciation for the spiritual significance of what Diwali stands for. A spiritual light that guides more towards truth, justice and healing. These are the very values that Islam also teaches us. We pray that the same One God will shower blessings on Hindus and Muslims alike and bring us out from the chains that separate us, so we can end religiously motivated violence and build cultures of peace, justice and healing for the people of these two great religions, namely Hinduism and Islam. With Love and appreciation for all that you do."

"It is a wonderful coincidence that this year’s Diwali/Deepavali celebration will be celebrated on the same day on which Jews around the world will be chanting the story of the origin of light found in the Book of Genesis. The first light, divine light, turns a world of chaos into a world of goodness. May all those who celebrate Diwali/Deepavali be blessed with such goodness as they light the festival lamps."

Rabbi Daniel S. Brenner
Director, Center for Multifaith Education
Auburn Theological Seminary (New York City)

"Blessings Dear Brothers & Sisters of the Hindu American and International communities, May your efforts to move forward the bill in honor of Diwali as well as the festival itself, bring greater unity, understanding and celebration of what is true within each person. I will join in prayer with you on October 21st in acknowledgment of the potential contained within all people to choose and carry God's consciousness upon this earth. May the Light that enlightens hearts and minds, awaken our Souls to divinity. May Sikhs be deepened in alignment with the teachings of their Gurus and the Guru Granth Sahib. May Jains be especially deepened in alignment with Lord Mahavira and the freedom, peace and enlightenment he carries. May our world commit to the discipline it takes to truly be free and in love."

"On behalf of the Bay Area Chapter of Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, we wish the Hindu, Jain, and Sikh communities worldwide and especially our Hindu American Foundation chaverim (friends) an inspirational and enlightening Diwali. Shubh Diwali!"

"On behalf of the American Jewish Committee, we wish the Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities worldwide a happy Diwali as we work together for understanding and peace. We applaud the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) for increasing awareness in America of Hinduism and issues of concern to Hindus. As we all move into the New Year, we look forward to expanding our already significant coalition-strengthening efforts with HAF and wish all of you a great year of prosperity and happiness."

Ernest H. Weiner
Executive Director
American Jewish Committee
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter/Northern California Region

"I extend my heartiest congratulations to American Hindus, Jains and Sikhs on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. I am nostalgic of celebrating Diwali with fire crackers in my young days in Gujarat. Diwali also known as Deepavli – the festival of light – is known as Jashn-e-Charaghan in Urdu / Persian and was celebrated with great spirit during the time of Moguls in India. Mogul emperors’ palaces used to be lighted up with earthen lamps for an entire week before Diwali. Diwali also signifies the New Year for some Hindus. I wish them very happy and prosperous New Year."

"Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha of Fiji together with all its executives, branch officials, life members, vice patrons and trustees sends its best wishes and greetings to all. This is a festival of lights and we pray that the light is kindled in all hearts and our lives. We hope this festival brings out the concept of brotherhood amongst all. May this Deepawali bring happiness and light in all living beings and may the righteous ones always win over evil beings. Happy Diwali to all Hindus all over the world."

"I'll never forget celebrating Diwali in India as an exchange student in 1967. The lights all over Varanasi were very beautiful, and I have always thought of them as expressing not just illumination but enlightenment. I send warm greetings to the Hindu American Foundation for this year's celebration of Diwali on October 21, 2006. Sincerely,"

Scotty McLennan
Dean for Religious Life, Stanford University (Palo Alto, California)

"The meaning of Diwali is even more poignant than usual in these times of conflict. Diwali is celebrated in a variety of ways in the many traditions making up Hinduism. And yet what unifies all of these various traditions is a common vision of peace, prosperity, and harmony, represented by the Goddess, Mother Lakshmi, and the purifying light of the diya. Diwali, like Hinduism itself, is therefore a symbol of unity in diversity, of how people with varying customs, beliefs, and traditions can nevertheless come together to celebrate a shared vision of wholeness. I pray that we may all have a Happy Diwali and a joyful and prosperous year ahead. May we share this vision of wholeness and harmony with our neighbors, Hindu and non-Hindu alike, and carry the light of this Festival of Lights in our hearts every day of the year. Shanti,"

Dr. Jeffery D. Long
Associate Professor of Religion and Asian Studies
Chair, Department of Religious Studies
Elizabethtown College (Elizabethtown, PA)

"In an age fully covered by ideological darkness, the Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities of India in the United States regale us with the celebration of lights (Diwali).This is the original memory of a species united at its source by the resplendent sight of the original and individual light within each one of us. Diwali (depavali) is the celebration of this unity on the three darkest and moonless nights of the year when the light of candles shining on the eyes of children are a reminder to all of us that our lives will only be satisfied and complete when we are able to learn to live not by the external lights of candles, fire crackers and neon lights we see in the celebration of Diwali but by the inner light with which we see and in which we are all one in union with the One (tad Ekam). Lakshmi, the goddess of love and fortune will take care of the rest for each one of us. Happy Diwali to all!"

Antonio de Nicolas
Professor Emeritus of Philosophy SUNY (Stony Brook, New York)
Director of the Bio-Cultural Research Institute (St. Augustine, Florida)

"I extend my warmest regards for a meaningful and joyous Diwali. Light is a universal symbol of the Divine Presence, of course, the same Presence that we all seek in our various ways. I anticipate the day when Diwali will be recognized in the United States alongside Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza, Eid, and Vaishaka Puja, as cornerstones of our mutual affection and respect."

Nathan Katz
Professor of Religious Studies
Director, Center for the Study of Spirituality
Florida International University (Miami, Florida)

"Every tradition has its celebrations. In the Hindu world Divali (or Deepaavali), Festival of Light, is the most important. It will be celebrated all over the Hindu world this year on October 22. Without light, we would have evolved in a dismal darkness that would be as stifling as any self-centered existence, and we would be condemned to perpetual isolation in a cold corner of the universe. So, in the Hindu framework, light stands for all that is positive and glorious in the human experience. It stands for knowledge, justice, and truth. Beyond all this, jyoti in the Hindu world refers not only to the physical phenomenon of light but also to its ecstatic and mystical aspects. That is, just as light encompasses the entire universe, in the enlightened state we see the oneness behind the many, and look upon all races and creeds as reflections of the Whole. This is the spirit in which we venerate light on Divali Day, for light is the subtle, all-pervading, and most tangible manifestation of the intangible. In this spirit, the Hindus of America greet our friends of sister faiths in the country a Happy Divali."

V.V.Raman
Emeritus Professor of Physics & Humanities
Rochester Institute of Technology (Rochester, New York)

"On the occasion of Deepavali, the festival of lights, I wish Hindu-Americans and people of goodwill prosperity, peace, and good tidings. In a conflicted world it is important for us to remember that people of all faiths strive to dispel darkness and remove ignorance. It is my privilege to acknowledge the contributions of the Hindu traditions to world civilization, and of Hindu-Americans to the diversity and strength of the United States."

"I am delighted to share with you my best wishes on the occasion of Diwali - a special time of year for all of us to reflect on our blessings and to raise awareness of our community with all Americans."

"On the occasion of the festival of Diwali, celebrated by the Hindu community worldwide as well as the Sikh and Jain communities, I send warmest greetings to those observing celebration of light—Shubh Deepavali!—sincerely wishing that the coming year be lit with the blessings of virtue, happiness, and success. Amid the darkness of ignorance and violence which threatens civilization, may the light of reason and knowledge lead humanity forward toward authentic freedom."

Dr. J. Peter Pham
Director, Nelson Institute for International and Public Affairs
James Madison University (Harrisonburg, VA)

"Divali, the festival of lights, is the most popular and widely celebrated Hindu festival. It will not surprise us to know, given the antiquity of Divali and the diversity of India, that the traditions associated with it are many. Some celebrate Divali as ushering in the New Year and the beginning of a new business calendar. It is an occasion of thanksgiving for blessings received and prayer for future wellbeing. God is worshipped as the Goddess Lakshmi for happiness and prosperity. One of the most widely shared traditions, associated with Divali, connects the festival with the celebration and rejoicing over the return of God as Rama to his home, after a lengthy exile, and his defeat of the oppressive and tyrannical, Ravana. Citizens welcomed him by lighting thousands of lamps, even as over one billion Hindus do today on the continents of Asia, Africa, Australia, the Americas and Europe.

One of the unique dimensions of Divali is the fact that its celebration is not exclusive to Hindus. It is an important festival in the calendar of the Sikh and Jain communities across the world. Sikhs celebrate Divali as the “day of freedom.” It marks the occasion when the Mughal Emperor, Jehangir, freed the sixth Sikh Guru, Hargobind, from prison. Jehangir had imprisoned the Sikh Guru because of fear of his growing popularity and influence. Under pressure from moderate Muslims, he agreed to release him. Guru Hargobind, however, refused to accept his freedom unless the emperor also released the detained Hindu leaders. Jehangir insisted that only those Hindu leaders who could hold on to the Guru's coattail would be freed. Guru Hargobind arranged for a special coat to be made with fifty-two coat tails, the same as the number of imprisoned Hindu leaders, and walked out of the prison with all of them clutching the tassels of his coat! According to Sikh tradition, Guru Hargobind arrived at Amritsar, the sacred center of Sikhism, on Divali day and the city was illumined with thousands of earthen lamps to welcome him. He is celebrated for seeing his own religious freedom as inseparable from that of others. For the Jain community, Divali is celebrated as the joyous day on which Mahavir, the great Jain teacher, attained the eternal bliss of ultimate liberation or nirvana. It is an occasion for rejoicing and gratitude for a life spent in rigorous religious search, realization and teaching centered on ahimsa (non-violence).

The Indian traditions of Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism uniquely celebrate a single festival in distinctively different ways. It is a special expression of the ancient Indian idea of unity in diversity. Each religion brings to the festival of Divali a cherished story celebrating human hope and faith in the ultimate triumph of freedom over enslavement, wisdom over ignorance and goodness over evil. Each finds a special way of relating to this festival.

The unity in diversity, so well exemplified in the multiple meanings of a single festival like Divali, speaks powerfully to us in our present context of religious diversity in the United States. As our lives become increasingly interconnected, how will we relate to the major festivals and celebrations that define the identity and meaning of life for our neighbors of other faiths? Will these remain alien and exotic or will we make the special effort necessary to comprehend what lies at the heart of such central moments and find distinctive but unifying ways of making connections with our own traditions? How will we share our tradition with others and share in theirs? What are the stories that we will bring to join in their celebration?

Today, as our nation and our local communities grow in religious diversity, we must ensure that our celebrations and the celebrations of our neighbors do not become walls that isolate and divide us from each other but occasions for sharing and building relationships. In this context, the shared festival of Divali, with its multiple meanings for different religious communities in India and abroad, may have something significant to teach us. A happy Divali to each one of you."