From the State Dept. to FedEx field.
By Sirmukh Singh Manku
WASHINGTON, DC: Until a few decades ago, Diwali was an unknown commodity to Washingtonians. There were no organized festivities, and celebrations were largely family affairs. Today, the larger Washington metropolitan area has the nation’s third-largest Indian American population and it is home to more than a dozen temples and gurdwaras. Not surprisingly, Diwali is an important part of the Washington calendar these days.
This year, there were at least a dozen major Diwali celebrations in the region, including the one hosted by Secretary of State John Kerry at the State Department on October 23, 2014, which was attended by among others Indian Ambassador to the United States S. Jaishankar, USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal and a number of Indian Americans serving the Obama administration.
Apart from the Indian Embassy in Washington, DC hosting a Diwali function, where there were cultural performances too, one of the highlights in the area was the then Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley lighting a traditional lamp at Diwali celebration he hosted in Annapolis on October 29.
The Maryland administration has managed to develop a great rapport with the Indian community in the last few years. At the Diwali celebrations at the Embassy, Rajan Natarajan handed over a proclamation from O’Malley to Deputy Chief of Mission Taranjit Singh Sandhu. Also in attendance was the Maryland House Majority Leader Kumar Barve.
An entertaining day for families was to be found at the Diwali Mela at FedEx Field, which attracted thousands of visitors, and gave a taste of home away from home. The meet, in its 20th year, was organized by the Association of United Hindu and Jain Temples of Metropolitan Washington, DC.