US President Joe Biden marked Diwali celebrations at the White House on Tuesday (October 28) with Indian-American politicians and staff in attendance. Noting the festival’s significance, he said, “Earlier in our nation’s founding, generations before [you lit a] diya in the shadow of the suspicion. Now, in the [our] time, Diwali is celebrated openly and proudly here in the White House.” How did the tradition begin? First Diwali at the White House Barack Obama was the first US President under whom Diwali celebrations were held at the official residence and offices of the President. In 2009, along with First Lady Michelle Obama, he lit diyas in the presence of Hindu priests. In a video message, he spoke about the Sanskrit shloka ‘Tamaso ma jyotir gama’, translating it as “Lead us from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light, from death to immortality.” “In Hinduism, Diwali marks the return of the Lord Rama from exile when small lamps lit his way home. The lighting of these lamps continues today; marking the celebration as a time of reflection on a year gone by and a time to pray for a good year to come,” he said. Obama also spoke of the festival’s relevance for Jainism and Sikhism and concluded his message by saying, “As families and communities gather to rejoice and to reflect over great food and delicious mithai, please know that you are in our thoughts and that Michelle and I wish you a happy Diwali and Saal Mubarak.” Presidents Donald Trump and Joe Biden have also marked the festival. In 2018, Trump lit diyas and said, “I am thrilled to be here for the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, and I am honoured to host this beautiful ceremony at the White House. Very, very special people… Our nation is blessed to be home to millions of hardworking citizens of Indian and Southeast Asian heritage who enrich our country in countless ways. Together, we are one proud American family.” Why are such celebrations marked at the White House? Religious and cultural celebrations are observed in the White House, though the United States is a secular nation. While Christmas has a long history, other religious events have been marked more recently, reflecting the changing social fabric of the country. For instance, then-First Lady Hillary Clinton conveyed wishes for Eid in 1998. President George W Bush held an iftar dinner in 2001 and later Presidents continued the tradition, irrespective of the political party they belonged to. While Trump broke the tradition in 2017, his first year as president, the dinner was held from 2018 onwards. According to a report from The New York Times from 2001, Bush’s decision had to do with his own strong belief in religion and the aftermath of the 26/11 terror attacks. The report said, “Since Sept. 11, the president has kept his personal belief in Christianity unusually private – he would not say this week whether he still reads the Bible every day – as he has made extraordinary gestures to Islam. The politics here are as obvious as they are praised, particularly by Muslims pleased that the White House has continually said that its war is against Osama bin Laden and not the prophet Muhammad.” Bush said his message for the iftar dinner would be, “We’re a nation of many faiths.” When asked if the sentiment was symbolic, he replied, “No — it’s real.” The news report further said, “After celebrating Ramadan, the White House seemed to have no choice but to go all out for Hanukkah.” While US Presidents had long shared wishes with the American people on the Jewish holiday, it was under Bush that Hanukkah menorah or candles were lit for the first time in the White House Residence. The practice continues today. Significance of Diwali celebrations On the significance of Obama’s recognition, University of California Riverside’s Religious Studies Professor Amanda Lucia wrote in 2017, “He (Obama) sent a message to South Asian Americans that they are a part of the American national narrative. His actions were not only about lighting lamps… but they were also about the political recognition of an influential minority group in the United States.” Indian Americans today make the largest Asian American group in the US and are among the most prosperous and politically engaged groups. Lucia added, “In 2017, President Donald Trump chose not to commemorate Ramadan with Eid al-Fitr celebrations at the White House… These presidential decisions signify much more than personal affinities, preferences, and religious convictions. Rather, they are means by which the American people, through the actions of their elected leaders, determine whether Hindus and Muslims are included as Americans within the American national narrative.” She added, “In the United States, cultural and religious festivals have become a visible means through which minority groups demand recognition in the public sphere. When government officials respond by acknowledging a particular culture’s celebrations, they offer recognition. In the political sphere, recognition is the first step toward representation, which guarantees rights and protection under the law. Governmental acknowledgments of particular cultural and religious celebrations make distinctions between insiders and outsiders to the national narrative.”
