Diwali Holiday Added to Half Hollow Hills Central School District Calendar

Half Hollow Hills Central School District recently unanimously approved to adopt Diwali, a Hindu holiday, into their 2017-2018 school year calendar.

President of Universal Society of Hinduism Rajan Zed said this news is a step in a right direction. In a statement, he urged other schools in New York to do the same. Zed said it is important to meet the religious and spiritual needs of Hindu students at schools.

“We did not want our students to be put at an unnecessary disadvantage for missing tests/examinations/papers, assignments, class work, etc., by taking a day-off to observe Diwali,” Zed said.

Half Hollow Hills joins Syosset and East Meadow school districts in declaring Diwali as an official holiday. The Mineola Union Free School District also announced they will not give homework or examinations on Diwali.

Diwali, the festival of lights, aims at dispelling the darkness and lighting up the lives and symbolizes the victory of good over evil. The holiday falls on October 19 in 2017.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about three million Hindus in America.

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