California is adding a new holiday to its calendar. On Monday, Oct. 6, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 into law, making California the third state to designate Diwali - the Hindu festival of lights - as an official statewide holiday.

California is the third U.S. state to designate Diwali as an official statewide holiday. The law, newly signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, takes effect January 1.

A new state bill has made the Hindu holiday Diwali an official California state holiday. The bill, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday, goes into effect Jan. 1. Diwali, the Hindu "Festival of Lights," marks the start of the Hindu new year.

About 960,000 Indian Americans, making up one fifth of their nationwide population of 4.9 million, live in California

California has the largest Indian American population among the states at nearly 900,000. This year’s Diwali starts on Oct. 20. The holiday begins on the 15th day of the month of Kartik in the Hindu lunar calendar, which usually falls in October or November.

The holiday is a major event in India, particularly for followers of Hinduism and Sikhism, and is marked by candle and lamp lighting.

SACRAMENTO, CA – California will officially celebrate Diwali as a state holiday, following Governor Gavin Newsom’s signing of Assembly Bill 268 on October 6 — a move that has sparked joy and pride across the Indian American community with WhatsApp messages lighting up people’s phones.

Governor Josh Shapiro signed a law establishing Diwali on the fifteenth day of Kartik in the Hindu lunisolar calendar, making Pennsylvania one of the states that acknowledged it much earlier. In 2023, the administration of New York declared Diwali to be a public school holiday, allowing for school holiday.

Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed AB 268, introduced by Assemblymember Ash Kalra (D-San José), which officially designates Diwali as a state holiday. Diwali, also known as the “Festival of Lights,” is

In a historic development for the Indian diaspora, California has designated Diwali as an official state holiday, becoming the third state in the US to officially recognise the Indian festival of lights as a holiday. California Governor Gavin Newsom ...