Diwali is a reminder for all to push away darkness and usher in light, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has said, calling on people to embrace the spirit of Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and Mahatma Gandhi and be better human beings.
In his remarks at the annual Diwali celebration hosted at his New York residence, Gracie Mansion, Adams asked people to embrace the endeavour to remove the darkness engulfing the world, which is witnessing the loss of innocent lives.
“Diwali is more than just a holiday. It is a reminder to all of us that we must push away the darkness wherever we see it and bring light. That is what the Festival of Lights is about,” Adams said.
At the annual celebration attended by hundreds of prominent members of the Indian-American and South Asian community as well as diaspora from other nationalities and government officials, Adams said that Diwali is more than lighting a candle or oil but about “lighting up our lives”.
“There is so much darkness that we are seeing every day. So if we truly believe in the life of Ramayana, if we truly believe in the life of Sita, if we truly believe in the life of Gandhi, then we must continue Gandhi’s steps. We cannot only be worshippers; we must be practitioners,” he said
Adams said that at a time when there is darkness all across the globe, and the world is witnessing the loss of innocent lives, “we cannot continue to watch this engulf our future and engulf humanity.”
“Let’s be better human beings. Let’s live in the spirit of Diwali. Let’s live in the spirit of Gandhi. Let’s live in the spirit of Sita. Let’s live in the spirit of Ram, and then we will live up to the expectations of what this holiday really means,” he said.
New York State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar, who led efforts to make Diwali a school holiday in New York City, said that the Indian-American community has never been as powerful as it is now.
“We are unstoppable, and we have arrived at the table of power in this state,” she said.
She added that with everything going on in the world, in the Middle East where there is terrible violence, and amid the hatred and bigotry against different groups, “we are the ones that can lead the way to peace.