Diwali observed in Henrico County through religious, cultural and culinary practices

Thousands of people celebrated the pinnacle of Diwali – a five-day festival that honors the goddess Lakshmi and light over darkness – Oct. 20 throughout Henrico County with food, worship, community events and family observances.

In advance of the holiday, students in a class at Colonial Trail Elementary School in Glen Allen, where 59% of the students are of Asian origin, explained to a teacher filming them for a post on the school's Facebook page how they and their families joyfully observe Diwali.

Public schools were closed in Henrico on Monday for the holiday, as approximately 13% of Henrico County Public School students are classified as Asian, though the demographic does not specify specific countries of origin.

India was identified as the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of the western part of Henrico County – Tuckahoe, Short Pump and Wyndham area – according to the United States Census' 2023 Public Use Microdata Sample. According to the PUMS, nearly 10,000 Henrico County residents were born in India.

Diwali includes many festivities leading up to Monday, which is considered the third day of the holiday focusing on the Lakshmi, goddess of wealth and prosperity.

The word "Diwali" itself comes from the Sanskrit word "Deepavali," which means "row of lights."

With personal and family festivities focusing on personal hygiene, dressing in traditional Indian clothing, eating sweets, giving gifts and visiting friends and relatives, the restaurant India K'Raja extended its weekend buffet into Monday to celebrate the holiday.

Bob Carpenter, the owner of the Big Bang Fireworks, a pop-up business that sets up at Route 288 and Broad Street Road, thought that number of local residents with Indian connections could be as high as 40,000.

Though Carpenter did not say how much his business makes in Diwali firecracker sales for the holiday, on Monday afternoon, a constant flow of shoppers piled out of cars and filled shopping baskets with sparklers and firecrackers as cashiers tallied up brisk sales of fireworks that blazed but did not boom.

"It's a different audience and it's a different product line," said Carpenter who was wearing a Happy Diwali t-shirt with an image of Ganesh, the Hindu elephant god. "So it's a quieter holiday at the Fourth of July where people like to make a lot of noise. And in Diwali people like to keep more of a low profile, have quieter stuff, a lot of handheld sparklers and things like that. It's more about the lights and not about the booms and the bangs and stuff like that."

Big Bang Fireworks generally sells most of its dazzling merchandise leading up to the Fourth of July but Carpenter was clued into the fireworks aspect of Diwali about a decade ago. Now Big Bang Fireworks offers special items displayed in bins and boxes under two tents and a trailer for the October holiday that falls as the moon is in a 1% waning crescent phase, lighting up the dark skies.

The sparklers and fireworks are also a fun activity for the kids that is a childhood memory for many of the adult shoppers.

"It's a lunar holiday at an auspicious time; it's about good over evil, abundance and prosperity," explained Sambhaji Biradar a father of two children as he headed back to his car with a brown shopping bag full of not-too-loud firecrackers. "We celebrate our deities with good food and sweets."

Biradar, a native of India who works in information technology and lives in the Twin Hickory section of Henrico County, promised to be careful with the pyrotechnics as his family would create more lights when darkness fell symbolizing good over evil with sparking lights that sizzle.

By 6 p.m. devotees had gathered at the Hindu Center of Virginia located on Springfield Road in Glen Allen. With shoes removed, attendees focused on the religious observances of Diwali, which turns its attention to revering the goddess Lakshmi. The previous night, the Temple held a fireworks display.

Through both collective and independent observances, devotees came and went into the Hindu Temple's large red carpeted main room lined with over a dozen recessed alcoves which house Hindu deity statues.

Facing various deities, many attendees prostrated in front of the displays and then circled the enclosures. Many people left offerings for the deities like bouquets of flowers.

Priests removed the deity for the Lakshmi Puja, a specific ceremony performed on the main night of Diwali where devotees worship Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Ganesh to seek blessings for wealth, prosperity, and success.

Then, while a priest chanted in Sanskrit, devotees lined up to light diyas, traditional oil lamps made of clay, that are lit, arranged on open racks to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.

Elders sat observing the rituals on chairs and many people sat cross-legged on the carpeted floor with family and friends.

Fifteen-year-old Ahona Das, a student at Godwin High School sat on the floor with her parents as the ceremony and observances went on around them.

"I love Diwali. It's one of my favorite holidays," Das said. "I love the way it's all based on good versus evil, light over darkness. That's my favorite parts about it Everybody gets together with family and everything. It's such a beautiful time. We get more connected to our religion and it's a great way to connect with our culture."

Das went up to the front of the room to light a diya lamp with her family.

Henrico County Public School are back in session for Das but the holiday continues this week with Tuesday focusing on social visits and gift-giving. Wednesday focuses on more visits that strengthen brother and sister relationships.

Dina Weinstein is the Citizen’s community vitality reporter and a Report for America corps member, covering housing, health and transportation. Support her work and articles like this one by making a contribution to the Citizen.