Diwali on Long Island: a sweet celebration and a time for light, renewal

With its mango cakes, baskets, and other sweet and savory items, the New Hot Breads is an important stop in many Long Islanders' preparations for Diwali.

The family-owned and operated bakery in Hicksville is preparing for Diwali --- the five-day festival that starts on Thursday and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness.

The shelves feature gift boxes sent directly from India and strawberry flavored dried fruitcake among other items. Baskets, both large and small, can be found throughout the store, while workers in the back create more items.

Ahead of Diwali, owner Ratan Jagtiani said they get a lot of customers, sometimes out the door. "People will buy from here to take for their friends and their friends then come here and take for their other friends," he said inside the store on Wednesday.

Across Long Island, Hindus and other people who observe Diwali are gearing up for the festival by buying sweets, purchasing precious metals, cleaning their homes and more.

Bina Sabapathy, former president of the India Association of Long Island, said Diwali is a season of happiness for Hindus and the celebrations can vary across India.

"This is the time that we Hindus all over the world exchange gifts," said Sabapathy, who is thinking about buying a small silver coin for Diwali.

Diwali is taken from the word "Deepavali," which translates to "a row of lights." It is celebrated by more than one billion people in and outside of India, sometimes with fireworks, gift giving and other activities.

Although the Diwali is celebrated by Hindus, it is also observed by other faiths like Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. For instance, Sikhs celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas, which happens during Diwali. Bandi Chhor Divas celebrates the freedom from imprisonment of Guru Hargobind, an admired figure among Sikhs.

The birth of Diwali also has variation. Diwali in southern India commemorates Lord Krishna’s destruction of Naraka, a demon.

Yet, in northern India, Diwali is celebrating the homecoming of Lord Rama, his brother and his wife after a 14-year exile. 

Diwali usually happens in late October or the beginning of November, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar. Celebrations of the holiday can include the purchasing of new clothes, the painting of a home, eating sweets and much more.

Jasleen Sabharwal’s celebration of Diwali will include giving small silver bowls to her adult child who recently moved into a new apartment in New York City. And for her young grandchildren, she will give them envelopes filled with cash.

She will also be attending prayers at a Sikh temple in Glen Cove.

The idea, the Oyster Bay resident said, is to bring prosperity, particularly after difficult years following the coronavirus pandemic.

"So we haven’t recovered but Diwali should be marked almost as a fresh start to the good times we used to have ... pre-covid," she said.

As part of Diwali, it is common of people to purchase new clothing to also provide a fresh start. Vastra Boutique in Hicksville said they have noticed an uptick in people seeking out South Asian dress.

"I think it’s getting bigger and the community is growing in Long Island," said Prachi Jain, whose mother owns the store.

This year, she said that Diwali has special significance for her as the presidential election looms.

"I think this is a holiday that, you know, is just a little nice break where we can connect with people in person and with our community of people without all the uncertainty of what's going on in the world right now," she said.

On Wednesday afternoon, customers streamed in and out of the Real Usha Sweets & Snacks in Queens.

Diwali is like "our Christmas," said Anand Vora, who works in management at the family business.

Customers at the store picked up an array of handmade sweets some of which looked like a cut watermelon and Kaju Pista Rolls, which can be made with a mix of sugar, cashews and nuts. In the back, staff worked to make sure that the shelves were not empty. And on the other side of the store, there was a mix of savory snacks.

"It’s a time to be spirited," said Vora.

With The Associated Press

By Tiffany Cusaac-Smith

tiffany.cusaac-smith@newsday.com@T_Cusaac

Education: Howard University 

Tiffany Cusaac-Smith came to Newsday in 2023 after being a race and history reporter at USA TODAY, where she wrote enterprise and spot articles examining how the past shapes the present. Previously, she worked as the race and justice reporter at the USA TODAY Network of New York, covering issues such as criminal justice reform, housing, environmental justice, health care and politics. At The Journal News/lohud.com in Westchester County, she covered Yonkers, the state's third-largest city. She also worked at The Associated Press in Atlanta.

Honors and Awards: Criminal justice reporting fellowship with the National Press Foundation;  New York News Publishers Association award for distinguished investigative reporting;  Contributed reporting for Best of Gannett honor; Member of Table Stakes, a program funded by the Knight-Lenfest Local News Transformation Fund and managed by the American Press Institute to transform local news.