.
>> Jason: THERE’S A BIG
CELEBRATION AROUND THE WORLD.
>> Tati: IT’S CELEBRATED BY
HINDUS.
IT’S CELEBRATED BY LIGHTING
CANDLES AND FIREWORKS AS WELL.
IT’S INDIA’S BIGGEST AND MOST
IMPORTANT HOLIDAY OF THE YEAR.
TO LEARN MORE ABOUT HOW THIS
FIVE-DAY HOLIDAY IS CELEBRATED
IN OUR LOCAL INDIAN COMMUNITY,
WE’RE JOINED BY LOCAL 4’S OWN
PRIYA MANN.
WELCOME TO "LIVE IN THE D"!
>> Priya: THINK IT’S MY
FIRST TIME ON "LIVE IN THE D."
>> Jason: ABOUT TIME!
>> Priya: I’M IN MY FULL
INDIAN WEAR.
HAPPY DIWALDI.
>> Tati: I’M SWOONING OVER THE
JEWELRY.
>> IT’S WAY HEAVIER THAN IT
LOOKS!
[LAUGHTER]
>> Tati: WE HAVE SEVERAL
PHOTOS OF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY
CELEBRATING.
>> IT’S THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS
AND CELEBRATED BY HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS AROUND THE WORLD.
ITS MOST UNIVERSAL SYMBOLISM
IS THE VICTORY OF LIGHT OVER
DARKNESS, THE VICTORY OF
KNOWLEDGE OVER IGNORANCE.
IT’S A WONDERFUL WAY THAT SO
MANY PEOPLE CELEBRATE, AND
IT’S A TIME WHERE A LOT OF
FAMILIES GET TOGETHER.
FOR HINDUS THEY PRAY TO THE
GODDESS OF PROSPERITY AND
WEALTH.
FOR 6, WE WILL GO AND PRAY AND
EAT TOGETHER.
WHEN I WAS A KID GROWING UP IN
TORONTO, WE WOULD CELEBRATE
AND WOULD ALWAYS START WITH
MOM MAKING US CLEAN THE HOUSE
FROM TOP TO BOTTOM WHICH WAS
NOT MY FAVORITE PART.
AND WE WOULD CLEAN THE HOUSE,
AT NIGHTFALL TURN THE LIGHTS
ON AND LIGHT THE CANDLES.
AND IT’S JUST A REALLY
WONDERFUL TIME TO CELEBRATE
WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY.
AND IT’S SUCH A UNIVERSAL
MEANING, JUST THE IDEA OF
LIGHT OVER DARKNESS.
>> Jason: SO WHAT IS THE
TRADITIONAL SONG YOU’LL
PERFORM FOR US?
>> Priya: THERE’S A DANCE AS
WELL.
[LAUGHTER]
I KNOW YOU’VE HAD FOLKS ON THE
SHOW CELEBRATING DIWALDI AND I
CAN’T DANCE AS WELL AS THE
VERY TALENTED YOUNG PEOPLE.
CANDLES ARE A SYMBOLIC PART OF
THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHT.
AND THERE YOU GO, I LOVE THIS. I POSTED THIS ON INSTAGRAM,
I POSTED THIS ON INSTAGRAM,
HAPPY DIWALI.
AND IT FALLS ON THE LUNAR
CALENDAR.
AND YOU LIGHT THE CANDLES AND
IT WOULD HELP FARMERS GET TO
THEIR HOMES AND WE USED TO
ENJOY THE FIRECRACKERS AND THE
SPARKLERS.
SO IT WAS A LOT OF FUN.
>> Tati: THIS IS EXCITING!
AND IT’S NOT ON THE SAME DAY
EVERY YEAR BECAUSE OF THE
LUNAR CALENDAR, SO THAT’S
SOMETHING TO ANTICIPATE TO SEE
WHERE IT LANDS.
SO WE KNOW THE MONTH BUT NEVER
EXACTLY WHAT DAY.
AS A KID, IT ALWAYS KIEVEND
FELT IT WAS THE KICKOFF TO THE
HOLIDAY SEASON BECAUSE YOU
WOULD BE OUT CELEBRATING.
THAT’S MY MOM.
AND WE WOULD CELEBRATE, HE WAS
WRONGFULLY IMPRISONED AND
ALLOWED TO TAKE ANY POLITICAL
PRISON HER COULD PHYSICALLY
HOLD ON TO HIM, SO THEY
CREATED A ROBE WITH 52 TASSELS
AND 52 HINDU KINGS WHO WERE
ABLE TO LEAVE WITH HIM AND
IT’S CELEBRATED BY HUNDREDS OF
MILLIONS.
>> Tati: I LOVE IT, PRIYA.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US!
>> Jason: THANK YOU FOR BEING
US SOME CULTURE.
>> Priya: I SHOULD HAVE