Community gathers to celebrate Diwali with traditional music, food, and dance

FRESNO, Calif. (FOX26) — Hundreds gathered at a Fresno Hindu temple to celebrate Diwali, also known as the Five-Day Festival of Lights, on Saturday.

Diwali is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains worldwide, marking the victory of good over evil, or light over darkness.

Small oil lamps are traditionally used in those celebrations.

The event was hosted at the BAPS Fresno Hindu temple.

It included colorful displays, traditional Indian music and dance, and a grand Anam Koot, a spread of hundreds of vegetarian dishes offered to sacred deities.

Shah, the outreach admin, said, “Our town is no longer a town. I think it’s growing into a city, a big city. So we have. We see that growth year by year, in terms of the number of volunteers we have and also just the community engagement we’re getting, you know.”

Other local leaders and families from across the valley attended, reflecting Fresno’s growing cultural diversity and commitment to unity.