Thousands of Hindus to celebrate Diwali on Saturday

HOUSTON - On Saturday, thousands of Hindus in housing will be celebrating Diwali, a day of hope. 

The holiday signifies the victory of good over evil. 

The city of Houston is becoming an emerging hub for the Indian community with over 150,000 and growing. 

“The way we celebrate this day is by lighting a lot of lights, which is the Festival of Lights,” said Ruchika Dias. “There’s sweets. We cook a lot of sweets to celebrate."

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Bombay Sweets off of Hillcroft in the Gandhi District is a go-to spot for those traditional sweets. 

But like many holidays, COVID-19 has impacted how they’re celebrated. 

One of the biggest Diwali celebrations in Houston also went viral. 

30 countries joined in on the Shri Sita Ram Foundation’s 9th International Diwali Dussehra Festival in Houston. 

“We had Governor Greg Abbott send a message along with Mayor of Houston Sylvester Turner," said Arun Verma, Founder and President of the non-profit Shri Sita Ram Foundation.

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In the spirit of Diwali, COVID-19 is seen as an evil that will be overcome. 

“In these Covid times, it's very easy to look at all the negative and all the bad -  this is an opportunity to, just like every other holiday, to really look and give thanks to all the blessings we have,” said Dias.

The festival is a five-day event, many Hindus compare it to Christmas and will be celebrated on Saturday.