[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 548 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 548

 Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival 
                               of Diwali.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 10, 2005

 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. McDermott, Mr. Holt, 
Ms. Zoe Lofgren of California, Mr. Chandler, Mr. McCotter, Mr. Meek of 
Florida, Mr. Stark, Mr. Matheson, Ms. Harris, Mr. Davis of Florida, Mr. 
Wynn, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Honda, Mr. Wilson of South Carolina, 
 Mr. Price of North Carolina, Mr. Cardoza, Mr. Hoyer, Mr. Putnam, Mr. 
Pallone, Ms. Lee, Ms. Watson, Mr. Wexler, Mr. English of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. Faleomavaega, Mr. Brown of Ohio, Mr. Engel, Ms. Loretta Sanchez of 
  California, Mr. Cannon, Mr. Rangel, Ms. Berkley, and Mrs. Maloney) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                          on Government Reform

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the religious and historical significance of the festival 
                               of Diwali.

Whereas Diwali, a festival of great significance to Indian Americans and South 
        Asian Americans, is celebrated annually by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains 
        throughout the United States;
Whereas there are nearly 2,000,000 Hindus in the United States, of which 
        approximately 1,250,000 are of Indian and South Asian origin;
Whereas the word ``Diwali'' is a shortened version of the Sanskrit term 
        ``Deepavali'', which means ``a row of lamps'';
Whereas Diwali is a festival of lights, during which celebrants light small oil 
        lamps, place them around the home, and pray for health, knowledge, and 
        peace;
Whereas celebrants of Diwali believe that the rows of lamps symbolize the light 
        within the individual that rids the soul of the darkness of ignorance;
Whereas Diwali, falling on the last day of the last month in the lunar calendar, 
        is celebrated as a day of thanksgiving and the beginning of the new year 
        for many Hindus;
Whereas for Hindus, Diwali is a celebration of the victory of God over demonic 
        forces;
Whereas for Sikhs, Diwali is feted as the day that the sixth founding Sikh Guru, 
        or revered teacher, Guru Hargobind, was released from captivity by the 
        Mughal Emperor Jehangir; and
Whereas for Jains, Diwali marks the anniversary of the attainment of moksha or 
        liberation by Lord Mahavira, the last of the Tirthankaras, who were the 
        great teachers of Jain dharma, at the end of his life in 527 B.C.: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) recognizes the religious and historical significance of 
        the festival of Diwali; and
            (2) requests the President to issue a proclamation 
        recognizing Diwali.
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