Rangolis, diyas: Zohran Mamdani celebrates Diwali with Indian-American community

Diwali, the five-day-long festival, is one of the major Hindu festivals (Photo: @NYCMayor/X)

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani marked Diwali on Sunday by sharing a video celebrating the festival of lights and the city’s rich cultural diversity. Posting the video on his official social media account, Mamdani wished residents a happy Diwali, writing, “Wishing you a very happy Diwali, New York City.”

The video captures New Yorkers preparing for a traditional Diwali celebration. It opens with a woman dressed in a traditional Indian outfit decorating steps with marigold flowers and candles. The video then shows several people creating a colourful rangoli featuring a white conch shell at its centre.

Zohran Mamdani’s Diwali wishes

Women dressed in saris and salwar kameez, Sikh men wearing turbans and young men in kurtas gather around the design to take part in the celebrations. As evening falls, they light rows of traditional clay lamps, or diyas, illuminating the intricate rangoli.

The video ends with the group standing behind the completed decoration, palms joined in a traditional greeting, collectively saying, “Happy Diwali, New York!”

Wishing you a very happy Diwali, New York City. https://t.co/ntczqDUMen

— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) November 8, 2026

The video quickly gained traction, drawing numerous reactions. “Happy Diwali to the best mayor in America,” a user wrote. “So incredibly beautiful,” another user commented.

“It is really heart warming to see such lovely greetings from the Mayor. Great to see someone stand up for the Indian American demographic,” a third user reacted.

Diwali, the five-day-long festival, is one of the major Hindu festival. Also known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali marks Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya after 14 years of exile and his victory over evil. For the festival, people light diyas and candles, decorate their houses with rangolis, enjoy festive food, and offer prayers.