Here's a look at how thousands celebrated Diwali Festival of Lights in Fremont
"It's a great occasion to wish for gratitude and wish for prosperity and health for all the family members."
FREMONT, Calif. (KGO) -- Diwali is the festival of lights observed worldwide by South Asians.
This year, the holiday event fell on the first of November and thousands of people in Fremont turned out Friday night to celebrate at Gurdwara Sahib.
Diwali is known as the Hindu festival of lights, but other religious communities like Sikhs also celebrate the holiday in early autumn.
Sunny Singh of Hayward came with his wife and daughter to celebrate at the temple.
"It is the festival of lighting, family gathering, helping others," said Singh. "It's more like a thanksgiving, more like a Christmas."
Everyone came out dressed in their festive best.
"People come here dressed up and they want to come and pay their respects," said Jasdev Singh, a volunteer.
Diwali 2024: What to know about 5-day festival of lights celebrated in India, the US and worldwide
It was a chance to share well-wishes and to light small clay lamps called diyas.
The lamps often light up homes and streets for Diwali.
"When you want to welcome somebody, our rule is you lit your house with the lightening," said Singh.
College student Avneet Kaur lit several lamps to carry on tradition.
"I actually came home to celebrate this with my family," said Kaur.
On this Friday evening, Kaur came with her mom and one of her friends to celebrate the Festival of Lights.
"To me, that's the most important thing and being able to do that tradition and keep it alive," said Kaur.
After lighting the diyas, Kaur joined others ---they went inside the temple to pray.
The community celebration then continued with neighbors enjoying sweets and other delicacies.
The Diwali celebration is a chance to celebrate light over darkness and happiness over sorrow.
"It's a great occasion to wish for gratitude and wish for prosperity and health for all the family members," said Vikram Virk of Fremont.
"It's important to everyone. When you look around here, everyone is around here celebrating, lighting diyas," said Inder Saini, a college student.
It's a family-friendly celebration and an ongoing rooted in joy, love, and community.
