The third day of Diwali, Lakshmi Puja, will become a statewide holiday, allowing public schools to close in observance, after Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 268 into law on Oct. 6.
Typically held between October and November, Diwali is a five-day- long festival celebrating the victory of good over evil and is observed by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists and Sikhs. California is the third state to designate Diwali as a state holiday, with the bill expected to take effect Jan. 1, 2026. It has not been decided whether Northwood will close for the holiday, and any potential change would not take effect until the 2027-28 school year.
“This is not a decision that Northwood would get to make,” assistant principal Kortney Tambara said. “The district or state will decide whether schools are closed down.”
The bill, led by assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Darshana Patel, sought to honor the historical and religious significance of Diwali and encourage greater cultural appreciation.
Currently, Northwood allows students to request excused absences for religious holidays by submitting a Justifiable Personal Reason Absence Written Verification form to the attendance office.
Although there are no current plans to change this process for Diwali, students have responded positively to AB 268.
“Diwali is one of my favorite Indian holidays, and I always wait for it to come around each year,” sophomore Rhea Majmudar said. “When I heard about AB 268, I was really happy that one of my favorite Indian holidays was being recognized.”
As part of Diwali, many families celebrate by cleaning their houses, preparing traditional foods, lighting diyas (clay lamps) and holding pujas, or religious ceremonies, which can last over two hours.
“Usually, because Diwali tends to fall on a school day, our festivities are always very rushed in the morning,” junior Amruta Vemuri said. “If we’re given the day off, I think we’d be able to celebrate properly without issues of getting to school on time.”
Students and parents may directly share input regarding Diwali to the district through the IUSD Calendar Survey in March 2026. Because district calendars are created two years in advance, this calendar will be used to determine the 2027-28 school year; if the district gives students the day off for Diwali, these changes will be reflected in that school year.
Students can also attend OC South Asian Student Association’s Diwali party on Nov. 15, which includes music and dance, to celebrate the holiday.
“It feels like the U.S. is finally recognizing other religions and cultures,” Vemuri said. “It says to me, ‘While I’m an Indian, I’m also an American, and I have the right to celebrate my culture here too.’”
