FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear declared November the month of Hindu American Awareness in Kentucky during the Diwali celebration today at the Kentucky State Capitol.

Dhruv Patel, who helped lead the ceremony, has celebrated Diwali since he was young.

“Diwali meant I had some good food at my house and a special day where my parents took off, but that’s all it really was to me when I was only in elementary school,” he said. Now, Diwali has become a celebration of finding the good in everything.

“That’s what it means to my family, for us to go into each year with light, with a vision and maybe a guiding hand,” Patel said.

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a five-day celebration that coincides with the Hindu New Year. It represents good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair.

This year, Diwali started on October 31. The main day of celebration took place last Saturday.

“It’s not just about the lights and the holidays,” Maitri Patel said. “It’s more about finding a sense of peace and gratitude in our lives and appreciating those positive things that we have.”

This is the second year in a row that the Kentucky State Capitol has hosted a Diwali celebration, and Governor Beshear and Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman joined the festivities.

“I believe our differences should never separate us,” Beshear said. “It should bring us together to listen and learn to lift each other up.”

“Seeing this happening, it’s really amazing to see more people starting to learn about it,” Maitri said. “I come here to the capital to celebrate. That’s pretty cool.”

Dhruv added: “Over the years this community has grown, this community has accepted us and now we have temples where we can celebrate this and come to the capital to share. It’s amazing.”