One of Utah’s leading papers, Deseret News, recently reported that Utah lawmakers have advanced a bill (SB259) that would designate several religiously significant days, including Hindu holidays Diwali and Holi, as official state “holy days.”
This bill may surprise some, given Utah’s current religious demographic, which is dominated by members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with 2,126,216 adherents in a state of 3.2 million residents (2020 statistics). The next closest religious group would be Roman Catholics, with a membership of just over 200,000. However, a 2020 study also revealed that from “2010 to 2020, Hindu (Traditional Temples), Muslims, and the National Baptist Convention experienced the highest growth rates of adherents.”
The religious “holy days” identified in the bill would not be legal holidays but would be recognized for their deep cultural and religious significance, encouraging schools and workplaces to accommodate observant employees. The bill also allows Utah employees to take a personal preference day to observe any designated holy day. Senator Keven Stratton, the bill’s sponsor, emphasized that this legislation aims to reflect Utah’s diverse faith communities and could be expanded in the future.
Caru Das Adhikary, president of the ISKCON Radha Krishna Temple in Spanish Fork, highlighted the importance of Diwali and Holi, comparing their significance to Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day in American culture. He noted that Diwali involves elaborate celebrations, making it impractical to observe while working.
The colorful Holi Festival, which draws tens of thousands to the iconic Spanish Fork Temple, will celebrate its 35th year on March 29th and 30th, 2025. To learn more about the upcoming festivals in Spanish Fork, Salt Lake and Ogden, click here.
To read the Deseret News article by Sydney Jezik in full, click here.
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