Hindu neighbors
What Hindu neighbors believe, what they celebrate, and what they wish you’d just ask.
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Questions people ask
- Can I go to my friend’s church, mosque or temple? Usually, yes. Most places of worship welcome visitors, and going with a friend is the easiest way. 1 min read
- What do Hindus believe? Hindus hold a wide family of beliefs, not one creed. 2 min read
- What is Diwali? Diwali is the festival of lights, celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains and some Buddhists. 2 min read
Through time
More than 15,000 years ago: Native peoples in North AmericaAbout 2000 BC: Abraham answers God's callAbout 1450 BC: The Exodus and the Torah at SinaiAbout 500 BC: The Buddha teachesAbout 250 BC: Emperor AshokaAbout 6 BC: Jesus is bornAbout AD 30: Jesus' death and resurrectionAD 610: The Qur'an's revelation beginsAD 622: The Hijra1469: Guru Nanak is born1699: The Khalsa is founded1787: No religious test for office1791: The First Amendment1820: The First VisionApril 6, 1830: The Church is organized1965: Immigration and Nationality Act1978: American Indian Religious Freedom Act2023–24: 29 percent unaffiliated About 1500 BC: The Rig VedaAbout 800 to 500 BC: The early UpanishadsAbout 400 BC to AD 200: The Bhagavad Gita1893: Vivekananda speaks in Chicago1905: A Hindu temple in San Francisco1965: A new immigration law1977: Traditional temples are consecrated
- About 1500 BCThe Rig Veda. The Rig Veda, oldest of the Vedas, is composed; Hindus honor the Vedas as sacred, timeless wisdom.
- About 800 to 500 BCThe early Upanishads. The first Upanishads teach that each person's true self, atman, is one with Brahman, the ultimate reality.
- About 400 BC to AD 200The Bhagavad Gita. In the Gita, Krishna teaches Prince Arjuna about duty and devotion; many Hindus believe it is far older.
- 1893Vivekananda speaks in Chicago. Swami Vivekananda opens with "Sisters and brothers of America" at Chicago's Parliament of Religions, introducing many Americans to Hinduism.
- 1905A Hindu temple in San Francisco. The Vedanta Society builds its Old Temple in San Francisco, often called the first Hindu temple in the West.
- 1965A new immigration law. A new U.S. law opens immigration from India, and many Hindu students and professionals begin to arrive.
- 1977Traditional temples are consecrated. Hindus consecrate traditional temples in Pittsburgh and in Flushing, New York, among the first of many across America.
Holidays
Diwali
Sunday, November 8, 2026The festival of lights, for Hindu, Sikh and Jain neighbors.
What to say: “Happy Diwali!”
Hindu calendars · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunHoli
Around monday, March 22, 2027The Hindu spring festival of colors.
What to say: “Happy Holi!”
Some listings say March 23. Hindu calendars · follows the moon, kept in season by the sunVaisakhi
Wednesday, April 14, 2027For Sikhs, the founding of the Khalsa. In Punjab, a harvest festival.
What to say: “Happy Vaisakhi!”
Sikh dates · follows the sun and the moon