ROANOKE COUNTY, Va. (WDBJ) - In Roanoke County, folks are celebrating the festival of lights this weekend. It’s part of the Diwali holiday that is mainly observed by Hindus.

There was a little change to traditions at the Hindu BAPS temple this year because of COVID. Worshipers celebrating had to make an appointment and observe social distancing. The temple used floor markings and only allowed a few people at a time to offer blessings.

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Houston's Hindu community is finding ways to celebrate the religion's most important holiday in a COVID-19-safe way.

Traditionally, thousands of people gather to celebrate the Hindu holiday of Diwali, which recognizes the triumph of light over dark; truth over ignorance; and good over evil.

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A major New York Jewish organization co-hosted an event in New York this week to debate a subject that most in the city assume has long been settled — whether the swastika is good or bad.

While the notorious hooked-cross symbol has long been associated with the evil of Nazism and hate, it has for even longer been revered by Hindus and Buddhists, who argued Monday that swastika was misused by Hitler and its image should be rehabilitated.

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(RNS) — Last December, when Brandeis University announced a first-of-its-kind policy banning discrimination based on caste, administrators hoped other institutions would follow suit and adopt similar policies of their own.

But nearly a year later, the policy has not caught on. Instead, it’s drawing fire from Hindus who say it’s fraught with anti-Hindu bias along with risk of inept and unfair enforcement.

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