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| 4 | 5 | | R E S O L U T I O N |
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| 5 | 6 | | WHEREAS, The festival of Diwali, a holiday celebrated by |
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| 6 | 7 | | followers of Hinduism, Jainism, and Sikhism, is taking place during |
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| 7 | 8 | | the last week of October 2022; and |
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| 8 | 9 | | WHEREAS, For people of these faiths, Diwali represents the |
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| 9 | 10 | | symbolic victory of light over darkness; while celebrants observe |
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| 10 | 11 | | different national, regional, and religious customs, the |
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| 11 | 12 | | five-day-long event is generally regarded as a time of happiness |
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| 12 | 13 | | and benevolence, when people come together and express gratitude |
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| 13 | 14 | | for their blessings; and |
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| 14 | 15 | | WHEREAS, Among Hindus, a common Diwali custom is to light |
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| 15 | 16 | | diyas, or small lamps filled with oils; the custom is performed to |
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| 16 | 17 | | invite Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, into one's home, and |
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| 17 | 18 | | throughout the festival, diyas are also lit and placed around |
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| 18 | 19 | | temples and floated down rivers and streams; in the Jain community, |
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| 19 | 20 | | Diwali represents the enlightenment and liberation of the spiritual |
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| 20 | 21 | | teacher Mahavira from the cycle of life and death, with the |
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| 21 | 22 | | illumination of lamps around homes symbolizing the light of |
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| 22 | 23 | | Mahavira's holy knowledge; for the Sikhs, Diwali commemorates an |
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| 23 | 24 | | important event in the Sikh tradition, the release of a prominent |
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| 24 | 25 | | holy figure, Guru Hargobind, from imprisonment; and |
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| 25 | 26 | | WHEREAS, Celebrated by more than a billion people across the |
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| 26 | 27 | | globe, Diwali is a holiday that is richly varied in its customs, |
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| 27 | 28 | | rituals, and significance, and it is fitting to acknowledge the |
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| 28 | 29 | | great importance that Diwali has to those of the Hindu, Jain, and |
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| 29 | 30 | | Sikh faiths who reside in the Lone Star State; now, therefore, be it |
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| 30 | 31 | | RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 87th Texas |
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| 31 | 32 | | Legislature hereby recognize the festival of Diwali 2022 and extend |
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| 32 | 33 | | to all those participating in the observance sincere best wishes |
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| 33 | 34 | | for a meaningful and memorable occasion. |
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