The NASDAQ Stock Market has added Diwali to the events it commemorates on its fancy seven-storey-tall signage in its HQ in New York's Times Square. And here's the photo to prove it.
I am delighted to see the Indian flag towering over Manhattan traffic, but here are two nit-picky items:
It refers to the "Indian" festival of Diwali. While technically true, it would have been better to call it the Hindu festival of Diwali. Also, the use of the giant India flag, instead of say, a traditional Diwali lamp is rather odd. I wouldn't have minded a lamp AND a flag.
Diwali is celebrated in countries around the world by Hindus, including places where the Hindus have barely a connection to India itself, being fourth-, fifth-, sixth-, seventh-generation immigrants - such as Singapore, Trinidad, Guyana, Fiji, Malaysia, Mauritius, Canada, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the U.K. and, yes, the U.S. (of course few of those countries have South Asian-led companies listed on U.S. stock exchanges).
It's a nice gesture, but the execution could have been better. Diwali is a Hindu festival first.
What do YOU think? Post your comments at the bottom of this item (free, one-time TypePad registration required). Some others have already weighed in.
[ See SAJAforum coverage on the Diwali stamp hoax and also read about the NYC Diwali Parking Holiday ]
PHOTO: Rob Tannenbaum, NASDAQ
© Copyright 2006, the Nasdaq Stock Market, Inc. Reprinted with permission
[POSTED BY SREE SREENIVASAN]
