Highlights
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas shared a carousel of pictures from her Diwali celebrations at her Los Angeles home, showing the decorations, traditional outfits, family moments and food
- One picture, of her eating a non-vegetarian dish, prompted comments questioning the food at a Diwali gathering
- Hindu dietary practices vary widely by region, community and family, and Pew Research found 44% of Hindus in India describe themselves as vegetarian
- Priyanka has not responded publicly to the comments
Priyanka Chopra Jonas wanted to show fans how she celebrates Diwali at home. A single photograph has become the one people are talking about.
What did Priyanka Chopra Jonas post from her Los Angeles Diwali?
In the days around Diwali, the actor shared a series of pictures on Instagram from the celebrations at her home in Los Angeles with her husband, Nick Jonas, and their family. The carousel took in the decorations, the traditional outfits, family moments and the food prepared for the occasion.
The post went viral quickly. For many followers, it was a glimpse of a festive family gathering far from India. But one frame, in which Priyanka is seen eating a non-vegetarian dish, drew a different response.
What did social media users say about the food?
Several commenters questioned why non-vegetarian dishes were part of a Diwali gathering. "How can someone eat non-veg on Diwali," one wrote. Another posted: "Non veg in Diwali." Some described the dish as prawns, though Priyanka has not said what it was. The comments were not limited to food. One user asked: "Why candle Why not diyas".
The reports so far mainly quote the critical comments. No response from Priyanka has been reported.
Do all Hindus eat vegetarian food at Diwali?
No, and practices differ widely. Diwali is celebrated by Hindus across many regions and communities, and there is no single rule on food that applies to all of them.
The best available data comes from India. A 2021 report from Pew Research Center, based on a survey of about 30,000 adults, found that 44% of Hindus describe themselves as vegetarian, and another 39% follow some other restriction on eating meat, such as avoiding certain meats or abstaining on particular days. The picture varies sharply by region: 71% of Hindus in northern India said they were vegetarian, compared with 61% in the central region, 57% in the west, 30% in the south, 19% in the northeast and 18% in the east.
That means that for some households a vegetarian Diwali is a deeply held tradition, while far fewer Hindus in the east and south describe themselves as vegetarian. The survey covered India, so it is not a measure of Hindus in the diaspora.
Has a Diwali menu caused a row in the UK before?
Yes. In October 2024, some British Hindus objected to non-vegetarian snacks and alcohol on the menu at the Diwali reception hosted by the then Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, at 10 Downing Street. A group called Insight UK said the festival "traditionally involves vegetarian meals and strict avoidance of alcohol" and that more consultation was needed. Downing Street did not comment on the menu.
Is this the first time Priyanka has shared her faith online?
No. In October, she shared pictures of Priyanka Chopra's Dussehra puja in Los Angeles, which included a havan and Kanya Pujan, and her daughter Malti Marie dressed in a "Jai Mata Di" scarf. In the spring, she was seen taking part in seva at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. She and Nick married in both a Christian and a Hindu ceremony in Jodhpur in December 2018.
What happens next?
Priyanka has not commented, and her post and the comments beneath it remain the main source for the debate.
