More than a billion people across world are preparing for Diwali, the festival of lights celebrating the triumph of good over evil, shared by people of faiths including Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism. Jay Bhandari, 58, is one of the organizers of the Washington area’s largest Diwali Mela, or fair, to be held Oct. 30, noon till 10 p.m., at the Patriot Center in Fairfax. Bhandari, who moved to the United States in 1992 from Indore, India, is also president of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin. He sat down with The Washington Examiner to share thoughts on his own faith, and its ancient tradition of learning from each of the others.

Do you consider yourself to be of a specific faith?