Diwali (The Office)

Diwali is the name of the sixth episode of the third season of the American television comedy The Office. It originally aired on NBC on November 2, 2006.

The episode centers around Kelly Kapoor inviting her coworkers to celebrate Diwali, a Hindu festival of lights, with her family. Michael Scott, in his characteristic obliviousness and desire to be involved, eagerly attends, hoping to deepen his connection with Kelly and experience a different culture. Pam Beesly also attends, partly out of curiosity and partly out of a desire to support Kelly. Jim Halpert, however, chooses to stay at the office to avoid further awkwardness with Pam after their recently cooled romantic tension.

The episode provides comedic situations stemming from Michael's misunderstanding of the holiday's traditions and significance. He makes several cultural faux pas, demonstrating his insensitivity and lack of awareness. The episode also explores themes of cultural appreciation versus appropriation, as well as workplace relationships and the complexities of navigating inter-office romances. Further, it touches upon the importance of family and cultural heritage within the context of an American workplace. The subplot involves Dwight Schrute dealing with a bat infestation in the office.