India, May 4 -- Every year on 4 May, legions of fans around the world come together to celebrate Star Wars Day. Tracing its origins to a playful pun, the commemorative day has now become a worldwide cultural event, thanks largely to the internet and the franchise's massive popularity. But why do Star Wars fans celebrate it, and why do they say "May the 4th be with you"?

The secret behind 4 May is in the date itself. "May the 4th be with you" or "May the Fourth be with you", depending on how you write it, is a play on "May the Force be with you", the iconic phrase that has defined the galactic universe created by George Lucas since the first movie premiered in 1977. So, when Star Wars fans say "May the 4th be with you" on the unofficial c...