Students laughed and shared their stories of Diwali in a group discussion at the Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Center, on Oct. 26. Students were welcomed and given an opportunity to celebrate and learn more about the religious festival Diwali, also known as a festival of lights. 

The event combined an educational overview of the history of Diwali with aspects of celebration. Students played cards, ate candies and snacks. They also listened to a powerpoint, which explained not only why the holiday is significant but also how it is traditionally celebrated.

“A lot of times growing up I didn’t see much of my culture; this event specifically has to do with how I was brought up,” freshman Arushi Kalam said. “These types of events help me connect with my culture and help me realize that I can educate other people when I talk about it.”

Assistant Coordinator of the APIDA center Angela Subido presented a powerpoint covering the history of Diwali along with discussion questions. From this, she had students reminiscing on the fun ways they and their family have celebrated the holiday in the past.

“My family would go all out,” said Arya Karthik, a freshman at SDSU. “We would have firecrackers and cook a huge meal. After praying at night, we would get to eat and light the firecrackers. We would play music and hang out with other Indian families in the neighborhood who were doing the same thing.” 

Subido shared that Diwali is a festival of lights typically celebrated by the Hindu, Sikh and Jain religions. She explained that the Hindu religion honors their Lord Rama’s return from a 14 year exile; the Sikh religion celebrates the return of their spiritual leader Guru Hargobind; and the Jain religion remembers the spiritual awakening of their Lord Mahavira.

 “A lot of people don’t know that Diwali is celebrated by nearly every religion in South Asia,” Karthik said. “A lot of people think it’s only a Hindu event. There’s a lot of misinformation and I’m glad that there’s a light hearted and easily accessible way to learn more.”

In addition, Subido explained that Diwali consists of a five day celebration and described how each day is usually celebrated. She showed how families typically clean their homes on the first day and decorate their doorsteps with rangoli (colored powder) and light diyas (lamps) on the second day. On the third day, families gather for a prayer ritual called “Lakshmi puja.” On the fourth day, friends and relatives give gifts to each other  before having a  lavish meal on the last day.

Students engaged in group discussions about their experiences with how different and fun it was to celebrate the holiday in India. They also enjoyed a few rounds of cards and freshman Chloe Verove was awarded a keychain from the APIDA center as the winner of the game.

For any students who wish to join the Diwali festivities, Sanskriti SDSU, the Indian Students Association, is hosting a Diwali celebration. On Nov. 6, starting at 4:30 p.m. there will be performances, Indian food and lots of dancing at Montezuma Hall.