Student organizations join to celebrate Diwali

Sarah Goetz Staff Writer

Along with nearly one billion people worldwide, members of the Vassar community are celebrating the Indian festival of Diwali this week.

Festivites began on Tuesday evening with the annual Diwali/Eid dinner sponsored by the South Asian Students Alliance, and will continue today with a Hindu prayer service (called a puja) followed by a Diwali party in Davison House. The puja will take place this evening at 5 p.m. in the new Contemplative Practices Room in the basement of the Chapel.

Diwali is the Hindu festival of lights, and serves as a new year celebration in which Hindus welcome wealth and prosperity into their homes. According to the Hindu text the Ramayan, Diwali represents hero Ram’s return to his kingdom after emerging triumphant from battle with evil. Lights and lamps were lit, according to the story, in order to guide and welcome him home.

“There are several reasons behind why the festival is celebrated, but I suppose the simplest…is the triumph of good over evil,” said Lisa Kaul, Davison House Fellow and host of the Diwali party. Diwali is also a celebration of hope and life.

Diwali is celebrated over several days, the third of which is the day of large-scale Diwali celebrations. While the third day of Diwali falls on Friday this year, the on-campus celebrations will be a day earlier, since some students are going home to celebrate with family over the weekend.

Various student groups have come together to organize different parts of the celebrations. The annual SASA- sponsored dinner commemorates both Diwali and the Muslim holiday of Eid. Eid marks the end of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

In addition to the dinner, student-led group Hindu Heritage, in conjunction with the office of Religious and Spiritual Life, is hosting Diwali puja for the first time. This puja will focus on the goddess Sri Lakshmi, who is believed to bring prosperity in the new year.

“We will be doing our own rituals that we do at home, here on campus, and we’re inviting everyone to come and attend, even if they are not Hindu,” said Hindu Heritage co-chair Sonia Chandra ’08. During her sophomore year, Chandra and three other students held a similar puja in Strong House’s Multi-Purpose Room, before the Contemplative Practices Room was created.

The inception of Hindu Heritage in November 2005, along with a better prayer space, have significantly aided the celebration of Diwali.

“This is a big step up for us,” said Chandra. She hopes that the Hindu Heritage group and the new space for puja will raise awareness and spark interest in Hinduism on campus.

“We have things we can offer to Hindu students as well as other students on campus,” added Chandra. “We welcome everyone to come, observe and learn about our culture and our traditions.”

At the Diwali party following the puja, Kaul and Hindu Heritage members will be discussing the history and tradition behind Diwali, playing card games as a sign of wealth and forthcoming prosperity, and making colorfully patterned designs, known as rangolis, as decorations that welcome good fortune in the new year. According to Kaul there will also be “copious amounts of Indian food.” The party will also feature a classical dance performance by SASA president Anna Karra ’10.