Booths filled with vibrant garlands and mini lanterns known as deepams lined up outside the Student Wellness Center to celebrate the Indian festival of lights on Oct. 19.
The Indian festival of lights, called Deepavali or Diwali, is celebrated by Hindus, Jains and Sikhs.
Deepavali, also known as Diwali or Divali depending on the region, is the celebration of light over darkness that takes place during the Kartika month in the Hindu Calendar, which occurs between October and November every year.
The event was hosted by SJSU’s College of Professional and Global Education and global leaders from the International Student and Scholar Services Department as an early ode to Deepavali, which takes place on Oct. 24 this year.
Shanivi Gupta, a graduate student and global leader with International Student and Scholar Services, said she hoped the event would bridge a cultural gap between others and Indian students.
“It’s important [that] we spread more information about our culture [because] then [people] feel more open to have that conversation with you,” Gupta said. “It increases their knowledge, and also their willingness to accept you.”
Many of the International Student and Scholar Services’ global leaders were international Indian students, who used their role to share their individual experiences celebrating Deepavali back in India.
The College of Professional and Global Education booth was adorned with colorful garlands seen in many households of those who celebrate the festival.
The booth reimagined rangoli, which are powdered mandala designs created on floors, by having stencils that attendees could paint.
“I’m going to hang the [rangoli paintings] up. I made two and I [will] give one to my sister.” said Tuyen Nguyen, an attendee and non-matriculated student with the International Gateway program at SJSU.
Sarthak Chauhan, computer science freshman and global leader with International Student and Scholar Services, helped organize the event hoping to share aspects of his culture with other students.
“We thought that Rangoli is something that is very unique,” Chauhan said. “Rangoli has its own significance and I think talking to people about that is wonderful.”
Students could also take Indian sweets and biscuits including the well-known Parle-G biscuit packets, which are milk and wheat cookies produced by Parle Products.
And though the celebration’s origin story varies across India, the country is lit with lights and small clay oil lamps, known as deepams or diyas, as people gather with family, friends and sweets.
In South India, deepams are lit to celebrate Lord Krishna’s defeat of the devil king, Narakasura, according to a Nov. 9, 2012 The New Indian Times article.
In Northern India, Deepavali celebrates Lord Rama’s return to his birth city Ayodhya after being exiled for 14 years. To help Rama find his way, people place lights to welcome him home, according to an Oct. 24 NPR article.
This is the second year the College of Professional and Global Education has celebrated Deepavali and they hope to continue commemorating it in the future.
“Diwali is a beautiful festival of lights, the festival of good over evil. So it portrays a very beautiful message to non-Desi people who don't know about our culture,” Chauhan said.
