WSU students came together in the Student Union Apollo room to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, with music, dance and unity. The Indian Student Association organized the celebration, which featured traditional cuisine, dance performances, cultural exhibits and a DJ. The night emphasized the festival's spirit of light overcoming darkness and the solidarity it gives to the community.
What is Diwali?
The word Diwali is derived from the Sanskrit Deepavali which means a "row of lights," it is one of Hinduism's most important festival and many Jains, Sikhs and Buddhists engage. Diwali falls between the dark half of the month of Ashvina and the first day of light half of Kartika, which is usually in late October or early November.
Students at WSU lit up the campus this weekend as they celebrated Diwali, also called The Hindu Festival of Lights, with music, dance and a feeling of togetherness.
Religion stories and tradition of Diwali
Diwali is celebrated across India with diverse regional traditions that share a common theme of light triumphing over darkness. In northern India it marks Lord Rama's return to Ayodhya after defeating the demon King Ravana, while in south it celebrates lord Krishna's victory over the demon Marakasura.
In western states like Gujarat and Maharashtra, people honor the goddess Lakshmi. Despite these differences, Diwali unites communities through prayer, lights, firework and festive gatherings.
How people celebrate Diwali
Festival celebrations in India and across the world include burning oil lamps, or Diyas, adoring homes with colorful rangoli patterns and fireworks to honor the triumph of light over darkness. Families decorate their home, exchange sweets and presents and gather to worship, especially to goddesses.
Festive dinners, traditional music and community meetings round out the five-day celebration which combines devotion, joy and culture heritage.
Celebrations at WSU
The celebration is hosted by the Indian Student Association, which featured dance performance, traditional food and music that highlighted the joy and cultural richness of one of India's biggest festivals. The event attracted a large number of students and staff members, many of whom were attending for the first time.
Guests were greeted with decor, colorful saris and a feast of Indian cuisine including paneer, rice and desserts like Gulab Jamun. Performance ranged from classical Indian dances to upbeat Bollywood numbers.
Lakshmi Durga Gogireddy, a computer science major gathered students from all across campus to celebrate Diwali. After weeks of challenging academics, the occasion served as a welcomed vacation and an opportunity to reconnect with her cultural origins. She participated in Diya decorating and enjoyed watching the fireworks with her friends.
"[The celebration was] a perfect blend of culture, joy, community and it reminded me of family holidays," said Gogireddy.
Phani Teja Bikkina is a computer science major who attended the celebration.
"This is my first Diwali away from home," Bikkina said. "It's really comforting to celebrate here with friends. It feels like a little piece of home."
Students said the traditional performances brought the festival to life and added a memorable touch to the evening's celebrations.
"I love that people from different cultures come together to enjoy this night," Bikkina said. "It's not just about one community-it's about unity and happiness,"
Santhosh Azhagappan, a pharmacology and toxicology student, thoroughly enjoyed the event and how it was structured.
"WSU police did a fantastic job of maintaining safety around the stage, venue and parking lot," Azhagappan said.
The event was colorful with a popular photo booth setup and student dance performances from several cultures.
"I sincerely appreciate the ISA team's efforts in organizing an event of this magnitude," Azhagappan said.
The evening concluded with the lighting of Diyas. As the room filled with flickering lamps, music and laughter students expressed that the event encapsulated the essence of Diwali on campus.
