What Diwali is and how students are celebrating away from home
BY DEVANSHI AGNIHOTRI —- arts@theaggie.org
Your mom carries a diya from the kitchen to the porch, her lavender sari sparkling with the light reflected from the sparklers in your brother’s hand. A rangoli of flowers with your favorite colors lights up the ground as — “Connection is Unstable.” The screen turns off and you toss your phone, bouncing it off the edge of your twin XL.
While being in college and away from home, Diwali has looked different for many students. Diwali is the Hindu Festival of Lights, and this year it took place from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1. As a way of celebrating, people light up the outside of their homes with diyas and string lights to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness, or good over evil.
Diwali is one of the biggest Indian holidays and has always been a very family-centered celebration. The whole family helps tidy up the house and then prepares it for the decorations, everyone working together to get the marigold garlands and string lights up, as well as placing the diyas properly. Many families will also create rangoli, a colorful design made out of colored powders, rice, sand and chalk on their doorstep. The lovely traditions and cute quirks of families make Diwali a personal and heartwarming holiday for many.
Since many students cannot go home in time to celebrate with their family, they have to enjoy it behind the screen of their video call — where your dad might be holding the phone at the wrong angle, making you miss your home even more.
Despite unstable video calls, many students tried bringing the Diwali magic on to campus. UC Davis’ Indian Student Association (UCDISA) hosted a celebration called “Diwali Dhamaka.” The event was held on Nov. 16 from 8 to 10:30 p.m at the Activities and Recreation Center (ARC) Ballroom and involved music, dancing and food. Students showed up in their cultural clothing, varying from kurtas to lehengas.
UCDISA created a fun atmosphere for all students, especially the ones missing their family, to celebrate Diwali with another family.
“I think one of the things about college is this idea of a found family where the friends and people you meet and live with feel like family a lot of the time,” the President of UCDISA Saanvi Bapu said. “We wanted to give people a place where they could celebrate these holidays with that found family.”
Jhankaar A Cappella, UC Davis’ South Asian/Western fusion a cappella team, also hosted a henna booth at the party. The entire ARC Ballroom was decorated with golden fabric, marigold garlands and string lights draped around the room. UCDISA served rose milk, paapdi chaat and kaju khatli to give students a taste of home. Right after the food, the lights were dimmed and most people gathered on the dance floor, dancing and singing along at the top of their lungs to the music.
Though traditionally celebrated at home, Diwali, like many holidays, can be celebrated elsewhere. Luckily for UC Davis students, Diwali celebrations also take place on campus for students who can’t spend it with their families and need a little extra “light” in their lives. Those looking to celebrate don’t need much to replicate the magic of the holiday: Marigold garlands and string lights coupled with loved ones are more than enough to relight the Diwali spirit away from home.
Written by: Devanshi Agnihotri — arts@theaggie.org
