Celebrating Diwali at UConn

Amy here saying “Diwali ki Shubhkamnayein” a common Diwali greeting in Hindi, one of the phrases I picked up at the Diwali celebration this past weekend. The Indian Students Association(ISA) proudly presented Diwali, more popularly known as the “festival of lights”, for the UConn community, family, and friends. Diwali is usually celebrated between mid-October and mid-November and spans five days. Diwali is a national holiday honored by a multitude of countries, such as India, Nepal, and Malaysia, as well as Trinidad and Tobago. Diwali has many spiritual as well as religious significances that vary from regions and religions around the world. However, one thing that all theses celebrations share is the exhibition of colorful lights meant to represent the spiritual meaning of the awareness of the inner light.

Here at UConn, the ISA offered food and many different performances, showcasing cultural music, singing, and dancing. A few groups that performed included Husky Bhangra, Surya, and UC InvAsian. The night was separated into halves sharing the common theme of a game show that incorporated Indian historical and popular culture, while giving attention and introduction to each new act. The Indian version of Jeopardy started off the night and was followed by “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” modeled after the hit movie, Slumdog Millionaire. The night ended with a Senior Fashion Show, a tribute to ISA’s graduating seniors.

I can truly appreciate cultural events like this here at UConn. They are a wonderful opportunity to learn new things and make new friends, being that is it open to the public. Yet, perhaps, what was most stupendous was that the entire event was free! The Indian Students Association did a commendable job of putting together a night full of Indian culture giving UConn a glimpse of the colorful and bright festival that is Diwali.