The Indian Students Association (ISA) illuminated a cloudy day during its Diwali Festival of Lights celebration, providing students with a community space to celebrate one of India’s largest and most important festivals.
The celebration took place Nov. 2 at the Northridge Park. While Diwali’s significance and rituals vary across diverse faiths and regions of India, the holiday generally symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. The festival is celebrated widely across India, however the festivities also extend around the globe by the Indian diaspora celebrating from other countries.
The celebration began with a lighting and prayer ritual called “Puja,” at a table with sweets and flowers laid out as offerings. This was followed by the lighting of sparklers and firecrackers by attendees, waving fire-lit wands as music played in the background. The event concluded with the feasting of traditional Indian food and a cashew desert called “Kaju Katli.”
The ISA’s goals in organizing the event was to create a sense of home away from home while welcoming anyone interested in learning about Diwali and Indian culture, according to the organization’s treasurer, Akshat Patel.
President Sam Mehta, mentioned that a majority of the club members are international students. He describes the Diwali significance of festivals in India and explains how the large-scale celebration there differs from the smaller gatherings held abroad, which many students miss.
“What we aim to do over here is to kind of give them a home away from home, where they can come together with other people from the community, and they can celebrate it. It’s not going to be the same as it used to be back home, but it gives them a sense of joy that, ‘Hey, there are people that I can still celebrate this festival together with,’” says Mehta.
Many students expressed similar sentiments.
Attendee Pruthuish Patel shared his favorite ways to celebrate, saying, “I like to burst firecrackers, a lot. I won’t lie to you. Yesterday, my mom and my aunt, they sent me a video bursting firecrackers, and I felt so bad, I mean I was so homesick.”
Chandini Bitta, a CSUN graduate student studying structural engineering, experiences similar feelings and explained that she chose to celebrate Diwali with the Indian Students Association to connect with her roots and community.
“I think that’s what is the most important thing. That even though you are in a different country, you never forget your roots. You always stay connected to your roots. You should always live the moment, acknowledge your festivals, your culture, your rituals, just be participating in everything,” said Bitta. “For example, this event. I just wanted to maybe connect back to my festive times back in India. Events like this are actually important.”
