On Thursday, Oct. 23, Elizabethtown College celebrated a holiday known as Diwali with the help of Dr. Jeffery D. Long, professor of religion and Asian studies.
Diwali is an ancient Hindu festival celebrated in India every autumn. Diwali rituals and preparations typically take place over a series of five days, but the main festival night of Diwali coincides with the darkest, new moon night of the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika. Diwali usually falls somewhere between mid-October and mid-November.
During the days before Diwali, people will usually clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, Hindus will dress up in new clothes or their best outfit, light up “diyas” (lamps and candles) inside and outside their home and participate in family “puja” (prayers), typically to Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity. After “puja,” an elaborate fireworks display will follow. Afterward, most families will sit down to a traditional dinner and exchange gifts between family members and close friends.
While many Hindus celebrate Diwali, non-Hindus also celebrate Diwali as a holiday signifying the triumph of the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair, much like how many non-Christians still celebrate Christmas as a day of family and good cheer. On the same night that Hindus celebrate Diwali, Jains (followers of Jainism) celebrate a festival of lights to mark the attainment of moksha by Mahavira, and Sikhs (followers of Sikhism) celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas.
A number of students attended the Diwali celebration in the Blue Bean that Thursday night. The students were greeted first by Long, who showcased a number of videos pertaining to Diwali, which ranged from a clip of President Barack Obama talking about Diwali to another of a young girl explaining the importance of Diwali in context with the Hindu epic “Ramayana.” In “Ramayana,” Ram defeats the evil demon Ravana and his wife, Sita, is returned to him. Ram’s victory over Ravana is seen as an important example of the triumph of good over evil in this world.
“The presentation was cool, and the event was very educational,” first-year Jessica Rhoades said.
After the short presentation, students were invited to sample a few traditional Diwali treats and to construct a paper lantern. The lights of Diwali are an important part of the tradition, and they even honored that importance with both the construction of colorful and fun lanterns as well as numerous strands of lights decorating the Blue Bean.
“The bright lights and paper lanterns made the event really exciting,” first-year Melissa Kalmbacher said.
The lights of Diwali are a very important aspect of the holiday. In India, many people will light elaborate patterns on the ground of public places with candles. The lights can also been seen in the elaborate and numerous fireworks displayed during Diwali, both in public and private. “Diwali can almost been seen as a cross between Christmas and the Fourth of July,” Long said while attempting to explain the holiday to the students in his Dharma Traditions class.
Diwali is an important holiday to both Hindus and non-Hindus. It is one of the traditions that unite a rather divided India. Religious tolerance among its citizens is a fairly recent achievement so having such a universal holiday to celebrate between different religious backgrounds is a one of many great steps toward obtaining a united India.
“It was interesting to learn about another culture and its traditions. I’m glad that our school provides opportunities for us to learn about celebrations like these” sophomore Abby Gould said after attending the event.
This Diwali event was one of the many ways in which the College works toward educating its student body about the world and helping students explore different cultures around the globe.
