Diwali, also known as Deepavali or Dipavali is a festival of great significance to Indian Culture. The festival is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains each of which have their own reason for celebrating. There is however one common theme: the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance.
Diwali is a five-day festival of lights, during which houses, temples and public spaces are all decorated with lamps and candles also known as diyas. The five days of the festival are as follows: Dhanteras, Chhoti Diwali, Badi Diwali, Govardhan Pooja, and Bhai Dooj. The day typically associated with the celebration of Diwali (in this case on November 7th) is the third day of the festival. During this festival Hindus offer prayers (puja) to Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and prosperity (although other deities are also associated with the festival in other regions). Fireworks are also lit, family feasts held, and sweets and gifts shared.
In celebration of Diwali the Cultural Calendar has organised events across campus. We will have three stands, at which we offer Diwali decoration, and colouring activities. Each stand will also offer traditional food, including Indian Sweets (or mithai). The stands will be available in the following locations, and at the following times:
- Arts Building (R16) Reception between 12:00-16:00
- Engineering Lounge (Y3) between 1:30-3:30
- Undercroft (Biosciences) (R27) between 12:00-16:00
Throughout the day we will also have our Diwali Ambassadors out and about on campus, so as to spread the celebratory atmosphere around campus. They might also be handing out Indian Sweets, for those willing to get a photo in celebration of the day, so please do keep on the look out for them (they shouldn’t be too hard to spot because they’ll be carrying a giant photo board).
We are also very interested in hearing about celebrations for Diwali that are happening within the local area. If you are interested in sharing your own experiences of Diwali on our blog, please don’t hesitate to contact n.f.gallen@outlook.com. Also, when your post is shared, you will be eligible for entry into our blogging prize draw!
We look forward to seeing you all on the day.
The Cultural Calendar Project Team
Join the discussion
0 people are already talking about this, why not let us know what you think?