The Hawks of India hosted a celebration of Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, in the Perch on Oct. 28, beginning with puja, a ritual typically worshiping the goddess Lakshmi and/or the god Ganesha. Diwali, alternatively called Divali or Deepavali, is one of Hinduism’s most important festivals, celebrating the triumph and protection of light over darkness with rows of candles displayed outside homes. Typically, the festival lasts five to 10 days and is celebrated throughout India during the Hindu month of Kartika.
“Diwali is the biggest festival in India, and we celebrate it for 10 days, and I was missing all this stuff, meeting my parents, meeting my uncles,” said Yash Borde ’22, president of Hawks of India. “So that’s why I thought, ‘There are a lot of Indian students here. I’ll just put on some event to get together, meeting everyone and doing a dance and party and everything.’”
