Senior Rudra Vishweshwar, a leader of the event,
eats his dinner after completing the Puja.
TYLER MURPHY / THE DEPAUW
The smell of Indian food, incense and socked feet filled the Hartman House Wednesday night as students, faculty and their families celebrated Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights.
The festival spiritually signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil and hope over despair.
Diwali begins with a prayer, or the Puja, which takes place in a room full of candles and other various lights. participants must remove their shoes before entering the room. Then, they sat in the prayer before a statue of Ganesha, one of the best-known and most worshipped deities in the Hindu religion.
Led by Rudra Vishweshwar, those participating prayed and waited to receive a tilak, a red dot placed on the forehead. The tilak shows that the person has prayed.
Once finished, those praying ate a Prasad, a religious offering in the Hindu religion. Other food was offered to those who prayed and to those who were merely there for the experience.
The Center for Spiritual Life served a full meal of typical Diwali food, including samosas and gulab jamun, the latter being a treat related to the holiday.
Samosas are typically made with potatoes, peas and spices all mashed together. The mash is then wrapped and fried.
Diwali typically happens on the darkest night of the Hindu Lunisolar month Kartika. This year, that night fell during fall break, so the Center for Spiritual life decided to host the celebration this week instead.
The house was packed to the brim. The food line wound all the way from one side of the house to the other. Junior Amarilis Roman thought the event might have been better suited in a different location.
Students wave their multi-colored spaklers after the Puja
and after finishing their dinners.
TYLER MURPHY / THE DEPAUW
“This is such a wonderful holiday and there was such a diversity of students, faculty and staff here,” said Roman. “I just wish the spiritual life center was three times this big. Though I love the space, I just wish we had a bigger one to hold this event.”
Guests were encouraged to sit around the house and eat their dinners before the nighttime festivities began.
Fireworks are customary in the holiday, so those in attendance were given sparklers. Fireworks were shot off in the parking lot behind the Hartman House. The children of the faculty and staff laughed and screamed as the fireworks exploded.
Most of those in attendance weren’t of the Hindu religion. Senior Demar Ayee liked the space the festival created.
“I was very happy I was able to experience such a cultural event,” said Ayee. “These events are important because they are important in bringing DePauw students together.”
Sophomore Kainat Akmal believes similarly.
“Being Muslim I found it intriguing to go to a holiday I was not aware of,” said Akmal. “I was very happy with the diverse amount of people that were there at the event and that participated in every aspect of the holiday.”
The event lasted around two hours before the shoes were back on and the smoke of the fireworks cleared.