Diwali Night, also known as the “Festival of Light and Color,” will feature Indian dance and music both tonight and Saturday.
Take Christmas, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Halloween and New Year’s and cram them all into a five-day period during the early fall.
That combination is roughly what the Indian celebration Diwali is like.
The event, also called the “Festival of Light and Color,” is a time that Indians take to celebrate the victory of light over darkness.
During Diwali festivals, citizens celebrate by decorating their homes with lights, shooting off fireworks and distributing candy and gifts.
Indian Student Association members are condensing the festival into two separate one-night events, titled Diwali Night, at the Seretean Center tonight and Saturday.
Tonight’s show will start at 7 p.m. while Saturday’s show will start at 5 p.m. followed by a meal at 7 p.m.
Somadatta Karanjekar, an industrial engineering graduate student, came to OSU during the spring semester and will participate in his first Diwali Festival in the United States.
“It’s the biggest festival in all of India,” he said, “I am very excited for Diwali Night. The dances, the food … I can’t wait.”
Friday’s show will feature traditional Indian dance and music.
Meanwhile, Saturday’s event includes a meal.
Every year, the organizers for the event choose a different theme for the night that displays a different outlook on India.
This year, they chose Aarohi, or “A Cultural Evolution.”
ISA Vice President Purvi Patel has participated in Diwali Night since she came to OSU in 2005, taking part in the traditional dances showcased during the show.
This year, she is coordinating the event for the ISA.
“India is a very diverse country,” Patel said, “and this year we wanted to show the evolution of the culture in India.
“We’re going to show how the past was, how the present is and how the future will be.”
Anyone can buy tickets for Diwali Night at the door Friday and Saturday night or Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Chi-O clock.
Tickets for Friday are $5 for non-ISA members and $3 for members.
Admission for Saturday’s event will be $11 for non-members and $9 for members because of the meal portion of the event.
Patel said she invites all students of OSU, regardless of race or religion, to come to Diwali night to enjoy a night of food, festivities and Indian culture.
“This year we are trying to project a different type of Diwali Night,” she said.
“We hope a lot of people come out and see the show, eat some food and have a great time.”
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