On Saturday, October 15th, students and organizations across campus came together to ‘light up the night’ and celebrate Diwali Night — the Festival of Lights — at Marquette’s Alumni Commemorative Union. food.
Indian Students Association, we are sass— “We Are Together” — Milwaukee and Marquette’s Bangla Academy were part of the community that attended the event, which was coordinated by Late Night Marquette.
Diwali is India’s festival of lights and is usually celebrated by lighting candles or tealights and setting off fireworks or sparklers. It happens year after year and the exact date changes based on the position of the moon. It is a night of good against evil and is seen as a time for family and friends to come together and celebrate.In India he is celebrated over five days but in certain places only the main festival days are celebrated.
Navneet Kaur, a senior at the University of Health Sciences and president of Bangla Academy in Marquette, said it was a chance for different communities on campus to see how Indian culture celebrates the holiday. She also said it is a platform for different religions such as Hindus and Sikhs to come together and connect on why they celebrate Diwali.
“Back in India, it’s the only festival that celebrates the significance of all religions in Indian culture coming together,” Kaul said.
For Kaur, a big part of the event is gathering and sharing celebrations, enjoying meals, lighting many candles and doing diya, which means light over darkness. Kaur added that participating in the event includes the beliefs of the Sikh community, culture and wider community. This is very important to her.
Health Sciences freshman, Bollywood fusion performer and ISA member Kina Patel said Diwali Night is for everyone, not just those with a Hindu background. I was.
“This is a function that literally anyone is welcome to come and eat something delicious and watch us dance. ‘ said Patel.
Reena Shah, a third-year student at the College of Education and Vice President of ISA, expressed similar thoughts. Shah said events like this are a great opportunity for everyone to join in the fun while cementing culture, traditions and remembering where we came from. Shah said Saturday is both a celebration of Diwali and an event aimed at attracting more attention and shedding light on the culture here in Marquette.
“I think the Indian community here in Marquette is generally underestimated because not a lot of people go here. , I think it’s a really cool way to showcase our culture,” said Shah.
She also added that her favorite part is having a DJ come where everyone can dance and enjoy the night. Towards the end, she said, everyone gathered on the dance floor, enjoying the moment and appreciating the culture.
“A lot of our culture is celebrated through music and dance, so it’s fun to see everyone be part of it,” Shah said.
Patel also said that as a performer, dancing in such a vibrant atmosphere and environment feels good and it connects her with her native culture.
“My family grew up very revelry and it’s really great that it continues here on campus. Marquette makes it possible for us to have nights like this to celebrate our culture and that Being open makes students like me feel part of the community.
Thanks to ISA, students on campus were able to experience culture and community on Diwali night.
Shah said don’t worry if you can’t make it to the event. Because next semester he will also host a cultural showcase at ISA where various dance groups such as MUBA will perform.
This story was written by Trinity Zapotokki. Her contact is her trinity.zapotocky@marquette.edu.
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