*Written by staffer Zain Masood*
Diwali, the festival of lights, celebrates the spiritual victory of Dharma over Adharma, light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance. The holiday can fall anywhere between mid-September and mid-November, depending on how the Hindu calendar aligns with the Gregorian calendar, and celebrations generally last five to six days. Traditional ways to celebrate the holiday include lighting oil lamps, praying, fasting, gift giving and eating sweets.
“Diwali is a time of togetherness, and movies are a great way to get together with people and enjoy,” senior Bhuvan Dave, president of the Indian Student Association (ISA), said. This year, to celebrate the holiday, the ISA held a Bollywood movie night in Dr. Sood’s room. “This is our second year for ISA Diwali movie night,” Dave said. “It started out as something we only did because the student center was booked, but it sort of became a tradition for us.”
This year, the ISA watched the 2007 Bollywood comedy film, “Welcome,” directed by Anees Bazmee, an Indian screenwriter who primarily produces comedy movies. “Welcome” is loosely inspired by the 1999 Hollywood comedy, “Mickey Blue Eyes.” The ISA chose samosas as a snack to pair with the movie. Indian samosas are prepared with flour and stuffed with potatoes, onions, peas, lentils, ginger, spices and green chili. They are served with a side of imli chutney, a sweet and sour condiment made with tamarind, or green chutney which is made with chilies, cumin, coriander and mint leaves. Samosas are also a very popular snack at movie theatres in India.
“Through events like Diwali celebrations, Bollywood movie nights and samosa sales, we bring people together to share the joy of cultural awareness while raising funds for meaningful causes in India,” said Jeeya Patel, vice president of the ISA. “The Indian Student Association at our school is more than just a club—it’s a vibrant community that celebrates the rich traditions and diversity of Indian culture.”
Krishang Thakkar, Bhuvan Dave, Anika Mishra and Varnika Jain watch “Welcome” as a part of their Diwali celebrations. Diwali has been a popular time for Bollywood movies to release due to it being a time of family and togetherness. (Photo/Zain Masood)
Indian samosas are a version of the medieval Persian dish, Sambosag, meaning “triangular pastry.” Sambosag was traditionally made with a walnut and sugar filling as opposed to vegetables. (Photo/Zain Masood)
