by Catherine McCarley
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – One of the University of Arkansas’ oldest student organizations celebrated Indian culture for the 52nd year. Students and Fayetteville residents alike came to Faulkner Performing Arts Center in large numbers to enjoy food and festivities associated with Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights. Diwali is a holiday remebering the return from exile of one of Hindu mythology’s most famous gods, Lord Rama.
But even more than a festival for Lord Rama, Diwali is a chance for family and friends to get together. With a trip from Arkansas to India being a little over 8,000 miles, many students do not get the chance to return home for the holiday.
“I as a student always love coming here and celebrating Diwali because we miss our family back home and these are some of the festivals or events that we enjoy,” said Jaushik Luthra, a biological engineering student at the University of Arkansas.
Shilbi Agrawa and Sumana Venkad were some of the first volunteers to arrive to begin preparations for the Friends of India’s Diwali Night. Since she joined Friends of India three years ago, she and Sumana have celebrated together, Agrawa said.
Last year, Shilbi and Sumana performed a traditional dance for Diwali, but this time, they wanted to do something different, Sumana Venkad said. So, for this year’s celebration, they made a Rangoli, a traditional Indian art form that “involves making designs with sand and colors,” Venkad explained.
“Like you see your Mom doing it and you just help her and then slowly you take over it,” Shilbi Agrawa said, speaking about how the art of creating Rangoli is passed down from generation to generation.