Diwali, the Indian Festival of Lights, gathered students, faculty and community members Nov. 17 in a celebration of Indian food, dance and culture. The Asia Student Interest Association and the Student Government Executive Committee on Race Relations sponsored the celebration of the traditional Indian holiday.

"There was a two prong purpose in putting together the Diwali Show," sophomore Sangya Trivedi said. "Beyond awareness of the Indian celebration of lights to the general public, our Diwali celebration was primarily geared to creating a South Asian undergradutate and graduate unity at Wake Forest which has been lost in past years ... I envisioned leaving a legacy and tradition for the underclassmen (comprised of the largest South Asian representation in Wake's history) to continue for future classes."

Members of Alaap, an Indian organization from North Carolina State University, collaborated in the presentation of Indian culture. The program began with two songs, "Intehaam" and "Mausam ke sargam" and a brief introduction to the history of Diwali. Students also put on a fashion show that featured traditional Indian garments.

The celebration incorporated several Indian dances, including the Kuchipudi, Devdas, Koi Kahe, and Punjabi dances. The group also served traditional Indian food from local restaurant Nawab. Junior Amanda Davis, co-chair of the SG race relations committee, said, "I was very impressed at the audience that the Diwali festival received in both number and in diversity. I also felt that those not previously exposed to this culture were not only entertained, but walked away with a greater understanding of the Indian culture."

Sophomore Angel Hsu, a member of ASIA and the SG race relations committee said, "I was overwhelmed at the turnout. We had over 200 graduate students, faculty, community members, and an incredibly diverse crowd of students come to learn about this traditional Indian holiday. It was our goal to put together an event where Wake Forest students could get together to learn about a culture different from their own, while at the same time eat food and talk with many different people."

Diwali is a form of the Sanskrit word "deepavali," literally meaning "a row of lamps." It is the most glamorous and important of the festivals celebrated in India. It lasts for five days, and, depending on the lunar calendar, usually falls in November or December.

There are several legends as to the history of Diwali. The most common is that the festival began to celebrate the return of Lord Rama to his kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years in exile.

The royal families of Ayodhya ordered everyone in the cities to light all the lamps in their homes and on the streets to welcome the return of the king and his queen. In rural areas, the more commonly accepted tradition of Diwali relates to the harvest festival. Because it usually falls around harvest time, the celebration was started to offer praise and celebration for a good crop.

Contemporarily, many lamps are lit to symbolize the victory of good over evil and light over darkness.

Many people enjoy gift-giving and lighting firecrackers. Homes are also thoroughly cleaned and windows are opened to welcome Laksmi, the goddess of wealth.

"I really enjoyed myself," junior Will Perry said. "It was a wonderful example of the unique cultural expression that can be achieved through the collaborative efforts of disparate campus organizations, in this case, ASIA and the committee on race relations."

"Hopefully, through interaction with many different people, Wake students will gain appreciation for and knowledge about other cultures," Hsu said. "I felt that the celebration made tremendous strides in improving race relations on our campus."