Diwali celebrates ‘good over evil’

“Diwali Mubarak!”\nGuests to the Mathers Museum of World Cultures were instantly welcomed Friday night by Education Curator Deeksha Nagar. A huge banner that read “Diwali Mubarak!” hung overhead, inviting visitors to experience one of the largest holidays in the Hindu religion, Diwali, the festival of lights.\nLarge mosaics called “rangoli” covered the lobby and hallway floors as guests ventured throughout the museum. \nMade with dried green and yellow split peas, red lentils and rice, rangoli are welcoming signs for friends, family and guests during Diwali. The circular designs were also created with chalk and paper squares, but they all had the same \npurpose.\nVisitors also had the option to learn a traditional Indian dance called “garba,” which originated in the Indian state of Gujarat.\nBraving the cold weather, nearly 50 guests formed a circle in the parking lot of the museum as IU student Anand Shah demonstrated the simple dance.\n“Typically, there would be an altar in the middle and the dancers would form a circle around it,” Shah said.\nMost of the attendees did just that, and began dancing circularly and clapping rhythmically. Several of the dancers were children, who seemed to enjoy the dance and interaction the most.\nFollowing the dance demonstration was storytelling by Nagar, who told the story of Diwali as part of the ancient epic tale, \n“The Ramayana.”\nDiwali celebrates the victory of good over evil, she said. It is the homecoming of the god Rama after a 14-year exile. According to the story, villagers put out lamps, called “diyas,” to welcome the deity back from \nthe forest.\nIU graduate student Hemali Jambusaria further explained how the holiday is celebrated in her hometown of Bombay.\nFriday, she said, marked the second-to-last day of Diwali, a five-day holiday. Called “Lakshmi Puja,” the day is celebrated at home with lots of sweets, “mithai,” and family members. Relatives and friends exchange gifts before going to the temple.\n“It’s a very festive occasion,” Jambusaria said. “There are lots of firecrackers and we light up our houses.”\nAfter the storytelling, celebrators walked to the Asian Culture Center, where Indian food awaited. Nagar then explained the “puja,” or prayer.\nWhile Nagar chanted the traditional prayer of Lakshmi Puja, Asian Culture Center Program and Administrative Assistant Babita Upadhyay lit incense and placed the sticks into a lemon. \nNagar mixed a red rice powder together with water and placed on herself a “tika,” a red dot on the forehead between the eyes. \nShe then placed a tika on the forehead of a statute of Lakshmi, then offered to put one onto Diwali celebrants.\nSunday marked the final day of Diwali, “Bhaiduj,” a day when brothers and sisters celebrate each other.\nThe Indian Student Association will host its Diwali celebration at 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Bloomington High \nSchool South.\nFor more information, e-mail isa@indiana.edu.