Victory of light over darkness: Indian student association in St. John's celebrates Diwali

The Indian Youth Association at Memorial University held its annual Diwali celebrations on the university's St. John's campus Saturday.

The meaning of Diwali is summed up by its other name, the Festival of Light, says association president Arshad Ali Shaikh.

"In simple terms, Diwali is said to be a victory over darkness by light," he said.

Diwali, one of India's most important festivals, is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains across the world. It's held annually on varying dates between mid-October and mid-November, and spans five days, each with a different focus and rituals.

Depending on the region, Shaikh explains, there are different beliefs connected to Diwali.

In North India, the belief is that god Rama freed the kidnapped goddess Sita from the demon Ravana. When they returned to the city of Ayodhya, people welcomed them with diyas — oil lamps — which represented the victory of light over darkness.

In South India, however, Shaikh said, the belief is that god Krishna freed 16,000 women from demon Narakasura — and Diwali was the celebration of good winning over evil.

About 100 people — some attending in traditional Indian attire — attended the St. John's event, which included different song and dance performances.

"It could be like a prayer song and somebody playing guitar … and somebody's doing poetry on India, on social issues or romantic also," said Shaikh.

The event also included a presentation on the origin of the festival, trivia and food.

The association first started hosting Diwali events in 2015.

Having the option to celebrate the festival far away from home means a lot to the Indian community, Shaikh said.

"They are missing their home and we can try our best to provide them the same type of emotion they can feel at home," he said.

But, he adds, it's also a great way to share Indian culture with others.

"My instructor asked me, 'Oh, this Diwali thing, can I come?' I'm like, 'Yeah sure, why not? Please come.' And they come. They get to know our culture," said Shaikh.

One of the first lessons for those learning about Diwali — diyas are an essential part of the festival.

"In old times, we didn't have light, electricity … so we used the oil. And we have clarified butter and we use cotton. And we put it in a bowl … and we just light it. The cotton will burn slowly, slowly, and the entire diya can go the entire night," said Shaikh.

While those celebrating in St. John's have to make do with the electric version, diyas are still widely used in India.

"Everybody, in their home, on their terrace, on their roof, they have all diya," said Shaikh. "And when they light it in the night and you're on your roof and you see the entire village lighting up without any electricity."

What Diwali is all about, Shaikh said, is extending the light from the diyas to people's hearts.

"This is about humanity. This is about life, this is about getting rid of the darkness," said Shaikh. "You should kill darkness inside you and become more human, become more better person."

This year, the five-day festival began Saturday, with the height of the celebration taking place Monday.

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