Diwali celebrations to light up Exeter campus

The University of Exeter’s Student Guild Asian Society will be co-hosting the Hindu New Year festival with Exeter’s Student Guild Hindu Society. The celebrations are free and open to everyone from the University and the city of Exeter, as a way of providing a cultural experience and an opportunity to connect with the culture and heritage of India.

It is also an opportunity to explain the role of the Diwali – the most important festival of the year for Hindus - in which prayers and special offerings are made to Laxmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, and Ganesh, the god of auspicious beginnings.

An abundance of stalls and opportunities will showcase a variety of Indian traditions – such as participating in dance workshops and the chance to dress in Bollywood outfits. Food delicacies will be available from each of India’s regions from the restaurant Dani Pani in association with the Hindu Temple.

The festivities will culminate with a dance performance from the Asian Society troupe followed by the fireworks at 6.30pm, which can be viewed from the back of the Xfi building.

Vihaan Savla, final year BA in Management with Marketing student, is the President of the Asian Society and loves being involved in Diwali celebrations. Savla said: “I love my culture and I would love for people from different backgrounds to get to know more about the Hindu culture. There are a lot of international students at the university and it’s important to make them feel like its home through this celebration. Diwali is a day of happiness, celebration and togetherness. Good always supersedes evil is also an integral part of the message that I am trying to portray, as it is the true essence of Diwali.”

He added: “My favourite part about Diwali is meeting all my family members together to light firecrackers and eat traditional Indian food cooked by my mother. The idea of being with my family is what I miss most; however my friends here at university do make me feel less homesick at this special time of year and they have become a family for me now.”

Zoe Rutterford, University of Exeter Student Support Officer, who is involved in supporting the Asian and Hindu Societies, said: “I’m so excited to be involved with the Diwali celebrations on campus this year and I’m looking forward to all the amazing food, music, dancing and fireworks that we have planned. It has been great to work with our societies here at Exeter and I cannot wait to share this experience with the students and the local community.”

The celebrations begin at 3pm in The Forum with an opening prayer – The Puja ceremony for the New Year. More information about the celebrations can be found here: http://www.exeter.ac.uk/internationalstudents/eventsoncampus/diwali/