Last Sunday, students danced their hearts out in elaborate traditional outfits of various bright colors for Diwali, one of the few festivals where the Desi community at the 5Cs comes together to bring a familiar cultural tradition to life in Claremont.
On the evening of Nov. 8, students from across the 5Cs celebrated Diwali at McKenna Auditorium. The event was hosted by the Claremont Hindu Society in partnership with the South Asian mentorship program and the 5C Bollywood dance club Claremont Tamasha. It was also co-sponsored by The Claremont Colleges Services’ Religious and Spiritual Life office, which brought interfaith chaplains from the McAlister Center as well as a new partner from the Bay Area, the Hindu Spiritual Care Institute. For many students far from their families, the celebration offered a piece of home at the 5Cs.
Diwali, or the Festival of Lights, celebrates the spiritual victory of light over darkness, though the specific victory being referenced varies by region. In northern and western India, the festival celebrates the return of the unfairly deposed king Rama to the kingdom of Ayodhya after 14 years of exile in the epic poem, the Ramayana. Yet in South India, it commemorates the victory of the god Krishna over a demon. No matter the legend being celebrated, lamps are lit and doorsteps are decorated with geometric, colorful arrangements.
Though Diwali is commonly perceived as a Hindu religious holiday, it’s widely celebrated in South Asian countries as a broader cultural tradition among a variety of faiths, as well as in regions of Asia with large South Asian populations. Abhi Namala PZ ’27 reflected on his experience growing up with Hindu celebrations but without practicing the religion.
“I grew up culturally Hindu, doing a lot of the festivals that bring the community together,” Namala said. “I haven’t been too active but now [I] really want to tap into it.”
For the Rev. Father Vitus Mbamalu, the Catholic priest for the Religious and Spiritual Life office, it was his first time celebrating Diwali. He noted some surprising similarities between Diwali and Easter in terms of themes of celebration and appreciated the opportunity for interfaith collaboration.
“I realized that it is a celebration of light, and it’s very significant for me to realize that this also has a similar celebration in the Catholic Church,” Mbamalu said.
“I just want to be here with my friends and celebrate with them, and I just love dancing,” Rajalingam said. “Even if I can’t see my family today, it’s nice to have community.”
Tamasha performed renditions of two popular Bollywood numbers, “Sweetheart” and “Punjabi Wedding Song.”
Sabina Peterson Rajalingam PO ’29, one of the dancers in the performance, appreciated the feeling of community at the event as a first-time attendee. She performed in Tamasha’s annual showcase, Sanskriti, last year.
“I just want to be here with my friends and celebrate with them, and I just love dancing,” Rajalingam said. “Even if I can’t see my family today, it’s nice to have community.”
Other Desi attendees seconded this sentiment, including Jay Mallampati PZ ’28.
“It’s a really nice community. Everyone gets together and really encourages each other, and the dancers are really good too,” Mallampati said. “One of my earliest memories is celebrating Diwali with my family and eating good food.”
Following the performance, students waited in a seemingly endless line for Indian food before dispersing to chat and eat. Those too eager to wait for dinner made their way to the dance floor, as the DJ Vir Patwardhan PZ ’28 began his set. As in many Indian cultural gatherings, attendees found their way into spontaneous circles and stepped to the beat, regardless of whether they knew the songs and choreography. “Chamak Chalo” and “Badtameez Dil” were a hit, with students spontaneously cheering upon hearing the opening chorus.
Patwardhan has been a DJ for a wide range of events in the South Asian community for the past two years. While doing a set, he draws on his cultural knowledge of Indian dance music and pays attention to the vibes of the room.
“It’s the reaction of the crowd when you play a song they know, and the crowd obviously goes wild,” Patwardhan said. “I take a lot of song requests. I love the costumes, the music, the art and the food. It’s a celebration of Indian culture and human culture.”
South Asian students weren’t the only ones having a good time in community with each other. Maria Navarro Gonzalez CM ’27 came to watch her friend Aaria Chandwani CM ’27, who helped choreograph Tamasha’s performance. It was her first experience with Diwali, and she found the meaning of the celebration to be beautiful.
“I love watching the dances and seeing what everyone’s wearing,” Navarro Gonzalez said. “I find the colors really beautiful.”
For many, Diwali provided space for connection, music and the chance to shake the dust off a kurta or sari. Desi or not, students eagerly took advantage of the evening to celebrate the return of the light on a dark November night.
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