The Indian Student Association (ISA) held their annual Diwali Banquet on Friday, Nov. 14 in a night of celebration, laughter and fun. The club, which started in 2017, is meant to provide a safe space for University of California, Riverside (UCR)’s students of Indian origin to celebrate their heritage, and holds the banquet as a way for members of the community to celebrate the sacred festival at school.
Ruhi Barot, fifth year Business Administration major, explained that the banquet is meant to give students at UCR a chance to celebrate Diwali away from home. Diwali is the festival of lights, meant to celebrate the victory of good over evil in Hindu mythology. It is often a day where firecrackers, sparklers and diyas (small lamps) are lit to symbolize the triumph of light over darkness.
Sweets and elaborate dishes are made and consumed to celebrate the joyous occasion along with parties and dancing that go long into the night. The ISA board members aimed to emulate the festivities for their students here in Riverside with music, crafts, activities and performances.
Pransh Madalia, second year computer science major and events chair, explained that keeping the atmosphere lively and comfortable is important, as he explains, “[we] try make it reasonable for everyone to come and just have a whole welcoming nature so everyone who comes does not feel like they’re just alone in there. We create harmony with everyone who is there.”
ISA uses different methods to engage those who come to events, taking part in dancing, games and other activities. This year, Madalia shares, “This was the first time we added [a] poker table to this and people really seem to enjoy it. So every year, we’re trying to bring something new into it and keep it exciting so it’s not repetitive.”
Though the team faced some struggles this year with booking the venue and getting the menu approved, Barot emphasized that she loved working with her team to bring the Diwali celebration to fruition.
The night started out quietly with guests filtering in, occupying tables decorated with bright blue tablecloths, tea lights and flowers. Samosas were passed out at the food section of the hall, and activities such as poker, crafts and henna were offered to attendees. For the crafts section, guests could draw out a rangoli pattern onto a sticker or color in a Diwali themed key chain such as a lotus or diya. Students could also choose a henna pattern of their liking and have it drawn out on their hand in delicate patterns of paisleys and flowers.
The night then moved into the scheduled dance performance from UCRaas, the school’s premier Co-Ed Raas-Garba team. Fourth year environmental engineering major and member of UCRaas, Nishtha Shah, explained their performances as being a fusion of two different Indian dances, Garba and Raas. Shah shares that the dances originate from the state of Gujarat in India. Both are folk dances, with Garba involving “a lot of high energy and jumping,” and Raas performing “with two sticks called dandyas,” also performed with a similar high energy.
The group performed two songs incorporating Bollywood classics as well as modern remixes. After, the performance guests could participate in a game of Bollywood-themed musical chairs for the chance to win a gift card, and the fashion show winner, second year Cell and Molecular Developmental Biology major, Aditri Phal, was announced soon after.
After that, the night ended with everyone joining an open dance circle with songs like “Sheila Ki Jawani,” “Tu Meri” and “Naatu Naatu” making an appearance.
