Diwali and Navratri on Campus!

By: Tamanna Sood ‘24

Happy Diwali and Shubh Navratri to all who celebrate!

As the festival season comes to an end, I wanted to document all of the events that happened this festival season on campus. I, like I’m sure many other students on campus, didn’t even know about most of the events until they passed. Hopefully, incoming students and returning students can better prepare for the festival season in future years. Here is a comprehensive list of events and activities that you can participate in during the season: 

Navratri

Navratri is an annual Hindu festival that honors the Goddess Durga. The festival takes place over the course of nine days and nine nights. During this time, Hindus refrain from drinking alcohol or eating meat and spend nine days celebrating the upcoming new year. One of the ways that people on campus celebrate Navratri is through Garba. Garba is a form of dance which originates from Gujarat and is performed around either a statue of the Goddess or a lit lamp to symbolize veneration. Garbas are open for all and don’t always have a religious tie to them. 

Garbas on Campus

The Association of Indian Students on campus, better known as AIS, kick-started the Navratri season with the first Garba on campus.  The Garba took place on McCarthy Quad on September 24th and was open to all USC students. The ticket for the event was $20 which included dandiya sticks, a DJ, dancing and a prayer ceremony for those who were interested. Most of the student population at this event happened to be graduate students as AIS is a graduate student organization, however the event was open to all and convenient to all students as it was happening on McCarthy Quad.

The Southern California Indo Americans (SCIA) hosted a garba called “Jashn: Garba Night” much later into the season at the Art of Living Foundation. The event took place on October 21st and was four hours long. The event was free for members of SCIA and $5 for non-members. This event also had a DJ, dandiya sticks, and dancing. The first two hours of the event was dedicated to Garba, the third hour was dedicated to Raas and dandiya, and the last hour was dedicated to Bollywood music. This event was open to everyone and hosted students from other schools as well. 

Diwali

Diwali is the festival of lights and is celebrated by Hindus, Jains, and Sikhs throughout South Asia. In Hindu tradition, Diwali generally lasts five days and symbolizes the spiritual victory of light over darkness and good over evil. In Jain tradition, Diwali marks the final liberation of Mahavira. In Sikhi, Diwali is known as Bandi Chhor Divas and marks the release of Guru Hargobind, the sixth guru, and 52 other prisoners from a Mughal prison in Gwalior Fort. 

On the actual day of Diwali, October 24th, the USC Sikh Student Association (SSA) provided free transportation for anyone who wanted to join them at the Khalsa Care Foundation in Pacoima.  The SSA provided an opportunity for students who don’t have family nearby to pray and celebrate Bandi Chhor Divas with their community.

SCIA held a Diwali event at the Gateway Courtyard on October 24th. It cost $3 for members and $6 for non-members. Attendees spent time lighting diyas, mithai, and sparklers and also participated in a  pani puri competition. The event allowed students to gather together with their friends and peers as a community to celebrate the festival of Diwali away from home and eat some nostalgic treats.

Later during this week of Diwali, the Hindu Student Organization (HSO) will partner with the Interfaith Council to hold a Diwali event in the TCC Ballroom on October 30th. This event is open and free for all who want to participate and will include a diya lighting ceremony, mithai, dancing, music, and some performances. This event allows students who might have been busy during the school week to celebrate Diwali and welcome in the new year. 

Later on that same day, AIS will hold their own Diwali celebration at the Bovard Auditorium. This event is free as well. It focuses on performance and features many different Indian USC students who showcased their talents. The event works in conjunction with HSO if you’d like it to as it begins right after HSO’s festivities. This event is focused much more on performance and highlighting the talent of the Indian population on campus during the festival season. 

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