In this year’s “Diwali: The World Premiere,” the South Asian Student Association (SASA) showcased South Asian culture through dance performances, authentic South Asian cuisine from local San Antonio restaurants, comedy skits, South Asian trivia and dazzling sparklers. On Nov. 3, Diwali attracted upwards of 320 students and faculty to Laurie Auditorium to partake in this popular South Asian tradition.
Ani Siva, junior biochemistry and molecular biology double-major and vice president of SASA, helped host Diwali with Ameena Khan, junior international studies major and social chair of SASA. Siva also participated in multiple dance routines, cracked many jokes and gave South Asian trivia facts.
“Diwali is pretty much my Christmas. I didn’t grow up celebrating Christmas, I grew up lighting fireworks in places we shouldn’t have been lighting fireworks,” Siva said. “[Diwali] is a Trinity staple event. We appreciate the opportunity to have Trinity feel like a ‘home away from home’ because halfway across the globe, it sucks that there aren’t many other Diwalis around.”
Diwali gets its name from the row of clay lamps, diya, which South Asians place outside their homes to protect themselves from evil spirits. It is one of the most celebrated holidays in South Asia, a time honoring family, celebrating with festivities and valuing the core theme of good triumphing evil.
SASA members are thrilled to have a place on campus to celebrate their cultural festival as they would back home. Avani Raol, senior business analytics and technology major and president of SASA, wants to create a homey community for the celebration of Diwali.
“Coming here from out of state, it’s different not being at home for the holidays. For Diwali, it’s just as big as Christmas is for some people, but for our culture. So, having that community and ‘home away from home’ has been really nice, remembering what it was like celebrating this at home and keeping in touch with my culture and tradition even though I don’t have family close by,” Raol said.
This year’s theme, inspired by the glitz and glamor of award shows, aimed to showcase South Asia’s love for accolades. As Siva pointed out, “Every state in India has their own ‘Hollywood’: ‘Kollywood,’ ‘Tollywood,’ ‘Bollywood’ … all the ‘woods.’”
The event kicked off with a cultural dance performance by Top Naach, Trinity’s Bollywood dance group, of a traditional Indian dance form, Garba. Following the act, Raol and Siva delivered the opening remarks, setting the stage for a night filled with the excitement of an award show.
The “Red Carpet” act, a fashion show, showcased authentic South Asian fashion. This was followed by a medley of dances, singing by a Nepali artist, a parody of Top Naach called “Bottom Notch” and some cultural fusion from Loon-E Crew, Trinity’s Hip-Hop dance group.
“Everyone celebrates Diwali differently, so it’s fun to synchronize our experiences and try to get that perfect, all-encompassing event. South Asia is a big region, so we want to make sure the event is as well-represented as possible,” Siva said.
SASA wants students to understand that anyone and everyone is welcome to join their cultural events. They want to share their culture with Trinity’s campus, from anyone helping through volunteering with SASA, performing or even joining the club.
“The biggest comment we get is: ‘Oh, well, I’m not South Asian,’ and every time our answer is: ‘It does not matter,’” Raol said. “Our club is about appreciating the culture and sharing experiences. To those who may not have the same experiences as us and celebrate Diwali at home, we can help them learn more about it and enjoy a new culture they’ve never seen before.”
Danielle Semine, first-year undeclared major, attended Diwali for the first time. She loves learning about new cultures and took advantage of SASA’s openness to sharing their holiday.
“I was so excited and impressed watching all of the performances. I was mesmerized by the dances and singing. Everyone was amazing and the food was delicious,” Semine said. “Learning what Diwali is about and being part of such a beautiful celebration of culture made me appreciate the diverse community that we have at Trinity. It made me want to attend more events celebrating different cultures and share my own culture with others at Trinity.”