DCU students host Diwali dinner party

The third annual Diwali Dinner Party will be hosted by DCU India Society on Friday 9^th November in the DCU Student Centre, The Hub.

This is the largest Indian student festival of the year and is organised in conjunction with the India Societies of Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, Dublin Institute of Technology and NUI Maynooth.

All students, staff and friends are invited to celebrate the ‘Festival of Lights’.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and details can be found here.

Diwali, popularly known as the ‘festival of lights,’ is a five day festival which starts on Dhanteras, celebrated on thirteenth lunar day of Krishna paksha (dark fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Ashwin and ends on Bhaubeej, celebrated on second lunar day of Shukla paksha (bright fortnight) of the Hindu calendar month Kartik.

Diwali commemorates the return of Lord Rama, along with Sita and Lakshmana, from his 14-year-long exile and vanquishing the demon-king Ravana. In joyous celebration of the return of their king, the people of Ayodhya, the Capital of Rama, illuminated the kingdom with lamps and by bursting firecrackers.

Diwali involves the lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to signify the triumph of good over evil. These lamps are kept on during the night and one's house is cleaned in order to make the goddess Lakshmi feel welcome. Firecrackers are burst in order to drive away evil spirits.

Diwali is an official holiday in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Mauritius, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, Suriname, Malaysia, Singapore and Fiji.