Diwali

Diwali, or Deepavali, is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year. The festival gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protects from spiritual darkness.

In northern India, they celebrate the story of King Rama's return to Ayodhya after he defeated Ravana by lighting rows of clay lamps.
Southern India celebrates it as both the day that Lord Krishna defeated the demon Narakasura and that of Lord Rama's victory.
In western India, the festival marks the day that Lord Vishnu, the Preserver (one of the main gods of the Hindu trinity) sent the demon King Bali to rule the nether world.

Traditions:

Many lights and oil lamps are lit on the streets and in houses
People visit their relatives and have feasts
Fireworks and festivities are an essential part of the occasion
Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth, is worshipped as the bringer of blessings for the new year

At UWM, we celebrate Diwali each year with the same amount of pomp and lights. We have special performances by the students to display their talent. We have a small puja and inauguration from the honored dignitaries. Diwali is one of the campus' most popular events in the Fall semester.