Deepavali-The Indian Festival of Lights

INDIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM
- Rabindranath Tagore
Foreword
Diwali is easily the biggest and most famous festival in India. It is celebrated with grand
vigor and joy all over the world. Diwali Night has also been a very famous event at
several universities throughout the world and it is seen as a day when one showcases the
cultural extravaganza and diversity of India to the world over. Also Diwali Night has
always been the biggest and most awaited event of the Indian Student Association here at
Oklahoma State University. Rated by US News and World College Report as one of
biggest events on campus, Diwali Night involves meticulous planning and execution for
months before the actual event. It has been a tradition that has been passed on for many
years. Of late we have seen a lot of diversity with people from different backgrounds and
cultures taking part in the event apart from Indian participants. This is indeed something
to be proud of as Diwali Night is promoting cultural integration.
As is every year, the theme for this year’s Diwali Night 2011 is the original theme on
which Diwali is celebrated world over; ‘The Triumph of Good over Evil”. Also this year
we are re-introducing the official brochure ‘YATRA’ originally begun during the ISA
2007-08 academic year tenure. This brochure will serve as a one stop guide to know
everything about Diwali Night, this is in addition to the official newsletter ‘SURABHI’
which will also be released tonight. Also this year, we have special performances from
various student groups in the OSU Community apart from the Indian Student
Association. Continuing its successful run this year, the ISA team has worked very hard
to make Diwali Night 2011 a grand success and to set a benchmark for several years to
look upon. Days of hard work, practice and planning will pay off today. All this would
not have been possible without the support of all our sponsors. We would like to thank
ISS in particular for their tremendous support all the time. We are extremely grateful to
Dr. Lee E Bird, Vice President for Student Affairs, and Mr. Tim Huff from ISS and Mr.
Kent Sampson for all their support and guidance. Once again we welcome you all to the
event and we hope that you have an amazing evening to remember and cherish for a very
long time.
Thank You
ISA Committee 2011-12
Diwali Night Events Description
Guest of Honor: Tim Huff, Manager, International Students and Scholars
1. US and Indian National Anthem
We begin the evening with respect to the two great nations and we shall play the national
anthems of the United States of America and India. The evening promises to be a
showcase of Indian Culture and Festivity and we hope you all develop a further
understanding of our culture through our songs, dance and drama.
2. Introductory Video
We shall now kick-off with a video describing the cultural extravagance of India and the
significance of Diwali giving a special welcome to everyone as well as a grand start to
the event.
3. Prayer Song-Maha Ganapathim
This song portrays the Elephant God, Lord Ganesha who is considered to be the remover
of obstacles. The song starts off with a very small phrase saying "I meditate and recite
with my whole heart on the supreme Lord Ganesha”. The song then describes the Lord as
the peaceful one and who loves literary epics and other arts like drama.
4. Lighting of Sacred Lamp
The lamp has its own special place in Sanatan Vaidik Hindu Dharma. It is a form and a
symbol of Tej (Absolute fire principle); the lamp leads us from darkness towards light. It
burns only to give message of peace and light to the man. The lighting of the lamp is seen
as an auspicious start to any event.
5. Mahishashura Mardini
Mahishashura mardini is the story of the Goddess Durga who symbolizes femininity and
strength. She destroys Mahishashura the demon who symbolizes arrogance and
ignorance. This story is depicted through Bharathanatyam, a classical South Indian dance
originating from Tamil Nadu. Bharathanatyam involves facial expression, musicality and
fast precise movements. This particular piece will rely heavily on the use of hand
gestures(mudras) and facial expression to depict the story of Good versus Evil.
6. Invocation:
Riya is a 3rd grader at Westwood Elementary School. She will sing a song for Lord Rama
written by Tulasidas. The first part of the song focuses on the deity Lord Rama and in the
second part the singer asks Lord Rama to save us from fear and vices.
7. International Choir and Band
The Wesley Foundation International Choir is a group of students from more than a
dozen cultural backgrounds who meet weekly to celebrate life and music together. Each
week they personify the triumph of good over evil, love over hate and unity over
segregation. The first song “Balleilakka” is by A.R. Rahman from the Tamil movie
“Sivaji” starring Super Star Rajinikanth. The second song is “My Immortal”– originally
performed by the American group Evanescence. The third song being performed is
“Endrendum Punnagai” (‘O Hum Dum’ in Hindi and ‘Keep Smiling’ in English) from
the Tamil movie “Alaipayuthey and the Hindi movie “Saathiya”
8. SEWA Cup Presentation
ISA successfully conducted the SEWA Cricket Cup during summer. Cricket is one of the
most popular sports in India. There were 5 teams which participated in the event and the
Tamil Tigers team emerged victorious beating Maratha Warriors in the finals. We will be
presenting the Tamil Tigers team with the trophy.
9. Newsletter Release
ISA will be releasing its half yearly newsletter/magazine ‘SURABHI’ 2011. It will cover
an overview of the events which ISA has conducted this semester and the events lined up
for the next semester as well. It also includes a wide collection of pictures from these
events as well as contributions from students in the form of articles.
10. Marathi Dance
Lavni
The word Lavani originates from "Lavanya", meaning beauty. Lavani is a combination of
traditional song and dance, which is performed to the particularly enchanting beats of the
'Dholak', a percussion instrument.
Gondhal
Gondhal, literal meaning of which is ‘commotion’, is a dramatic narration of mythical
stories, praise of heroes or narration of folk legends. This art form has been performed
from generations.
Both the dance forms are typical to the Indian state of Maharashtra.
11. "Musicians sans Frontiers"-This is an international band consisting of student
musicians from different backgrounds. They will be singing diverse songs accompanied
by melodious background music.
INTERMISSION
12. Malaysian Drummers
The Festive Drums that we have today is a combination of deliberation and renascence of
Chinese culture. In 1988, the world's first 24 Festive Drum Troupe was formed in Johor
Bahru (JB), Malaysia by the committee members of the Chinese Cultural Festival.
“Festive Drum” is the proposed interpretation of "Jie Ling Gu, 节令鼓" by the cofounder Mr. Tan Chai Puan. There have been interpretations such as “Seasons Drum”,
"Chinese Drum", "Season Command Drums" or “Chinese Percussion” etc. used by many
different troupes. The essence of the drums is to commemorate the wisdom of the ancient
Chinese and the origin of Chinese festivals. Instead of translating it literally, the focus
was set on "Festive" to emphasize the human activities and to cast a scent of vibrancy.
Since then there have been several Festive Drum troupes in Malaysia, Singapore, Brazil,
China, and Taiwan.
13. ISA Dance Boyzzz- Fast Filmy Mix
Performed by a group of energetic and enthusiastic students from the group ISA Dance
Boyzzz, this dance is guaranteed to be a showstopper. They will be performing a packed
fusion dance to popular hit songs from Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and English movies.
14. Greek Show
Freshman Follies is a singing and dancing show performed every year by freshman
members of the Greek community at Oklahoma State. Follies is a high-energy, goofy
show that allows freshman to step outside their comfort zones and meet new people.
Tonight's performance features freshman from Chi Omega and FarmHouse. The theme of
this show is "Scooby Doo." Enjoy!
15. International Fashion Show
For a change, we have a unique performance with International students dressed in
traditional and ethnic Indian costumes hitting the ramp. It’s going to be a Desi fashion
show with an International flavor to it.
16. Bollywood Dance
We will wrap up the night with Bollywood dance which is a performance by a vibrant
group of boys and girls depicting the life of students as they travel to the US and begin
life as a graduate student. They will be performing to a mix of hit Hindi numbers.
17. Medley Performance
This performance will be a medley of popular Hindi songs. The last song in this
performance is a special self-composed number by the performers themselves.
Deepavali-The Indian Festival of Lights
"The night is black (dark). Kindle thy Lamp of Love with thy life and devotion"
- Rabindranath Tagore
Deepavali, known popularly in the Western world as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated all
over India on a grand scale on the new moon day (Amavasya) of the Hindu lunar calendar month
of Kartik (early November) every year. In Sanskrit language, the basis for most Indian
languages, the word Deepavali is derived from Deepa meaning light and Avali, meaning rows, i.
e. rows of lamps. It symbolizes he disappearance of darkness (ignorance/sorrow) and the
establishment of light (knowledge/happiness). Note that Amavasya, the new moon day, is the
darkest day of the month. "Diwali" is the colloquial form of Deepavali, and is commonly used,
especially in the Northern parts of India.
Deepavali is one of the most colorful festivals celebrated in all parts of India by the rich and
the poor alike with very little religious connotations. Houses are decorated with lamps (generally
earthen lamps with oil and wick); extra special, homemade, delicious Indian cuisine; friends and
relatives exchange visits and gifts; the newly married couples visit their in-laws, especially that
of the groom; businessmen send gifts to their customers and bankers; and lastly children as well
as adults wear new clothes and display fireworks that give lights of various colors as well as
sounds (a sort of July 4 Independence Day celebrations but at an individual level).
Though Deepavali has some religious implications, it is celebrated mostly as a social, joyous
event. It is the religious overtones, in fact, give the added meaning and significance to this
festival. Business community, especially from Maharashtra and Gujarat States in India consider
this as the beginning of the financial year. They worship Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and
prosperity as part of the celebration. Others visit the temple of their choice (as individuals or as a
family), as is common with most festivals of any religion.
Deepavali is a very important festival not only for the Hindus but also for the Jains. For the
Jain religion, it marks the nirvana of Lord Mahavira, the spiritual head of Jainism. The new Jain
year commences on this day.
For the Hindus, there are several mythologies associated with the Deepavali festival. It is the
day marking the triumphant return of their king to Ayodhya (the Capital of the kingdom). Lord
Rama of Ramayana returned along with his queen Sita after defeating Ravana. It may be noted
that Lord Rama is considered an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. Upon their arrival, the subjects
were ecstatic and celebrated the event by lighting lamps to mark the end of darkness and return
of light in their lives.
Deepavali, festival is celebrated up to five days with the grand finale on the Deepavali
Amavasya day. The day before Deepavali is known as the Naraka Chaturdasi marking the
triumphant return of Lord Krishna and His consort Sathyabhama after vanquishing the
immensely powerful demon, Narakasura. Chaturdasi means the 14th day of the new moon
cycle. Lord Krishna, also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, preached Bhagavad Gita (the Song
Celestial) to Arjuna in the Kurukshetra War (Mahabharata War) in which He declares:
"paritranaya sadhunam, vinasaya ca duskrtam dharmasamsthapanarthaya, sambhavami yugeyuge"
Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 4, Hymn 8 meaning, for the protection of the good, for the
destruction of the evil and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to
age. In Krishnavatara, Lord Vishnu came to this earth in the human form of Lord Krishna to kill
the wicked demon Narakasura and to establish righteousness. It is also on this very day that Lord
Krishna discarded His mortal remains and returned to Sri Vikunta, His heavenly abode.
The day before Naraka Chaturdasi is known as Dhan Trayodashi. The word Dhan means
wealth or prosperity and Trayodashi means the 13th day of the new moon cycle. That day
Lakshmi Puja (worship of Goddess Lakshmi) is performed especially by the business
community, but not exclusively, to welcome Goddess Lakshmi to their homes. That is one of the
reasons why they clean their homes and decorate it. So much is involved behind the scenes of
this festival.
Deepavali, the festival of lights and sounds, also encourages artistic expressions through
home decorations (Rangolies), stage plays, elocution competitions, singing and dance programs
thereby discovering new talent amongst young people. Mingling of customs and cultures of
innumerable Indian communities during this festival makes this festival especially unique.
Altogether, Deepavali is celebrated as a joyous occasion by all Indians whether they are in
India or in other parts of the world. Where there is a significant migration of Indians for
generations, such as in Kenya, Singapore, Thailand, Trinidad, Malaysia, Bali, to name some,
Deepavali festival is celebrated in their own style although certain salient features are retained.
(Late) Dr. Ranga Komanduri
OSU Regents Professor
Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
(Article as originally published in YATRA 2007-08)
GLIMPSES OF DIWALI NIGHT 2010
SNEAK PEEK INTO DIWALI NIGHT 2011
Diwali Night Food Menu
Veg Samosa
Samosas……those delightful tasty little savory patties are one of India’s
great gifts to the world. Samosas are perhaps the most popular vegetarian
(usually) Indian appetizer, street food, tiffin (light lunch) in not only India but
throughout whole Indian subcontinent and its diaspora throughout the world.
Dum Tomato Rice (Veg)
Hot tomato rice is delicious and ready to be served. This can be served along
with onion/curd pachadi and potato chips
Paneer Butter Masala (Veg)
Paneer Butter Masala is a preparation of paneer, cream, tomatoes and
spices. Thick, creamy and spicy, it is a mainstay of Indian cuisine. It is
immensely popular, especially in North India. It is typically eaten
with Roti, Chapatti or other Indian breads.
Potato, Carrot and Peas Curry (Veg)
This is an exotic delicious main dish. Just the smell of aloo dum can make
you hungry! To make this dish, potatoes are fried and then soaked in the
spicy aromatic gravy. This is a perfect dish for any dinner party.
Chilly Chicken (Non Veg)
Chilly chicken is highly popular Indian and South Asian dish consisting of
roasted chicken, yogurt, and spices. Chilly chicken must be the most popular
dish that comes to mind when thinking about all the Chinese food that has
been adapted in India
Chicken Curry (Non Veg)
Curry Chicken is a common South Asian cuisine dish popular in South
Asia. A typical curry consists of chicken in an onion, tomato, and yogurtbased sauce, flavored with ginger, garlic, chilies and a variety of spices,
often including cumin, cinnamon, and cardamom.
Mango Custard (Dessert)
Mango Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked
mixture of milk or cream and mango. The most common custards are used
as desserts or dessert sauces and typically include sugar and vanilla.
Gulab Jamun (Dessert)
(Dessert)
Gulab Jamun is a popular dessert in countries of the Indian Subcontinent
such as India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh. Gulab jamuns are
an Indian version of donuts immersed in the warm sweet syrup. Served as a
dessert, this is a staple in most parts of India.
Paratha (Veg)
Paratha is a flat-bread that originated in the Indian subcontinent.
Raita (Veg)
Raita is an Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi condiment made with yoghurt
(dahi) and used as a sauce or dip. The yoghurt may be seasoned with
coriander (cilantro), cumin, mint, cayenne pepper, and other herbs and
spices.
Papad (Veg Appetizer)
Papad is a thin, crisp Indian preparation sometimes described as a cracker. It
is typically served as an accompaniment to a meal in India. It is also had as
an appetizer with various toppings such as chopped onions, chutney or other
dips and condiments. In some parts of India, it is served as the final item in a
meal.
DIWALI NIGHT TEAM
ISA COMMITTEE 2011-12
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Dr Sandip P Harimkar- Advisor
Dr Priyank Jaiswal- Co Advisor
Karthik Ragunath Mariyappan- President
Dhaval Bhosale- Vice President
Kuldeep More- General Secretary
Geet Sangvikar- Sports Secretary
Rashmi Wadhwa- Cultural Secretary
Gautam Pangoankar- Public Relation Officer
Harshil Mohadhikar- Social Chair
Arjun Rajakutty- Event Coordinator
Vighnesh Naik- Treasurer
Yogen Shah- Web Master
DIWALI NIGHT PERFORMERS
Hosts: Swapneel Deshpande and Jasodhara Sen
Introductory Video Credits- Madhu Ramachandran and Arjun Rajakutty
Prayer Song- Ramprasad Chandrasekhar
Bharatanatyam- Raagini Subramaniam and Priyadarshini
Invocation- Riya Pagilla
International Choir—Jainina Graves, Aram Shihab, Sunil Kumar Lakkakula, Praveen Kumar Devaraj,
Sri Hari , Raj Ramki and group.
Malaysian Drummer Troupe
ISA Dance Boyzz- Karthik Ragunath, Vignesh Ram, Ramanathan Shan, Ravish Shetty, Arjun Rajakutty,
Bharath Pakala, Krishna Chaitanya, Manoj Selvakumar, Sindhia, Ramprasad, Naveen Raj Dhanpal, Arun
Prasad, Swapnika Rathanakoda, Maggi.
Bollywood Dance- Bharath Pakala, Nikish Haware, Arun Prasad, Raviteja Gunda, Sandeep Varma,
Naveen Raj Dhanpal, Deepika Iyer, Madhura Sarkar, Priti Kulkarni, Vrushali Musale, Riya Gowda,
Manushree Bharadwaj.
Greek Dance- Alyssa Bigger, Thomas Blackwell, Josh Carpenter, Craig Compton, Amanda Cotten,
Emma Elkins, Rachel Finkenstaedt, Kaitlyn Ford, J.P. Hendrick, Lauren Higginbotham, Brandon
Hubbard, Bayli Jones, Jay Kuravilla, MaryKate Miller, Libby Mitchell, Trey Mitchell, Alan Ridgway,
Luke Roberts, Lanie Roper, Wade Pierce, Eric Skaggs, Emily Sloan, Stacey Stevens, Alex Tyler, Clay
Viskup, Austin Wheeler, Philip White, Mackenzie Wright, and Rachel Yauk.
"Musicians Sans Frontiers"Diversity—Rohit Oak, Sandeep Banerjee, Mai Uemura, Shane Vietzke,
Kamal Bhagia, Sharmee Hossain
Hindi Medley—Priyanka Pottah and Sujeet Srivastava
Marathi Dance—Priti Kulkarni, Vrushali Musale, Geet Sangvikar, Kuldeep More, Gautam Pangoankar
and Kunal Gandhi
International Fashion Show—Jamie Turner, Megan, Jessica, Que Phong, Stephanie
SUPPORT GROUP
Poster, Banner, Ticket, Fliers, Brochure, Hosts and Videos
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Chidanand Sekar
Madhu Ramachandran
Lopeeta Tawde
Arjun Rajakutty
Aravind Jasti
Gautam Pangoakar
Geet Sangvikar
Abhishek Pathak
Volunteers
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Krishna Raju
Krishna CB
Santosh Reddy
Ila Choudary
Akshaya Satpute
Jayalakshmi Nair
Udayasurya
Jashodara Sen
Dharmasimha Salla
Pratik Sharma
Pratik Pevekar
Mukul Gaikwad
Amol Shenoy
Shyam Kumar
Giridhar Sharma
Hariprasad Malli
Sunil Kumar Lakkakula
Rajasekaragouda Patil
Arun Dhanpal
Sandeep Hosangadi
Juhi Pandit
Nikhil Tupkar
Punit Singh
Ketan Joshi
Aditya Gokhale
Dinesh Bhirud
Nikhil Devkar
Kaustubh Chaudary
Nikhil Japtiwale
Anand Junarkar
List of Sponsors
On Campus Sponsors
1. SGA
2. SGA-MAC
3. ISS
4. Campus Life
5. Dr. Lee Bird(Vice President for Student Affairs)
6. Faculty and Professors
Off Campus sponsors:
1. Spices of India, OKC
2. The Reserve on Perkins, Stillwater
3. University and Community Federal Credit Union
4. Sultan’s
5. SYSMIND
6. American Information Technology Corporation
7. Days Inn
8. Relax Inn and Suites
9. Circle D
10. Motel 51