Hey everyone, and happy holidays! Personally, one of my favorite holidays during the season is Diwali. The description you’ll find all over the internet is “Diwali is the Indian Festival of Lights.” This is pretty much what every Diwali-celebrating, South-Asian child in America wrote in their elementary school reports about family traditions during the holidays, but it holds true! Diwali usually does involve lighting candles and sparklers, and generally celebrates the triumph of good over evil in various mythologies. I like to think of it as a time of general goodwill and festivity. In non-pandemic times, Diwali celebrations might include with boisterous parties with tons of people and desserts and music. Last year, a couple of my friends and I organized an event in Venerable House for people to come celebrate, complete with sweets and sparklers! However, the 2020 version, like for most things, has had to be toned down. We got together over Zoom instead, and although it couldn’t fully match the vibe of being in person, the spirit was definitely there. And, it’s nice to think that we’ve started a yearly tradition.
