Diwali, the festival of lights, was celebrated at the UT on Saturday 1 November. Being one of the biggest festivals in the Hindu calender it is celebrated with fervour by people of all religious hues in India, by lighting lamps. The mythology behind Diwali has several versions but the message is the same - triumph of righteousness over evil.
Sixty-three people, mostly Indians along with a few of their Dutch, Argentinian, Serbian, Italian, French, American, and Spanish friends participated in the Diwali festivities. Guests marvelled at the welcome rangoli - a traditional drawing of motifs at the doorstep using sandstone powder - in the absence of which, semolina (griesmeel in Dutch) was used!
After offering a prayer to the Goddess of Wealth for blessings of prosperity, Jan Melief, Director of Student Service & Campus, one of the guests, stressed the importance of such events in making students feel at home. The cultural programmes which began thereafter comprised of singing accompanied by music on the tabla (Indian drums) and the flute. Short skits of completely different genres - a fantasy, musical and thriller had the audience rooting wildly; they were clapping, whistling and screaming for more.
Dinner - a lavish Indian feast of vegetables, chicken and poppadams was packed in by the guests, to their seams. Games was next on the agenda. There were several one-minute games - bananas to be eaten, needles to be threaded and ties to be knotted which resulted in a tie. Pictionary - an altered version of dumb charades, then tested drawing abilities of many under extreme pressure.
It was an evening of fun and frolic, a perfect Diwali. A comment from a Spanish friend, 'the number of Spanish students is high as the Indians, I wonder why we do not organise such get-togethers.'
