Diwali, the Hindu "Festival of Lights," is the largest and most widely celebrated festival throughout India, and this past weekend it was the highlight cultural event on the UAF campus.

Sponsored by the student group Namaste India, the festival treated more than 250 UAF community members to traditional stories, dances, songs, and cuisine.

"The main objective of this festival is to bring everyone together to celebrate and to present our culture to the community," said Nilesh Limaye, the president of Namaste India.

Diwali is the main event hosted by Namaste India each year. Brig Mahagaonkar, the secretary of Namaste India, said the group has been planning the event for over two months.

The elaborate celebration included dance and song from UAF Indian students as well as Orissi dances from a local group. There were also presentations on India and the history behind Diwali.

Food for the event was catered through the Bombay Delux Indian Restaurant in Anchorage.

"I'm impressed with the festival," said Shiva Hullavarad, a senior research scientist with the Office of Electronic Miniaturization. "I did not expect it to be celebrated on such a large scale here in Alaska."

Erin Trochim, a hydrology graduate student, spent two months traveling in India.

"This even showed a good scope of Indian culture and a lot about modern India," Trochim said. "I can't wait to go back."

This was the second year the event was open to the entire UAF community, and tickets were sold out within the first week. The cultural experience and Indian food attracted a diverse group of people including UAF staff, local students, international students, faculty and Fairbanks community members.

"I love the idea of sharing a culture," said Nicole Molders, an atmospheric science professor at the Geophysical Institute. "You learn so much more at an event like this than you do sitting in a class. It is this sharing and exchange that brings us a step closer to world peace."

The festival is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil and is based around several traditional stories, the most popular of which is the epic journey of an Indian King, Lord Rama.

Lord Rama rescued his kidnapped wife from an evil Sri Lankan King. To welcome him home, his people lit his path with small oil lamps. This traditional story is responsible for the festival's name, Diwali or the Sanskrit Deepavali, meaning "row of lights."

In India, the festival is celebrated by lighting homes and temples with many candles and shooting fireworks.

"People believe that when you light candles, it brings light and wealth into their lives," said Shankar Palokodety, a graduate in electrical engineering.

The festival is a national holiday and lasts five days, with each day devoted to a different theme. The traditional event is very different from the festival presented to the UAF community said Sayali Kulkarni, a graduate student in biochemistry.

"Back home we don't organize a party," Kulkarni said. "The festival is celebrated by gathering family members together. This party is adapted because we are here in Alaska and being here is different than in India. We have adopted so many things from American culture that it is good to share some of our culture with the people here and this event is a great way to do that."

This event kicked off International Education Week, which showcases the diverse cultures of UAF's diverse student population from 41 different countries. The festivities include flag dedications, country presentations, film screenings, and a talent and fashion show.