The lines were long but spirits were bright. De Anza students gathered in the Main Quad on Thursday Nov. 15 to celebrate the Diwali Festival as part of Diversity Events at De Anza. The Desi Student Association sponsored event which offered free henna tattoos, samosas, and performances.
Diwali, also known as The Festival of Light, is one of the most important celebrations in the Hindu calendar.
The five-day celebration marks the beginning of the Hindu calendar and is celebrated with lots of candles, lamps, lights, and fireworks. People worship Lord Ganesha, the primary Hindu God, and Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of prosperity and wealth.
With Bollywood songs in Hindi and Punjabi playing, a professional henna artist swiftly applied beautiful designs on the stubbornly long line of students. Henna is a temporary, plant-based tattoo that is applies as a paste onto the skin and leaves a deep red or orange color.
Near the henna table were trays of delicious-smelling samosas and tubs of coriander sauce and tamarind sauce.
Students were in for a treat, however, when performers began dancing in the Quad.
Five girls with brightly colored skirts twirled and danced to the music as the crowd of students cheered. Their synchronized dance style was enchanting and they received a big round of applause. The students of different nationalities who have come together to celebrate this event were the ones who made this event truly memorable.
HENNA DESIGN – Shanee Singer, 19, gets an exquisite design by a professional henna artist at the Diwali Festival. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
TRADITIONAL DANCE (TOP LEFT) – Performers dance to a traditional Indian dance at the Diwali Festival. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
THE SPIRIT OF ART (TOP RIGHT) – Maryam Naseem, 18, looks at artwork for sale at the Diwali Festival in the Main Quad. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
INDIAN CUISINE – Samosas being distributed in the Diwali Festival. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
DIWALI FESTIVAL – Students wait in line to recieve a henna tattoo at the Diwali Festival in the Main Quad on Nov. 15. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
HENNA FLOWERS – Professional henna design delicately applied at the Diwali Festival. (Noor Hakim/LA VOZ WEEKLY)
