Hofstra’s South Asian Students Association (SASA) held their annual Diwali Dinner celebrating the Hindu festival of lights on Friday, Nov. 1, in the Student Center Multipurpose Rooms. The actual date of Diwali was the previous Sunday, Oct. 27, but SASA chose to hold their luminous evening of food and dancing a few days later. Diwali is a harvest-based festival signifying the victory of light over darkness, of good over evil.

“Nobody ever has Diwali parties on the actual day of Diwali, which is mostly because they are at the temple praying or at home,” said Gopal Khandelwal, treasurer of SASA and a junior political science major. “This year Diwali was on a Sunday; however, we chose to do it the Friday after, which is really close to the actual day.” 

SASA’s Diwali Dinner has seen increasing attendance over the years at Hofstra, and this year, the club decided to charge for admission: $5 for a ticket reserved in advance and $7 at the door. At first SASA was wary of charging, worried that the price would negatively affect attendance, but the turnout was as impressive as ever with about 170 attendees. 

DJ Nishan, a regular fixture of SASA events, greeted the guests with music upon arrival. Nishan played popular dance music from around the world, with an emphasis on music from the South Asian subcontinent. The room was festive, pulsing with colorful lights, and the tables were adorned with the powdered patterns of rangoli art.

Lazzat, a Long Island restaurant, provided the buffet of traditional food. After some appetizers were served, SASA’s executive board introduced themselves and thanked the crowd. SASA chair Shivangi Mehta reflected on the importance of a Hofstra Diwali celebration, recognizing the importance of Diwali beyond a religious context. Then, the club Sitare – which means stars – kicked off the festivities with a dance rooted in Punjabi styles. The dance floor opened up to everyone until the main meal was served. Before the event wrapped up, the executive board paid tribute to their president, Manmeet Nijjer, who is leaving next semester.

The event attracted a varied crowd of students, reflecting SASA’s goal to raise awareness of South Asian culture. Many of the attendees celebrate Diwali themselves, but the crowd also held enthusiastic regulars without much cultural connection to Diwali.

“I was here last year and the year before, and I had a lot of fun, so I decided to come back,” said Sophia Sola, a junior bioengineering major. “I saw them tabling in the Student Center and I bought tickets ahead of time.”

Sam Gong, a sophomore forensic science major, was new to SASA’s Diwali Dinner, but was already impressed by the event.

“It seems like a really fun environment,” Gong said, “and while some of the music isn’t as traditional as one would think, it’s a great way for the community that do actually celebrate it and those who are just here to experience it to get together, but then understand traditional cultural importance too.” 

Both Sola and Gong plan on attending future SASA events.

For Arunima Roy, SASA vice president and a junior double majoring in film studies and pre-med, the Diwali Dinner has a more personal dimension to it as well.

“I just like the idea of being able to celebrate a part of my culture,” she said. “Growing up, I would celebrate it in a small area, maybe just in my house or having a few friends over. But to have an event where 100 people of different backgrounds, different cultures, who just want to come together to celebrate this one thing ... it’s just really amazing.”