UMD Indian Student Association hosts Diwali lantern event

Students gathered on Tuesday evening to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, by releasing lanterns into the fountain on McKeldin Mall. As music played, students laughed and talked amongst one another, their faces awash with the glow from their decorated paper lanterns. The event, hosted by the University of Maryland’s Indian Student Association, also featured Indian food such as samosas and pakoras, drinks and mehndi designs for sale. Diwali is widely celebrated across India and by communities around the world. While the stories and traditions associated with the holiday can vary from place to place, one common theme is the triumph of light over darkness, according to vice president and sophomore economics and operations management major Isha Sinha. “We do this just to bring the Indian community together, as well as other people from all different backgrounds, to celebrate Diwali,” Sinha said.

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