Story by Laura Rosen-Cohen
Photography by Nicole Njagi
The holiday of Diwali gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (deepa) that are lit and put outside homes during the holiday to symbolize the inner light that protects people from spiritual darkness.
It was marked at the University of Toronto with holiday decorations and a festive meal at our Chestnut, Oak House, New College and CampusOne Dining Commons. Spaces & Experiences spoke to three staff members who celebrate Diwali and asked them each what the holiday means to them.
Moushumi Das, Lead Hand Cafeteria Worker at New College, says that a few weeks before the festival starts, her family and friends are already in a festive mood.
“We clean up and put lights all over the exterior and interior of our house. Back home in eastern India we do oil lamps, but here we put lights up. We invite close family to come over and have sweets and festive meals together,” she says.
“For me, this holiday is about light over darkness, for others it’s like a New Year, a time when you let go of bad things and start everything fresh. Diwali is a festival for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. In India, we also set off fireworks,” she adds.
Moushumi Das, Lead Hand Cafeteria Worker at New College, says that a few weeks before the festival starts, her family and friends are already in a festive mood.
“We clean up and put lights all over the exterior and interior of our house. Back home in eastern India we do oil lamps, but here we put lights up. We invite close family to come over and have sweets and festive meals together,” she says.
“For me, this holiday is about light over darkness, for others it’s like a New Year, a time when you let go of bad things and start everything fresh. Diwali is a festival for Hindus, Jains and Sikhs. In India, we also set off fireworks,” she adds.
In order to start a sweet year, traditional sweets treats like laddu (flour sugar syrup and colour) and kaju barfi (diamond shaped cashew treats) are made from scratch and shared with family and friends. New clothes and new saris are purchased along with gold jewellery, which is thought to bring a golden year.
For Abhijit Datta, Lead Hand Cafeteria Worker at Oak House, Diwali is a very special holiday in many ways.
“I am from India, and in India it is a very big festival. It starts with the story of King Ram, from about 5,000 years ago. Ram had a stepmother who made him go into the forest for 14 years. She wanted to make her own son the King. Ram was a very nice person, so he accepted the order to go to the forest, but all Indian people were very upset that he left,” he explains.
“When Ram finally came back, the people were so happy that they decorated the whole city for a festival, with flowers and lots of sweets. This holiday though is not only for our community, but also for the whole world, and for any living creature.”
In order to start a sweet year, traditional sweets treats like laddu (flour sugar syrup and colour) and kaju barfi (diamond shaped cashew treats) are made from scratch and shared with family and friends. New clothes and new saris are purchased along with gold jewellery, which is thought to bring a golden year.
For Abhijit Datta, Lead Hand Cafeteria Worker at Oak House, Diwali is a very special holiday in many ways.
“I am from India, and in India it is a very big festival. It starts with the story of King Ram, from about 5,000 years ago. Ram had a stepmother who made him go into the forest for 14 years. She wanted to make her own son the King. Ram was a very nice person, so he accepted the order to go to the forest, but all Indian people were very upset that he left,” he explains.
“When Ram finally came back, the people were so happy that they decorated the whole city for a festival, with flowers and lots of sweets. This holiday though is not only for our community, but also for the whole world, and for any living creature.”
Udayarani Sivasubramaniam, who also works in the Oak House Dining Commons, reminisces on the holiday as a time to celebrate the light in all of us while spending time with family and friends.
“Diwali, the festival of lights, is a celebration of the triumph of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It’s a time to come together with family and friends, to share in the joy and warmth of the festival,” she says.
“As we light our lanterns, we’re reminded that even in the darkest of times, there’s always a light that shines through. The holiday is a celebration of the human spirit, of our capacity to overcome challenges and to emerge stronger and wiser. It’s a time to reflect on our values and to renew our commitment to living a life of purpose and meaning.”
As autumn daylight dwindles, Diwali will bring some much-needed holiday light and festivity to U of T students, faculty and staff.
