Diwali, or Dipawali, literally means ‘a Row of Lamps’. The ancient story of how Diwali evolved into such a widely celebrated festival is different in the various regions and states of India. For the Hindu, Diwali marks the day of King Rama’s return to his kingdom, Ayodhya, after his epic war with the wicked Ravana, the demon king of Lanka. The cities and far-flung boundaries of these kingdoms were lit up with rows of lamps, glittering on dark nights to welcome home the divine king Rama. This made Diwali known as the ‘festival of lights’. The date is decided by the lunar calendar, and this year it fell on Oct. 17.
Whatever may be the fables and legends behind the celebrations of Diwali, all people exchange sweets, wear new clothes and buy jewelry at this festive time. So POSTECH exchange students from India gathered together at the PIRL auditorium, lighting candles on the stage. They played Indian music, dancing delightfully without distinction of age or sex. After that, they shared the ingredients of a dinner which they made together at the Student Union Building cafeteria instead of giving some presents to each other.
