Shining a Light on Diwali

The kaleidoscopic glow that cut the inky November night outside the Stamp Student Union was a beacon for the event happening inside: the University of Maryland’s annual celebration of Diwali—the Hindu festival of lights—which drew over 1,000 students, faculty and staff on Tuesday to observe a holiday that signifies the triumph of light over darkness.

Hosted by BAPS Campus Fellowship of UMD, the event—which was free and open to all—offered a mix of food, entertainment and inspiration during the season of Diwali, a five-day festival that’s India’s biggest holiday of the year.

“It teaches us to embrace the light within ourselves and within others, that if you help someone else, it will come back to you,” said Om Patel ’26, BAPS president. “We’re very grateful to have this event and share what Diwali really is.”

Swirls of glittering saris and silk kurtas mixed with more Western attire (including Maryland sweatshirts) as guests munched savory samosas and mingled among a series of interactive displays based on this year’s theme: Diwali Inspires. Skits developed by students, traditional Diwali rituals and Indian music rounded out the program, followed by a traditional Indian meal that included Shahi paneer and naan.

“I haven’t been able to go home to celebrate Diwali, so having an event like this is really meaningful and important to me; it makes me feel like I’m closer to home,” said computer science major Bhakti Hegde ’26.

From its humble beginnings a decade ago in a small campus lecture hall, UMD’s Diwali celebration has exploded to a standing-room-only event in the Stamp’s Grand Ballroom; over 2,000 people registered for the festival this year. For many students, it was an opportunity to share their culture with friends.

We came because we wanted to support our friend, and we thought it would be interesting to learn about the culture,” said Leo Vilchez ‘25, who was lured to the event by his roommate, Ritik Gupta ’25. “I liked the inspirational messages they shared, it set the tone for the night—but the food is delicious too.”

The event is organized almost entirely by students, with several alums coming back year after year to volunteer. While it helps international students keep in touch with their roots, the messages of Diwali are for everyone, said Shruti Bhatt ’19, regardless of their background.

“In our faith, Diwali is a time to reflect and introspect, but at its core it’s a festival that inspires us to connect with ourselves, our family, our community,” she said. “At the end of the day, we hope people feel inspired and feel motivated to treat others with kindness; we want people to leave feeling that.”