A PLU Diwali celebration was held during Chapel Break on the stairs of the (KHP) today, the 17th of November. Justinpal Singh, a student member of Campus Ministries, was in charge of the event and has been planning it for months with other members of the Campus Ministries team.
The event opened with Singh giving background on why the celebration was happening and explaining the aspects of the celebration, such as making mandalas. “Mandalas are meant to represent the universe in its ideal form,” said Singh. Traditionally, Mandalas are put in the home’s front entrance to welcome in light, good fortune, and positive energy from the universe.
The event included the “lighting” of electric tea lights, which were placed on top of colorful sand mandalas made by attendees. An admitted favorite for many attending was the variety of traditional sweet treats and Chai tea.
When asked about what they thought of the event, 5th-year Nathan Buegler said, “There are a lot of people just hanging out enjoying a culture they usually wouldn’t experience.”
Diwali, the “festival of lights,” is a holiday celebrated by over a billion Buddhists, Jains, Hindus, and Sikhs internationally and lasts five days.
Each of the 5-days celebrates different stories that honor moments significant to relevant gods of each religion. These stories include themes of love, victory in battle, good luck, protection, vindication, and familial relationships. The holiday has since moved out of strictly religious constructs and has taken on a more cultural and spiritual significance among many Southwest Asian Communities.
The event’s success was clear as it drew roughly 25 people to a space filled with loud celebratory music DJed by Singh, who chose quality tunes.
Buegler is a consistent attendee of Chapel Break and expressed that the event was “a nice change of pace” from the usual worship services. Chapel Break takes place at KHP on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays weekly.
