![Vishwa Rasania '17 decorates rangoli.](https://s3.amazonaws.com/mediacdn.hamilton.edu/images/16:9/980/diwali16vishnurasania17jpg.jpg)
Some 250 students and faculty/staff members celebrated Diwali on Oct. 30 at the Tolles Pavilion. Diwali is a festival of light celebrated by Hindus, Jains, Buddhists, and Sikhs in late October and early November.
The festival gets its name from the row of clay lamps that Indians light outside their homes to symbolize the inner light that protect us from spiritual darkness.
It is often celebrated with family gatherings, glittering clay lamps, festive fireworks, strings of electric lights, bonfires, flowers, sharing of sweets, decorating rangoli and worship to Lakshmi.
Attendees decorated the Annex with . Rangoli is a folk art from India in which patterns are created on the floor in living rooms or courtyards using materials such as colored rice, dry flour, colored powder, colored sand or flower petals. The purpose of rangoli is decoration, and it is thought to bring good luck.
The Hamilton event featured a dinner catered by Taj Mahal.
The event was sponsored by SASA, International Students Association and Asian Students Association.