Diwali - a holiday-festival of light and fire in UzhNU
Students from India, most of whom study at the Medical Faculty No.2, are an important part of our university family. For Hindus, the end of October and the beginning of November is the time of celebrating Diwali, a festival of lights and light that symbolises the victory of light over darkness. This year, the celebration took place on 1 November, and the event took place in the big hall.
‘First of all, I want to say that we always celebrated this holiday before the pandemic. Then, of course, we had to pause. And today, thanks to the scientific society of students of our faculty, we have resumed this tradition,’ says Vasyl Kaliy, Dean of the Medical Faculty No. 2. - ‘I want to say that now more than ever it is important to show that Uzhhorod is still safe, that Uzhhorod National University still fully supports the culture of students from other countries. This is a celebration of the victory of light over darkness. I think it is especially relevant today, during the war, when we are fighting the forces of darkness.’
We started with the ritual of ‘Aarti’, or ‘Arati’, in which lighted lamps filled with ghee or camphor are offered to one or more deities. Vasyl Kaliy, the dean of Medical Faculty No. 2, was invited to light the diya (lotus-shaped lamp).
After the prayer, the young people presented a theatrical sketch based on the Ramayana epic. The students dressed in traditional stage costumes and conveyed the emotions and experiences of the characters. The performance ended with Rama and his wife returning home after defeating Ravan, the demon lord of the Rakshasas, which is the time when Diwali is celebrated.
The next stage of the event was dancing and singing. The performances combined both traditional and modern elements. In particular, one of the performances was Bharatanatyam, a type of theatre dance that originated in South India. The whole hall was buzzing with shouts of delight and applause from the audience. The Indians had prepared well for the festival, so everyone was having fun and rejoicing throughout. There were also such fascinating performances as Nati, a traditional folk dance, and Kathak, a type of classical dance.
The Diwali festival is one of the most important Hindu holidays. Its celebration at the university promotes unity, respect and friendship among the international community of the educational institution.
