CLEVELAND — Deepak Sarma is the child of Indian immigrant parents and grew up learning about their Hindu culture.

What You Need To Know

  • Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is a major holiday for Hindus and other religious groups in India and across the world

  • The holiday typically celebrated over a few days with dates varying each year according to the Hindu lunar calendar. This, year many Diwali celebrations are kicking off on Halloween

  • Deepak Sarma, a professor at Case Western Reserve University, said there are many interpretations of the holiday but all groups agree on one underlying theme: good overcoming evil

“They were culturally Hindu, but they were [also] scientists, so to a degree, I was raised as a kind of secular skeptic,” said Sarma, who identifies with they/them pronouns. 

Sarma is now a professor in the department of religious studies and an inaugural distinguished scholar in public humanities at Case Western Reserve University. Every Tuesday and Thursday, Sarma teaches a class about Hinduism, discussing cultural experiences with younger generations. 

While some students on campus are in costume and getting ready to trick-or-treat, others are celebrating Diwali, which is also known as Deepavali or the Festival of Lights. Diwali, originating in India, is widely celebrated by different religious groups with many interpretations, including the lighting of lamps to symbolize the triumph of good over evil. 

“So one story is that Diwali concerns the return of the, God Rama, who is an avatar of the God Vishnu, after having been in exile… Other Hindus who follow Krishna, another avatar of Vishnu, celebrate Diwali as the destruction of the demon … Narakasura, by the god Krishna,” Sarma said.

Maansi Mahalaha, a freshman at Case Western Reserve University, said Diwali centers around two principles.

“They call it the Festival of Lights, so that’s obviously one aspect to it,” she said. “But I think another aspect that I bring or affiliate with really closely is just the whole idea of being together with people that you love and just celebration of your culture.”

Mahalaha, like many of her peers, plans to celebrate.

“I’m in college this year, but my family is actually picking me and a bunch of my friends up, and we’re going to be going back to our house,” she said. “And every year, we always host a big party for all of our friends and family.”

Sarma said growing up, their family kept festivities confined to small groups.

“The first Diwali celebration were parties held at people’s houses and they had potlucks,” Sarma said.

Sarma’s students said there are several Diwali events coming up on campus.

With around 5 million Indian Americans living in the United States, Sarma said Diwali celebrations are expanding to larger crowds and are becoming a global phenomenon.

“Now you go to Costco and you can find Diwali fireworks at Costco, right? And there is a forever stamp of Diwali and there are cards being sold,” Sarma said.

Helping to bring a piece of home to store shelves, Sarma said they remember collaborating with American Greetings to create Diwali cards last year.

“It was really one of the really exciting things that I’ve done in my life,” they said.

With Diwali falling on Oct. 31 and Nov. 1 this year, Sarma said many festivals are getting a spooky twist.

“It overlaps, it’s an autumnal festival,” Sarma said “And I think that Halloween is interesting because … is it good versus evil? Evil versus good? Or is it just a celebration of spookiness?”