Saturday, October 21, 2006

Diwali, Festival of Lights, to be celebrated in downtown Shreveport: Municipal Park, Sun, Oct 22, 6 pm


India,Diwali
Originally uploaded by udayshankar17.


The LSUS India Studies program, in collaboration with the Municipal Park Plaza and the India Association of Shreveport and Bossier, is sponsoring Diwali (Festival of Lights) celebrations at Municipal Park, at corner of Milam & Common in downtown Shreveport at 6 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 22), says Sanjay Menon. 
 
The park will be decorated with lights and there will be a short cultural program.  There will be an Indian food booth to buy snacks (by India Kitchen).  Dinner plates will also be available for $7.00.  The highlight of the program will be a fireworks display.  The entire program is subject to cancellation in case it rains. All ages welcome.
 
The Festival of Lights, known as Diwali (or Deepavali), is one of the most important holidays in India, the equivalent of Christmas in North America. There are many legends surrounding Diwali, but essentially, it is the celebration of the triumph of good over evil.  In northern India, Diwali is associated with the return of King Rama (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu), after vanquishing the demon Ravana.  He returned on a new moon night; so his subjects lit up the city and his path into the city.  In southern India, Deepavali is associated with the slaying of the demon Narakasura by Lord Krishna (also an incarnation of Lord Vishnu).  Every year, people light up their houses on Diwali night with clay oil lamps.  Men, women and children wear new clothes and burst firecrackers of all types. Gifts and sweets are exchanged as people wish each other well for the coming year.
 
Contact . . .
Sanjay T. Menon, Ph.D., India Studies Professor
Louisiana State University Shreveport
Tel: (318) 797 5186
e-mail: smenon@lsus.edu
 

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

This looks like a blast. I hope to be there with bells on... uh lights on?