Source: Sun Star
http://www.uaf.edu/sunstar/archives/20061114/india.html
Diwali, the Hindu "Festival of Lights," is the largest and most widely celebrated festival throughout India, and this past weekend it was the highlight cultural event on the UAF campus.
Sponsored by the student group Namaste India, the festival treated more than 250 UAF community members to traditional stories, dances, songs, and cuisine.
"The main objective of this festival is to bring everyone together to celebrate and to present our culture to the community," said Nilesh Limaye, the president of Namaste India.
Diwali is the main event hosted by Namaste India each year. Brig Mahagaonkar, the secretary of Namaste India, said the group has been planning the event for over two months.
The elaborate celebration included dance and song from UAF Indian students as well as Orissi dances from a local group. There were also presentations on India and the history behind Diwali.