Diwali Dhamaal lights up McMaster

Several student groups collaborated to host Diwali Dhamaal, an unforgettable celebration on McMaster’s campus

In celebration of Diwali, McMaster’s South Asian music club MacGeet, the McMaster Gujarati Students’ Association, McMaster’s chapter of Aim for Seva, the McMaster Indian Association and the McMaster South Indian Students Association came together to launch Diwali Dhamaal.

The event took place on Nov. 7, 2024, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on the fourth floor of the Hub.

Diwali, commonly known as the festival of lights, is an annual celebration observed by several religions originating from India that marks the triumph of light over darkness. In preparation of Diwali, celebrants clean and decorate their homes with diyas and gather to enjoy delicious food and sometimes observe fireworks. It is one of the biggest celebrations in India with varying traditional celebrations depending on religion and region.

MacGeet is a McMaster South Asian music club that brings its community together through music and performance spanning various South Asian cultures. Jaisal Samra and Sharanya Badalera are the co-presidents of MacGeet and discussed the significance of hosting a Diwali celebration on campus with other clubs.

“I think it’s a lot about inclusivity. So we don’t pertain to a specific geographic South Asian area. We’re very open in terms of representing all of South Asia. And that’s one thing that’s really important to us . . . because South Asia is so diverse and so culturally unique, giving them an opportunity to interconnect is really important,” said Samra.

Samra also emphasized the importance of making this event accessible for all McMaster students. “So we didn’t want price to be a barrier for students to not be able to come because they don’t want to pay. And that’s really one big important thing for Diwali too, you’re supposed to be able to share and enjoy it with as many people as you can and just make this a really nice time,” said Samra.

The event featured live performances by MacGeet and Gujarati Students' Association, mehndi, diya painting, food and a polaroid photo booth. Mehndi is a temporary skin decoration created with henna and a diya is a small lamp that is lit on Diwali.

“I’m excited to see the performances. I think those will be really good because the Gujarati Students’ Association are doing this dance and we're doing the singing,” said Samra.

“After the full team performance, the rest of the performance is just there for people to listen to as they walk around . . . you walk around, you mingle with people, you enjoy some activities and snacks. It’s like everything is ongoing,” said Badalera.

The dress code for the event was cultural attire which left attendees and club members very excited for the event. “We’ve told people on social media the expected attire. So people are going to be dressing up and looking very nice in traditional clothing,” said Samra.

Hosting this cultural event in collaboration with various student clubs allowed for an increased level of representation that showcased various traditional aspects of the celebration.

“I know that people can go to certain events and they maybe feel left out or they feel like they don't have proper representation. We’re hoping by including a diverse amount of clubs that we’re able to hit on a lot of target points and generally just contentment,” said Samra.

Badalera further explained the event's goal of leaving attendees with the feeling of community. “I hope people feel a sense of community when they leave, feeling nice that they got to spend time with people from their community and just have fun celebrating such an important festival,” said Badalera.

Samra highlighted the importance of hosting these events to strengthen cultural connectivity through personal experience. “I know growing up I struggled with being connected to my culture and it’s been a really tough journey for me. So I hope to be able to inspire others to find their culture as well,” said Samra.

“It’s also nice because there’s a lot of students who may be international and won’t be able to go home to celebrate it,” said Badalera. 

If you missed this celebration. you can keep up with all these clubs on Instagram. Keep an eye on MacGeet, McMaster Gujarati Students’ Association, McMaster’s chapter of AIM for SEVA, the McMaster Indian Association and the McMaster South Indian Students Association  for more fun, accessible cultural events and opportunities!