TSMU students celebrated Diwali

Indian students at Ternopil State Medical University keep their traditions while studying in Ukraine. They recently celebrated their one of their biggest holidays – Diwali, festival of lights. This festival is always associated with fire and light, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.

Diwali in India is celebrated during new moon. This year the holiday fell on 30 October. At this time people decorate their homes with flower garlands and laps, make rangoli decorations – colored complex patterns of flowers or rice, and at night light up fireworks and crackers. Diwali is a family holiday and is usually celebrated in family circle. On Diwali it is customary to offer each other sweets and gifts.

In some regions of India the festival coincides with the New Year, so it is celebrated in New Year fashion, with homes decorated with electric garlands. In most states, Diwali is dedicated to the goddess of wealth and fertility Lakshmi, and people leave milk at the door, leaving the doors unlocked at night and lights on at night.

Our students gathered in a hall decorated with lighted candles and flower garlands. Starting the festivities they performed puja – Indian religious ritual of prayer and veneration of the gods. The guests from the faculty of international students brought presents of decorative candles and warmly greeted their hosts. On this night on one was left without attention.

Throughout the evening our students presented their countrymen studying in other universities, held contests for Ukrainian guests, and performed dances. Everyone was pleased that Ternopil has become a unifying ground, since to celebrate Diwali came students from both India and Pakistan. Guests and medical students from other countries also came to celebrate.

Just for this celebration the youngest cohort of Elina Abakarov School Indian dance “Amrita” has produced three dance numbers. The “Amrita” performers were grateful to Indian students for their support and warm welcome, because for many of them it was the first public performance.