On the night of Friday, Nov. 10, Wollman Hall was filled with over a hundred New Schoolers celebrating Diwali, the festival of lights observed by billions of Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists around the world. 

Different religions, countries, and sects have different stories for Diwali, but the common theme is the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. The five-day holiday falls on a different date each year due to following the lunar calendar, and this year it was observed on Sunday, Nov. 12.

The New School’s Diwali festivities, hosted by the South Asian student organization Tadka, was a lively dance party deejayed by DJ Krish. 

“Finding things to do that relate to Indian culture in the city is so hard because … they’re all at clubs and bars and they’re all 21+,” said Sanya Malik, a fourth-year student at Parsons School of Design and one of the event organizers. “I really wanted to just be an active part in planning events that everyone at the New School could come to.”

By uplifting South Asian culture, Tadka creates a community for South Asian students, many of whom may be far from home. About 35% of the university’s students are international, with India being the second most represented country.

Lavanya Ranjan, a Parsons second-year who helped organize the event, said that the festive season can induce feelings of homesickness for individuals who are away from their families and culture. 

Speaking about last year, Ranjan said, “I was so, so grateful as a freshman, as someone who just moved into the city from across the world, that there was some resemblance to home that was around, because I would have gone crazy for sure. And I know that’s the case for a lot of people … Tadka tries really hard to give them that feeling of home.”

In July, Mayor Eric Adams announced that Diwali is now a public school holiday in New York City. Because Diwali’s main day falls on a Sunday this year, 2024 will be the first year in which there will be no school on Diwali. TNS does not currently recognize Diwali, or most religious holidays, in their academic calendar. 

Tadka’s event was open to anyone in The New School community and their friends. Undergraduate and graduate students of all backgrounds danced while DJ Krish played hits ranging from Bollywood classics to reggaeton.

“It’s a holiday for everyone. It’s not just for Indians,” Rishi Bhanushali said, a master’s student at the Schools of Public Engagement. “It’s the win of good over evil. And that is what we need, right? That is what everyone needs.”