This past weekend, the Friends of India Quad Cities Organization hosted one of its biggest annual festivities: a night of Diwali celebrations. Nearly 1000 people gathered together at Bettendorf High School for a ethnic evening full of music, food, dance, and other cultural programs.

Diwali, the festival lights, encompasses various cultural traditions, from preparing homemade sweets and snacks to lighting lamps and bursting firecrackers with family/friends. While many of these traditions are universal throughout India, some things are practiced differently even within various regions. This diversity adds to the rich culture, while showcasing the unique traditions of each Indian state. For example, people in rural India might use Diwali as a chance to also perform harvest celebrations, while some from the eastern part of India specifically worship the Goddess Kali. In India’s western regions, Diwali shoppers flood the market on this auspicious day, since they associate business along with the other festivities.

This diversity was expressed in more than just the cuisine; the Grand Finale performance at the end of the show incorporated a series of six dances, each one characterizing an Indian state. Through style of dance, type of music, and choice of costumes/props, groups portrayed their state. The various representing dances included Rajasthani, Kerala, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, and Punjabi.

Naina Ninan, junior, danced on Saturday with some of her peers. Her favorite part of this yearly tradition was the preparation that goes behind the performance. “I get to see my best friends almost every day [in practice], and it’s a great opportunity to express your creativity. The exposure to a large audience helps you gain confidence. It’s also amazing to showcase all the hard work our group has done in preparation during the past several months.”

Below is a video of the Desi Girls, a group featuring some of PVHS’s own students.