Diwali – Spreading the lights of happiness
IIM Bodh Gaya recently celebrated one of the largest festivals, Diwali. After a lengthy COVID break, the IIM Bodh Gaya students, faculty, staff, and all institution-affiliated members gathered together to celebrate this auspicious festival. Following the story of Rama and Sita, Diwali symbolises the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Students celebrated this sacred festival by lighting lamps, welcoming Goddess Lakshmi with beautiful rangolis, and bursting crackers to ward off all evil spirits & enhance the festive spirit.
The students, administration, and staff had been preparing for this festival for quite some time. The day before the festival, hostel buildings were already adorned with festive fairy lights, which heightened the students’ excitement. On the day of the event, the students and administration were on their feet, preparing for the evening. The MBA and IPM students were preparing the grounds, decorating the venue’s entrance with flowers, creating rangolis with a beautiful motif, and setting the scene for the evening.
Diwali is a holiday during which people also exchange sweets and presents. Members of the Hostel & Mess Committee, the Student Representative Committee, and our faculty member, Prof. Sreelekha, distributed sweets to the staff as a token of appreciation from the institute, for their unwavering support throughout the years. Later that evening, the Cultural Committee organised a Rangoli competition in which the MBA and IPM students displayed vibrant patterns and themes in the form of teams. The winning team was the one with the most beautiful design and story.
Students were in a celebratory mood after the competition, eager to release their anxiety. The DJ was ready with music, so the students immersed themselves in the music and danced their hearts out. They also exploded crackers and rockets, illuminating the night sky with colourful, sparkling fireworks. In the midst of these boisterous festivities, the students and faculty members lit flying lanterns to promote peace and forgiveness. The sky was completely covered with flying lanterns, resembling a beautiful painting.
The long hours of dancing left the students hungry. The administration and the Hostel & Mess Committee took care of this effectively. Paani Puri, Paneer Pakoda, and Paav Bhaaji had already been arranged as refreshments for the students. This was followed by other delectable dishes such as Kashmiri Dum Aloo, Raj Bhog, etc. Ahhhhhh… just remembering the night makes me hungry again. Dinner was followed with a candle-lighting competition between the faculty members. The game required professors to light as many candles as possible with a single match. The professors were very enthusiastic about the event. Students also participated in the event. The celebration concluded with more dancing and merriment, after which the students returned to their respective hostels.
Diwali together was captured by the students, who clicked pictures of themselves enjoying the festival away from their homes. As we await the return of the festival the following year, these photographs will allow us to reflect on our memories of that day. In fact, they will serve as a reminder of the time spent together at the institution, even long after the students have graduated.
Author: Saurabh Kumar Chaurasia
About the Author: Student of MBA-08
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#festivevibes #campuswalidiwali #culturalcommittee