Diwali, a Hindu holiday celebrated across India and throughout South Asia as the rise of light over darkness and good over evil, is taking on its 25th year as a schoolwide cultural performance put on by Ashoka, a South Asian student association.

The prevailing of good over evil, a sense of community and the recognition of the good things we have in our lives: These are what one of Ashoka’s cultural chairs, junior Saniya Suri, cites as the main themes of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights. Ashoka, Washington University’s South Asian Cultural Group, will present Wash. U.’s 27th Diwali performance this upcoming weekend at Edison Theatre, featuring a variety of dance and musical acts as well as a skit and fashion show.

Diwali, a holiday also known as the Festival of Lights, is celebrated by a variety of different religions and sects, but is largely considered a South Asian festival. One of Diwali’s biggest themes is the idea of light beating out dark and good prevailing over evil.

With the lights of Edison Theater dimmed, only a few things stood out: the steady laughter of the audience punctuated by moments of rapturous applause, the saturated colors bursting forth and energy pulsing as performers moved nimbly across the stage.

What are your Diwali traditions? Diwali, commonly known as the festival of lights, is best known amongst Wash. U. students through the Ashoka-sponsored dance performance. But as a traditional Indian holiday, Diwali is also celebrated through unique family traditions. Student Life asked students around campus to tell us about their own Diwali customs and celebrations. […]

Professor Evil feared children were becoming dancers instead of doctors in the cultural show’s skit this year, but that didn’t stop students from dancing and acting for charity on the Edison Theatre stage this weekend. Students in the nearly three-hour show performed traditional garba, raas and bhangra dances, as well as Bollywood fusion and hip hop.

Every November, Wash. U. students are treated to a night of dance, music and theater at Diwali, presented by Ashoka, the South Asian student association. It took about 200 students practicing for four hours a day for weeks in the middle of midterm season to produce last November’s Diwali.

On November 12 and 13, performances of Diwali were put on by Ashoka, the South Asian student association. Diwali, or the “festival of lights,” celebrates the victory of good over evil.

Diwali’s first performance is tonight at 7 p.m. in the Edison Theatre. In case you are attending but don’t know what to expect from the show, here is a quick guide of what’s to come.

Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights put on by Ashoka, performed three shows to sold-out crowds over the weekend in Edison Theatre.