Indian Student Association (ISA) will light up Los Altos High School with Diwali spirit, honoring the traditions of the school’s Indian community through lunch events and an off-campus party to conclude the festivities.
Having officially taken place on Oct. 20 this year, ISA will kick off the Diwali celebrations with food, music and henna in the quad tomorrow at lunch. During this time, they’ll also host a painting activity with diyas — traditional Indian candles — and a performance by Akshara, LAHS’s Bollywood Dance Club.
“There’s so many different cultures on campus and only so many hours in the day,” ISA Co-President senior Aarushi Shukla said. “Adding these little events can help people become more aware and appreciative of another person’s cultures.”
But ISA’s celebrations go beyond school hours. The main celebration, the annual Diwali party, is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. Admission to the off-campus event is free, and students can RSVP via the link sent through ISA’s mailing list or in the caption on ISA’s instagram post (@lahsbrowntown). The party includes Indian food, dancing and sparklers, and attendees are encouraged to dress in traditional clothes, such as kurtas and lehengas.
ISA advisor Kelly Coble believes LAHS’s diversity is its greatest asset.
“Clubs like ISA allow for the expression of this multiculturalism,” Coble said.
“I truly love my culture,” ISA Co-President senior Tanvi Muppalaneni said. “It’s rich, it’s beautiful and I would like to share that with the rest of the student body.”
Aarushi said honoring Indian culture empowers its community members.
“Realizing that your culture is worth recognizing allows you to have the confidence to be the person you want to be, despite what other people might think,” Aarushi said.
For Aarushi, the club provides a sense of community she didn’t have when she was younger. Diwali celebrations were once confined to her family, but now Aarushi honors her culture with friends and classmates.
“That’s why I’m trying to make ISA as big and publicized as possible,” Aarushi said. “Having that community really helps us compound on each other’s enjoyment of the culture.”
Similarly, Tanvi said she considers her Indian ethnicity a central part of her identity, especially as her family partakes in traditional rituals. Tanvi celebrates Diwali with a Puja, a Hindu ceremony where people offer prasadam — fruit or sweet foods — to their deities, before sharing the blessed foods with their loved ones.
Diwali originates from the Hindu epic Ramayan, which tells the story of Lord Rama rescuing his wife, Sita, from the demon king Ravana. When they returned home, villagers lit diyas to guide their path — a tradition that gives the holiday its name as the Festival of Lights.
Communal celebrations are central to Diwali, which is why ISA attempts to include as much of the student body as possible.
“It’s about a celebration of love,” Tanvi said. “Historically, Diwali has always been very big in India; it’s like Christmas for us.”
For more information about the events, visit ISA’s Instagram @lahsbrowntown.
