This year, the coronavirus pandemic has changed how many Hindus will celebrate one of their biggest festivals on Saturday. 

“Diwali is a hindu holiday that celebrates the triumph of good over evil, light over dark, and knowledge over ignorance,” senior Urja Joshi said. “It’s also called the festival of lights.”

Many Hindus celebrate Diwali by making food and gathering together with friends and family.

“Usually there is a big feast,” sophomore Saesha Dravekar said. “So you make a lot of food lots of sweets, lots of snacks, you do a pooja, or a prayer, before you eat or anything, and yeah you just set some lights, decorate your house, things like that, and invite people over, and just have fun and celebrate.”

People also celebrate Diwali by lighting lamps and doing rangoli.

“People celebrate it by lighting lots of lamps, lots and lots of lamps, and that’s to eliminate the darkness and bring out the light, again because it’s called the festival of lights,” Joshi said. “Some people celebrate by doing rangoli, which is basically art with colored sand, and that is just something pretty to remind ourselves of the beauty in the world, and you know the fact that good triumphs over evil.”

Due to the coronavirus, Diwali celebrations this year will look different.

“Diwali celebrations are definitely going to be different this year,” junior Risha Thimmancherla said. “We won’t be allowed to see our standard families this year and kind of hold community gatherings, or Diwali parties with friends, but we’re still going to decorate our homes and we’re going to pray and spend some time with family.”