Colorful saris, the vibrant sound of traditional music and the rich scent of Indian food accompanied attendees at this weekend’s Diwali celebration. Organized by the Indian Students’ Association, Diwali – the Indian “Festival of Lights” – was celebrated Saturday night in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union. Although Diwali was Nov. 1 this year, the celebration was not able to be held until Saturday evening because of scheduling conflicts.

“I thought it was great,” said Neha Kothari, senior in mathematics. “It was nice to see so many people and especially non-Indians at the event.”

Saurabh Mehta, graduate student in chemistry and president of the Indian Students’ Association, said despite the low number of donations for the Pakistan earthquake relief effort, the turnout exceeded the seating for which Mehta and the Diwali Night committee had planned. He said approximately 325 people attended the celebration.

Kothari, who was a choreographer and dancer for one of the dances, said she celebrated Diwali last week with her family and several other families in the area.

Although the occasion is traditionally Hindu, Kothari, whose family practices the Jain faith, said Diwali has become more of an Indian tradition because it is celebrated so widely across India.

She said she participated in the event partially because she enjoys dancing, but also because she wanted to share her culture with others in Ames.

“It’s a good opportunity to celebrate Diwali and also tell people a little bit about Indian culture,” she said.

Tushar Dayal, sophomore in pre-business, danced in the celebration and said he has been practicing for about three or four weeks, but has danced in productions like this for several years.

Although he was worried there may be a low turnout, he said the event was a resounding success.

“It turned out to be really, really good – better than last year,” Dayal said.

Next year, he said he plans to become more involved with Diwali Night. In addition to a keynote address presented by Terry Mason, assistant vice president for student counseling services and interim director of international students and scholars, the event showcased a fashion show and both traditional and modern dances.

“It’s symbolic of how tradition and modernity co-exist in harmony in India,” Mehta said.

The new addition to the night was the opening number by a group of 5- to 10-year-olds who sang the national song, “Vande Mataram.”

The night concluded with a buffet of various Indian dishes. Mango milkshakes, paneer masala and creamy black gram dal were among the foods prepared by Sooraj Singh, who is planning to open a new restaurant serving Indian food in Ames.

“In all, all the attendees liked the event,” Mehta said. “They got a true glimpse of India here in the U.S.”