Today is a day of celebration for Indian students on campus; it is Diwali and the Hindu New Year’s Eve.

Satish Jain, cultural secretary of India Student Association, said the Diwali festival goes on for five days, but this is the main day of the festival.

Since Diwali is based on the moon calendar, the date is not the same every year, said Jain, graduate student in civil and construction engineering. Last year, the festival was celebrated in late October.

Diwali celebrates the victory of Lord Rama over Lord Ravana in Indian mythology, said Junaid Babar, vice president of India Student Association.

“In Indian mythology, Lord Rama waged a war against Lord Ravana, and Diwali is celebrated because of his victory over Lord Ravana,” said Babar, graduate student in computer science. “It’s a celebration of the victory of good over evil.”

Jain said Diwali is sometimes referred to by another name.

“It’s also called the Festival of Lights because when Lord Rama returned after the victory of his kingdom, the entire kingdom was lit up,” Jain said. “So, during the Diwali festival, you’ll find these lamps lit outside all the houses.”

Babar said people do many things to celebrate the holiday.

“They exchange gifts; they go visit friends and relatives; they have fireworks in the evenings,” he said. “Basically, people just get together and celebrate.”

Diwali also has religious significance, Jain said.

“People pray to the goddess Lexmi on this particular day, and most businesses start their yearly roster on this day,” he said.

The India Student Association will be holding Diwali Night on Saturday, Babar said. The event will feature Indian cuisine, dancing and music, plus a fashion show and a play based on the story of Diwali.

“This is the major event put together during the fall semester” by the India Student Association, he said. “It’s great to get all the Indian students together.”

Diwali Night will be held in the Great Hall of the Memorial Union Saturday at 7 p.m. Tickets go on sale Thursday and Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the basement ticket counter.