Festival of light defeating darkness, Diwali to be celebrated in Memorial Park on October 12

Diwali is a thanksgiving festival widely celebrated in the Indian diaspora.Photo byDevang PuniaonUnsplash

The Bay Area Diwali Festival will be held in Cupertino's Memorial Park on October 12 from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm. Tickets to the free event can be reserved online. The park is located on 10185 North Stelling Road.

The event is being organized by the Cupertino Chamber of Commerce and will include food, music, dance and the display of a traditional Indian rangoli.

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali is a time of thanksgiving celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs and Jains in India and in the Indian diaspora. The festival does not have fixed date on Western calendars. Diwali will be celebrated in Sunnyvale on October 26 and in Campbell on November 3.

Triumph of light over darkness

In southern India, Diwali was a celebration of Lord Krishna’s annihilation of the tyrannical demon Naraka, reported PBS. "In northern India, Diwali honors the triumphant return of Lord Rama, his wife Sita, and brother Lakshmana, from a 14-year exile in the forest," it added.

The lights on display during the festival represented "the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance," said PBS.

More than 70 vendors

The chamber of commerce said it expected more than 70 vendors at the festival. The following are a few of the sweets and baked goods often eaten during Diwali:

• Nankhatai, shortbread cookies made with ghee and often flavored with cardamom and nuts
• Puran Poli, flatbread with a sweet lentil stuffing
• Dhokla, a savory sponge cake
• Ladoo (or laddu), ball-shaped sweets of many varieties
• Karanji (or Gujiya), sweet fried pastries with coconut and cardamom in the filling

Time for prayer

As a religious festival, Diwali is a time for prayer. In 2023, Hindus for Human Rights posted the video Diwali Prayers for Global Peace.