As one billion people worldwide prepare for the holiday Diwali, a hard-working group of volunteers will once again create a multifaceted celebration in Belmont.
“This is my favorite holiday,” said Deepti Garg, one of the main event organizers, along with fellow residents Dipali Trivedi and Sulagna Sanyal.
According to the Associated Press, the term Diwali is derived from the word “deepavali,” which means ‘a row of lights.’ To celebrate the holiday, celebrants light rows of traditional clay oil lamps outside their homes “to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.”
The five-day festival includes fireworks, displays, feasts, and prayers and is observed by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists, according to the AP. The Belmont event will take place on Sunday, Nov. 10, between 6:30 and 10 p.m., at the Beech Street Center — minus the fireworks.
Belmont volunteers have worked hard for several years, making the town’s Diwali celebration a reality. Garg said there are 20 people working on the event this year.
“We are just doing it for the community to celebrate together,” she said.
Garg said one of the most critical aspects of the event is teaching the next generation about the holiday.
“We are showing them (our kids) the traditions — it’s a proud moment for us. We are teaching our kids Indian culture,” she said.
The night will include food, games, performances and decorations. Garg said they are finalizing their choice of a Belmont/Boston-area caterer for an Indian food buffet and are coordinating the entertainment for the evening.
The volunteers are nurturing the performers ahead of the event by teaching children and teens Bollywood-style dances.
There will also be a “ladies group” of 10 adults doing Bollywood dances to popular songs — something Garg has done since childhood. The women will perform routines to songs from the 1960s to the present. She added that although the group is all women, they hope to convince some men to participate in the performances for the celebration.
Garg said they are also looking for classical dance performers to participate. In addition to dancing, mother-and-daughter singers Sulagna and Shriya Sanyal will be featured.
When attendees aren’t being wowed by the entertainment or enjoying the buffet, they can also participate in fun, educational quizzes about Diwali to learn more.
Garg estimated that last year about 150-170 people attended the festivities and anticipates a similar number of attendees this year. About 70% of the people who attend are from Belmont, she said.
Aside from the food, entertainment and games, Garg said one of the best parts of celebrating Diwali is spending time with family and friends.
The Belmont Diwali celebration will take place on Sunday, Nov. 10, 6:30 and 10 p.m. at the Beech Street Center, 266 Beech St. Tickets cost $30 per adult or $20 for kids 10 and under. Tickets will not be sold at the door. To register and purchase tickets, visit bit.ly/3C23vl4.
