Diwali is a festival of lights that marks the return of the Hindu Lord Rama from exile. It symbolizes the the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Every year in countries all over the world (including India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and others), people immerse themselves in a tradition of cleaning and redressing. There is celebration, dancing, and sweet foods, as the streets fill with celebration.

At the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC), the Namaste group organized a school-wide celebration of the autumnal festival with Indian food, henna (mehndi), a bindi stand (a dot worn on foreheads of women), and traditional dancing. The festival took place in the MacLean Ballroom on November 4.