Salus Celebrates Diwali, the Five-Day Festival of Lights

Salus University marked the start of Diwali, known as the Five-day Festival of Lights, which is celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains globally, with an on-campus celebration Oct. 24, 2002.

Students, faculty and staff gathered on the Elkins Park, Pennsylvania campus, to celebrate Diwali, which translated means "rows of lighted lamps." These small oil lamps, called diyas, are displayed in homes and public places over a five-day period.  

Diwali (also spelled Deepawali or Divali) is observed in the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika, a period between October and November, where the date changes year to year. This celebration marks a period of light over darkness and good over evil. Diwali celebrants typically visit their relatives and hold feasts and display fireworks and the enjoy sweets.

Salus Master of Science in Clinical Optometry (MSCO) student, Pragna Saripudi ‘23MSCO shared her culture and experience with Diwali by providing a presentation to her fellow students, a few faculty and staff. She also shared some traditional sweet treats, a homemade fruit custard, and had decorated the tables with festive displays.

Those attending includes students Lujain Alrajhi ‘23MSCO, Lyuqi Tan ‘23MSCO, Junyi Zhu ‘23MSCO, Xiaocui Liu ‘23MSCO, Abdulmohsen Almuhsin ‘23MSCO and Luna Li ‘23MSCO; instructors Radhika Aravamudhan, PhD, dean of the Osborne College of Audiology, Tracey Offerdahl-McGowan, BSc, PharmD, FAAO assistant professor of pharmacology and therapeutics, and Juliana Mosley Williams, PhD, CDP, special assistant to the president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; and from the Department of and Continuing Education (DICE), Natalie Standig, program manager, and Margie Singer, academic coordinator.