For Indian students in the Russian Federation, celebrating Diwali means staying rooted to their culture, and these students' attempt to stay connected to their roots, in turn, has started to bring together Russians, and people of other countries living in Saransk, to embrace other cultures.

This November, 17 students and guests from Saransk discovered elements of geometry while celebrating Diwali, the Hindu New Year festival which celebrates new beginnings and the triumph of good over evil and light over darkness. Diwali is an important national festival in India and is celebrated around the world by Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and some Buddhists. Diwali, which is also called Deepavali or Divali, gets its name from the row (avali) of clay lamps (diya or deepa) that many people light outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light. Guests had the opportunity to get closer to Indian culture through a number of stations, such as trying on traditional Indian costumes, Indian tea, some games, yoga, and more.

This year, a wonderful theatrical performance was presented to the audience, told the story of this holiday, and presented entirely by Indian students. Guests also enjoyed listening to Indian music accompanied by traditional dances from various regions of India.