Students celebrate Indian festival of Dussehra at Chaplaincy

International students talk about how they have recently celebrated the Hindu festival of Dussehra at the multi-faith Chaplaincy and warmly invite the whole WLV community to join in the upcoming celebration of Diwali.

Dussehra, in Hinduism, is a holiday which honours the victory of Rama (an avatar of Vishnu) over the 10-headed demon king, Ravana, who abducted Rama's wife, Sita. Dussehra is a joyous celebration of the triumph of good over evil, which is observed at the end of the nine-day Navratri festival, and is also on the tenth day of the Durga Puja festival.  

In the above video, Shree Charan Bommakanti and Vanjyotsna Grover, who are both studying for an International MBA at the Business School, show us how Dussehra was celebrated at the University's multi-faith Chaplaincy on Tuesday 24 October. This was a student-led event, where a mouthwatering Indian meal was shared amongst friends from the Indian community as well as people from all over the world and from different cultures. To demonstrate how Dussehra is traditionally celebrated there was dancing and puja, a holy ceremony. 

This recent festivity serves as a taster of what's to come. On Tuesday 14 November, the University is hosting a larger student-led event in celebration of Diwali. All University of Wolverhampton students and staff are warmly invited to join in the Festival of Lights celebration, which will take place in the courtyard behind the Lord Swraj Paul Building, City Campus, from 4pm-7.30pm. 

At the University, students are encouraged to take the lead in sharing celebrations and special days observed in their culture. If you would like to mark a meaningful day and help organise an event, please complete this Special Days form. 

Global Lunches also take place at the Chaplaincy on Wednesdays and provide an opportunity for students to prepare food from their home country or culture. They are open and inclusive events providing an opportunity for students and staff to learn more about one another's traditions and practices over a delicious 'home-cooked' meal. Cooks are wanted - contact the chaplaincy to volunteer or find out more: chaplaincyenquiries@wlv.ac.uk.