This post was updated Nov. 13 at 1:43 a.m.

Students wearing kurtas and bright-colored saris gathered at the University Cooperative Housing Association on Saturday evening to celebrate Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights.

Around 40 people attended the event, which was held inside the co-op’s lobby. Organizers played worship music and handed out jalebi – an Indian sweet snack – and other foods after participants prayed at the mandir, a small Hindu temple.

The UCHA is a cooperative living community that provides affordable housing to students in Westwood in exchange for working four to five hours per week, according to the UCHA website. The co-op, led by a student-run committee elected by residents, offers communal dining and social events and is home to many international students.

“Diwali is like Christmas for us,” said Medhavi Singh, a recent graduate of the UCLA School of Dentistry. “It’s a huge, huge festival … about light over darkness.”

The event tried to reflect different ways of celebrating Diwali from all over India, said Mitali Khedkar, a member of UCHA and a computer science student at Santa Monica College.

In some parts of India, Diwali marks the return of Rama – a Hindu deity – to his kingdom after defeating the demon king, Ravana. Hindus celebrate by cleaning and decorating their houses, as well as praying to their gods at the mandir, Singh said.

In other parts of India, Hindus light corners with lanterns and earthen pots called diyas to prevent darkness from entering their lives, Khedkar said.

Attendees said they appreciated the bonding aspect of Diwali while getting to dance, eat and exchange gifts.

“It’s a really warming thing for me to see all people dressed up nice and cherishing the little things in life,” Khedkar said. “This is like a home away from home for us.”

Some participants said the event reminded them of India, where they grew up. Vaibhav Malviya, an electrical and computer engineering graduate student from India, said celebrating Diwali with others brought him a sense of belonging while being away from his family.

“I’m so far away from home,” said Amanya Dhardwhia, a graduate student. “Here (at UCHA), it feels like I’m living in a community.”

Singh added that hosting events such as Diwali celebrations on UCLA’s campus promotes diversity and cultural awareness.

The celebrations also bring students together, Dhardwhia said, adding that spending time with people who come from different backgrounds helps her understand the world in a better way.

“We’re connected to the person who’s four hours away from us or an hour away from us, but we’re so disconnected from the person who’s right next to us,” she said. “These things bring us together.”

Singh said she planned on celebrating the night by dancing, playing games and eating food with other participants. She added that anyone was welcome to the event.

“We have this saying (in Hindi), ‘Atithi Devo Bhava,’” she said. “That means, ‘The guest is our God.’ So, we like to take care of them.”