Bringing the east to the west

Dr. Sujan Burgeson, Yuba College professor of world religion, lectured on Diwali Tuesday, October 14, in the latest installment of the Crossing Borders and Building Bridges series. Approximately 40 students gathered to listen to her lecture in room 521. Diwali is the five-day Hindu festival of lights. It is also known as Deepavali and Divali. The festival symbolizes the triumph of light over darkness. It is celebrated differently in different countries such as Kenya, Thailand, Trinidad, Siam and Malaya, symbolizing unity in diversity. Each day of Divali represents different events in Indian mythology and each story differs from region to region, storyteller to storyteller. But the unifying factor is that everyone gets together young, old, rich and poor, to light dipas, set off fireworks and take oil baths. Burgeson’s lecture on Divali lasted approximately 30 minutes and was peppered with personal anecdotes, pictures, slides and stories about different mythical figures. The stories were about light triumphing over the darkness. She told of Rama, who was born in human form and who’s only purpose in life was to defeat evil. The lecture was closed with the traditional lighting of lamps, the purpose of which is to wish for the triumph of light over darkness. Burgeson has a unique perspective on Indian culture. She spent almost two years in India. According to Burgeson she saw herself in India in a dream. She had only enough money for two plane tickets. With fifty bucks left over she left with her daughter on a spiritual quest to see a holy woman. She spent her time in India living from place to place and gaining extensive knowledge of the Hindu culture. The festival of lights takes place on October 25. The Crossing Borders and Building Brides event series will have another lecture on October 23 called Interfaith Dialogue: A Christian Perspective. The presenters will be Dr. Bruce Grelle, professor of religious studies at CSU Chico at 12 p.m. in room 521 and Dr. James D. Anderson, professor of religious studies at CSU Chico from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Yuba College Cafeteria.