Each year the Tri-State India Association hosts an annual celebration of Diwali to mark India’s most recognized cultural event of the year.
    The Festival of Lights, also known as Deepavali in Sanskrit, has roots in Hinduism and ancient Indian epic, The Ramayana. The festival commemorates the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance.
    Today, most members of Indian society, regardless of religion, language, or geography, celebrate the festival.  In addition to being marked by feasts and gatherings of friends and family, gift giving and donations to charities are an important part of the days-long event.
    The Tri-State India Association’s celebration took place at the Keith Albee Theatre in Huntington, West Virginia, on October 26, 2019. It included a variety of traditional and modern music and dance performances, by members along with a meal featuring foods from across India.
    A silent auction, along with public recognition of the volunteerism and charitable giving its members have undertaken on behalf of the association, is also an important part of the event, according to organizers.
    The Tri-State India Association was founded more than six decades ago to preserve and educate its members, and the general public, in Indian culture. Today more than 200 local families, whose roots stretch across all of India’s regions and religions, belong to the organization. Other events include an annual picnic and celebration of Holi, a vibrant and colorful festival, as well as programs on Indian art, music, dance, and study groups on culture and religion.