This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2012, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Hundreds of believers feasted, chanted and danced Tuesday night as Utah's Hindu community gathered at their lamp-lit South Jordan temple to celebrate Diwali, one of the holiest days of the year.
It is the annual Festival of Lights, which, for Hindus, is like Christmas, Thanksgiving and New Year's all mixed together.
The holiday honors Lord Krishna's triumph over the demon who personifies all of life's ills. In addition to partying, Hindus offer special prayers to Lakshmi, the Goddess of Good Fortune who is said to bring prosperity, good luck and happiness.
The evening ended with a professional fireworks display and the distribution of sparklers to all the children, who then twirled them against the night sky.