“It is the greatest joy to host this party,” Lilly Singh told Vanity Fair Friday at her Diwali party in Beverly Hills. “The real reason I do this is that I want to remind South Asian people that our culture is really beautiful and awesome. And for people who are unfamiliar with Diwali, I want them to know about our fun and vibrant culture, and that it’s okay to step into something unfamiliar and be a part of a tradition.”
Diwali, which is derived from the word “Deepavali,” meaning “row of lights,” is often referred to as the Festival of Lights and is the most important holiday in Indian culture. Millions around the world celebrate by lighting rows of diyas, traditional clay oil lamps, outside their homes to symbolize the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The festivities are spread over a period of five days and many gather together to pray, feast, enjoy parties, eat sweets, and exchange gifts.
To celebrate, Singh, who became the first person of color to host a late-night network talk show with A Little Late With Lilly Singh on NBC in 2019, welcomed over 200 of her celebrity friends, family, and colleagues at a sprawling estate in Beverly Hills for her fourth annual party. This year’s theme was “Cirque du Diwali,” which came to life in an immersive, kaleidoscopic wonderland of Indian traditions and whimsical elements of a circus. Held outdoors under a massive big-top tent that was draped with 2,000 feet of billowing purple and teal velvet, guests were treated to spellbinding performances from fire jugglers, aerialists, acrobats, stilt walkers, and a contortionist.