WASHINGTON — For Representative Pramila Jayapal, there was no better party during her childhood in Jakarta, Indonesia, than the one that took place on Diwali, the Indian festival of lights.

Jakarta didn’t have a large Indian population in the 1970s and ’80s, so the 100 or so people who lived in her area would meet for an epic feast at one of their houses. The place would be decked out with dozens of diyas, or decorative oil lamps, and statues of Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of wealth.

“It was the most extravagant of celebrations,” said Ms. Jayapal, 54, with seemingly bottomless varieties of Indian dishes: spiced fritters called pakoras; fluffy idlis, a type of rice cake; and dosas stuffed with potatoes and served with a vibrant coconut chutney. An entire section of the table was devoted to desserts like ghee-soaked laddoos and payasam, rice pudding studded with raisins and cashews that her mother would make special for the holiday (which this year will be celebrated on Sunday ).