Diwali night offers diverse entertainment

United Arab Emirates sophomore Alan Thomas wasn’t sure what to expect as he performed a dance based on an Indian film.

The energetic dance, similar to many fast-dancing American styles,
enthralled the audience, though Thomas was just glad to get through it.

“I think they liked it, but I was so nervous,” he said.

More than 200 people filled the Bovee University Center Auditorium
Saturday night as the sixth annual Diwali festival brought Indian
culture alive at CMU. Children and adults participated in the Indian
new year, one of the largest and most important holidays in Indian
culture.

Thomas’s performance was based on a movie.

“Most of the dances in our country are based on movies,” Thomas
said. “Mine was called ‘Columbus Columbus,’ based on a film that deals
with college life and having fun.”

University President Michael Rao spoke briefly following a Hindu
prayer and a welcome from Bharat Chandrasekar, India graduate student
to begin the program.

The holiday — celebrated by song, dance, fireworks and large amounts
of food — is the equivalent of Christmas as far as cultural importance,
said Chandrasekar in his description of the holiday’s meaning.

“It’s the festival of lights, of merriment, of harmony,”
Chandrasekar said. “It is the time where all Indians put aside
differences and celebrate a new beginning.”

The Indian Student Organization, of which Chandrasekar is president,
has put on the Diwali festival at CMU for the last six years, and
audience reaction for this year’s events was positive.

“I think this is great,” said Tom Leathley, Mount Pleasant senior.
“Diversity is what the university environment is all about and we need
more of it.”

Though there were no firecrackers, 23 different songs, dances, skits and a fashion show peppered the evening’s festivities.

All ages and nationalities participated in the events, including 8-year-old Shreya Bahadur performing an interpretive dance.

A couple of power outages during the early performances did not
dampen anybody’s spirit, and as the performances continued the audience
began clapping and bobbing their heads along with the music.

Minority Student Services, the Office of International Education and
the Student Budget Allocation Committee helped fund the three-hour
festival, which also featured different Indian foods after the
performances.