Indian Students Association's Diwali night brings celebration of lights to Ward Theatre
Vinay Nunna celebrated togetherness, culture, tradition and tasty food Saturday night.
He wasn’t the only one. Hundreds of people gathered at the Ward Theatre, 218 S. Main St. to partake in the holiday celebration.
The India graduate student and president of the Indian Students Association, a registered student organization, helped host Diwali Night.
“This gives students a taste of home,” Nunna said. “Many of us here, we miss home badly.”
Diwali is a five-day festival in Hinduism, Sikhism and Jainism which occurs between mid-October and mid-November.
Nunna said the celebration symbolizes a victory of good over evil.
The event included Indian dance and music performances, a fashion show and Indian cuisine, with traditional food such as biryani, a rice-based dish.
The fashion show and dance numbers were a whirl of colorful saris and other outer garments, ranging from deep golds, to blues and pinks, from casual to upscale celebration.
India graduate student Angel Erpula performed an Indian folk dance, a Bollywood dance and a Tollywood dance performance.
“The Bollywood dance was my favorite,” Erpula said. “It has the best music.”
India graduate student Shilpa Alamuri danced with two other students in colorful Indian attire.
She said the event reminded her of home, and it was the best time she has had so far during her first semester at CMU.
“It was absolutely fun,” Alamuri said. “We can let loose for once.”
Mount Pleasant resident Mike List performed a tabla, an Indian hand-drum instrument, solo.
List said he has played the tabla for four years and traveled to India to study classical Indian music. He said when playing the tabla, one uses different finger motions than other forms of drumming.
“It’s a pretty old musical tradition,” List said. “It’s been around for thousands of years.”
Nunna said watching the various Indian dances was his favorite part.
“It’s like a cultural exposure,” Nunna said. “People can see the dancing and food of another culture.”
