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| ASA celebrates Indian
diversity tomorrow |
Jusitn Boulmay
Multicultural Beat
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With a
total population of over one billion people in an area approximately
one-third the size of the United States, India possesses a diverse
mixture of religions, including Christianity, Islam and Buddhism,
according to the CIA World Fact Book.
The Asian Student Association plans to celebrate the cultural diversity
of India Friday, ASA president Gayathri Vijayagopalan said last
week.
The ASA sponsors an Asian celebration every year, but this semester
is the first time a festival focusing specifically on the culture
of India will be held, the junior accounting major said.
Vijayagopalan described the spring semester as the time the ASA
takes to plan events for next fall, but this year there was an initiative
among some of the organization’s members who wanted to do something
during the spring, as well.
Senior information systems major Bobbi R. Dayalani from Sparta proposed
the idea for an Indian festival, Vijayagopalan said.
Dayalani, whose parents are from India, said the festival would
include two dance performances, poetry readings, Yoga and a fashion
show featuring Indian clothing at the end of the night.
“Indian fashion is absolutely amazing,” Vijayagopalan
said. “It’s evolved so much from 200 years ago. Things
were more for utility; now [Indian fashion is] just absolutely gorgeous.”
The Indian Ensemble, which Dayalani said was an unofficial group
on campus, will be performing tomorrow night.
A short lesson in Hindi, the official language of India, will also
be offered, along with a “comedic skit” by some of the
members of ASA regarding life in India, Vijayagopalan said.
Dayalani said the performances would last from 45 minutes to an
hour
Gayatri G. Gosai, a sophomore information systems major from Boone,
said the festival would help to “raise awareness of the Indian
culture.”
Gosai serves as the vice president of ASA.
Vijayagopalan shared her sentiments and said she believes a setback
to American thinking is that people are limited by one viewpoint
and overlook the differences of culture in Asian nations.
“Asia isn’t limited to China or Japan. Asia is …
20 different countries,” each with their own various culture,
she said.
Vijayagopalan said ASA was formed to provide a means of interaction
between Asian students, along with their friends. Issues surrounding
the Asian community are also discussed, she said.
“It’s a way for us to network and get together and have
fun,” she said.
ASA holds an annual Asian festival during the fall, with food and
dance performances, she said.
Vijayagopalan said the upcoming festival is a “miniature version”
of what is put together during the fall.
“I think it’s exciting to learn about different cultures,”
she said. |
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