The Indian Student Association honored the Indian festival Diwali Saturday night in the Union Theater by hosting UTSAV, a night of dancing, music and other shows of talent.
Many in the audience wore traditional Indian clothing and jewelry as performers took the stage for UTSAV, which translates as “celebration” in the Hindi language.
Diwali — also known as the “Festival of Light” — is a five-day festival in honor of the Hindu goddess of wealth Lakshmi. It has expanded to be widely celebrated by people of numerous religions across India. During Diwali participants light firecrackers and keep their surroundings brightly lit to hold back darkness.
“It symbolizes our conquest of our fears, our ignorance, our hatreds; celebrating the victory of good over evil.” said Mayank Tyagi, petroleum engineering assistant professor and Indian Student Association faculty adviser.
The recent attacks by terrorist groups on Paris, France and Bamako, Mali highlight the relevance of the festival’s message of triumph of good over evil, said Tyagi. Care must be taken that the response to acts of evil be measured and just.
“We can’t lose faith. We have to win against evil. It is our duty not to do this retaliation in ignorance, or hatred, or due to fear.” said Tyagi. “What’s good, that must be preserved.
Performances blended the classical and modern. Models walked the stage clad in traditional clothing alongside others in contemporary styles during the fashion show, and musical acts ranged from performances inspired by stories of Indian history and religious stories to covers of modern pop hits such as Adele’s “Hello.”
The bulk of the performances were dances, opening with presentations by small children and continuing to increasingly complex routines involving large groups of tightly choreographed dancers.
Many of the modern songs and dances were adapted from movie soundtracks in the popular Indian film industry known as Bollywood.
Attendees gathered in the International Cultural Center for a dinner featuring a variety of Indian cuisine after the conclusion of UTSAV.
Computer science graduate student and ISA president Hari Perumal said the group’s members hope cultural events such as UTSAV will strengthen connections between LSU’s international and domestic communities.
“This may be an Indian festival, but we invite everyone,” Perumal said. “We want our American friends to be here with us.”

Gallery • 2 Photos

Photo courtesy of Pranjal Phaltane