Honors students will dance under “Bengali Lights” Friday at their annual winter ball. To prepare for the celebration of India, students gathered Wednesday in the West Laville lobby to learn about the wonders of Indian culture.
The Honors College has hosted the winter ball for three years. The proceeds from the ball benefit an area charity. This year’s charity is “I Like Mike,” the organization devoted to building a new home for the University’s live mascot.
“Mike is a Bengal tiger,” said Lyndsay Buckner, a biological sciences junior. “So he’s Bengal and we figured ‘Bengali Nights’ and an Indian theme would be appropriate.”
Buckner also hopes students will benefit from the knowledge of Indian culture.
“That’s why I organized this night,” she said. “I wanted students to learn about the wonders of this culture.”
Rakhi Patel, an Indian student who helped teach the students about Indian culture, said every person can benefit from learning about India.
“The country is so unique in its culture,” she said.
Gail Sutherland, a religious studies associate professor, told students, “It is one of the most unique countries in the world.”
The country has 25 major languages and every state has its own dialect, she said.
Indians also enjoy freedom of religion and practice Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, Christianity, Seikism and many other faiths, Sutherland said.
“Almost all religious holidays are celebrated in public space,” she said. “It makes for an awful lot of holidays.”
As a result of the diversity of religion and culture, many Indians have a great appreciation for diversity in culture, she said.
Indeani Volety, a mechanical engineering graduate student, helped Sutherland explain common practices from her native country, including popular festivals.
One of the major festivals Indians celebrate is Diwali, Volety said. Diwali is a festival of lights, celebrated with food and fireworks.
The holiday is comparable to Christmas, Sutherland said.
Navaratri is another important holiday celebrated in India, she said.
Navaratri means “nine days,” said Hina Dave, a biological sciences sophomore and Indian student.
The holiday is celebrated with dancing and pujas, Hindu ceremonies of worship, Sutherland said.
An important element of Navaratri is dancing. And Ruchi Kumar, a computer science junior, led students in some of the most popular dances of Indian culture.
First she taught students the Bhangra. She instructed all the students to hold their hands in the air and move their feet to the fast beat of the Indian music.
“And if you’re a girl, you put a little hip into it,” she said.
Dave led students in the Garbha, the most popular dance in Navaratri. She walked students round in a circle and showed them complicated moves.
Nathan Henderson said he will use the dance moves he learned at Friday’s ball.
“Having this insight into the culture before hand is going to be really helpful,” he said. “I know five or 10 girls already who are going to wear sari’s.”
The winter ball will be held Friday from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. in the French House. Tickets are available in East Laville.