2008 Woodie Awards
Indian Student Association celebrates 'festival of lights' in Memorial Union
Tyler Will
Issue date: 11/20/07 Section: Campus
- Page 1 of 1
|
Rajani Kaimal, the president of ISA, explained that Diwali means "festival of lights." She said the holiday marks the triumph of good over evil and the anniversary of the return of Lord Rama, an Indian nobleman who lived in a forest in exile for 14 years.
Kaimal added that the celebration usually takes place on a "no-moon day," the darkest night. Then the "festival of lights" symbolically illuminates a path for Lord Rama's return.
An ISA flier said the holiday also celebrates the strength of family and social bonds.
The holiday is defined by the theme, "Lead us from ignorance to truth, from darkness to light and from death to eternity. Let peace prevail everywhere."
Sitaram Bhavarju, the associate president of ISA, said the celebration is annual.
"We celebrate it every year, usually the week before or after Thanksgiving," he said. Bhavarju said the music mainly features two instruments, a drum called the tabla and a guitar-like instrument called the sitar, which has almost two-dozen strings.
"Sometimes those two instruments complement a singer or dancer," Bhavarju said.
Koyel Ghosal, the sitar player, described the first song as a prayer song. Bhavarju said the song is a prayer for universal peace, harmony, and good omens.
"It's a blessing for all," he said.
The dances were contemporary and traditional styles from various regions of India. Richa Gugarati, one of the dancers, said that the traditional style of dancing is hundreds of years old, and is referred to as Indian Folk Dancing. The contemporary style is called Bollywood Dancing.
Kaimal called the evening "a grand success," and thanked more than a dozen sponsors of the event. He also thanked the guests of honor, Melvin Wade, the director of the URI Multicultural Center and Lynn Pasquerella, the vice provost for academic affairs and the dean of the Graduate School of Oceanography.
ISA held the festivities in conjunction with Children's Rights and You (CRY), an organization working toward the restoration of the rights of underprivileged children, particularly in Third World countries. Some of the proceeds from dinner purchases, which ISA served after the festivities, will be used to benefit CRY.
"Even a dollar can make a lot of difference for a life of a child," Kaimal said, adding that ISA decided to use the festival to promote awareness of children's rights.
In a pamphlet, CRY said it advocates four basic rights of children: the rights to survival, development in education and recreation, protection from abuse and participation in expression, thought, and religion.
"If we don't stand up for children's rights, we don't stand up for much," read a PowerPoint presentation at the event. The presentation linked the "festival of lights" with the idea of lighting up a child's life.