Students bring Hindu culture to A&M through Dandiya
By: Cheri Lim
Issue date: 10/25/05 Section: Aggielife
 Jason Gilbert - The Battalion Students dance at Dandiya Night, Friday at the MSC. The event is sponsored by the Hindu Student Council in celebration of Navaratri, a nine day and night Hindu festival celebrating Durga Ma´s victory of good over evil. |
Vineet Tiruvadi, a freshman biomedical engineering major, said Dandiya night embodies the culture his parents left behind.
"It allows me to vicariously live in the environment that my ancestors enjoyed," Tiruvadi said.
The Hindu Students Council (HSC) celebrated Dandiya night on Friday in the MSC.
"Dandiya night is a celebration of Navaratri, which is nine days and nights of celebrating Durga Ma's (a Hindu goddess) victory of good over evil," said Puja Mehta, Class of 2005 and former HSC vice president. "Dandiya night occurs on the 10th day."
Mehta said that for the actual celebration on Dandiya night, they have special songs and dances just for that occasion.
"Dandiya is the most popular dance, and it's the name for the sticks we use in the dance," she said. "I think it's really special because no matter how busy you are, you always come and celebrate it."
Mehta has been busy with her psychology master's program at the University of Houston but came back for the day to celebrate her culture with her fellow Aggies.
HSC Special Events Coordinator Bhavini Patel said they put on Dandiya night at A&M to present their Hindu culture to the University.
"Hindus participate in Dandiya night with a religious purpose in mind, but non-Hindus like Christians, Muslims and atheists participate in Dandiya night just to dance, have fun and get a feel of Hindu culture," said Patel, a sophomore biochemistry major. "It is also an example of unity and diversity because regardless of what religion you are, you can participate in it."
Sophomore civil engineering major Harsh Doshy said Dandiya night means a lot to him because of its religious context.
"When I was a kid and used to go to the Dandiya night in Austin, we used to think it was just for fun - just meeting our friends and hanging out," he said. "There's one part of the celebration where they stop and have a ceremony, and I finally asked my mom what it meant, and that's when I realized the religious aspects, and that's when it became special to me."
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