3 Idiots, 2 shows, 1 fantastic IMSA Diwali Week

Happy Diwali, IMSA!

IMSA students celebrated Diwali this week (November 5-9) with Indian music, dancing, clothes, and of course colors! In celebration every year, ISA (the Indian Student Association) presents a Diwali show. This year, there were two showings of IMSA’s 3 Idiots. The parent show was on Tuesday night while students could attend the show on Friday night.

Diwali is the Indian festival of lights and colors. The name “Diwali” literally translates into “row of lamps” in Sanskrit. The festival involves the lighting of small clay lamps filled with oil to represent the victory of good over evil. The lamps are kept illuminated all night long and extinguish naturally. It is also traditional to burst firecrackers, which was thought to drive away evil spirits. Different cultures in India have various celebration styles. In general, everyone wears new clothes and shares snacks with family and friends to celebrate the auspicious day. This year Diwali falls on Tuesday November 13, 2012.

IMSA seniors dressed in their best traditional Indian garments take a break from their demanding midday modeling careers to pose for a family portrait.

The students in the shows both nights took pride in either their own Indian cultural roots or celebrated the heritages of their peers; regardless, every participant showcased their dancing abilities.

In honor of the shows, the ISA board held midday events throughout the week for students and faculty to enjoy.

Monday: Mango Monday! ISA brought in delicious Mango Ice Cream. The ice cream was free and a great treat to cool off with after an exhausting Monday morning.

Tuesday: ISA displayed clips from ISA-hosted Diwali performances in the past few years . Dances from past shows were shown to give sophomores a glimpse of what to expect on Friday night.

Thursday: Free Mehndi (Henna). Students drew beautiful henna designs on their classmates’ hands to share cultural customs.

Friday: Fashion Show! Girls and Guys dressed up in their favorite Indian outfits and showed off their stuff in the Old Caf. Everyone had a great time taking pictures and showing classmates their beautiful clothes. Bollywood video songs were played in the background to hype up the crowd.

It was a week filled with celebration and cheerful Indian cultural  pride on the IMSA campus.