Indian student group ready for celebration

IU's Indian Student Association is bringing together a flavorful mix of classical and contemporary dances for their annual Diwali celebration this weekend.\nThe Diwali "Festival of Lights" Cultural Show, an annual celebration held each fall, will feature several performances by IU students in addition to a flavorful array of Indian cuisine.\nDiwali 2002, will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the Bloomington High School South Auditorium. Admission for the show is free but a $5 donation is suggested.\nOrganized by ISA, the Diwali Cultural Show has been regarded as the year's most popular event, as attendance previous years has reached more than 800 people. \n"In the past, we've had individuals from many different backgrounds come to the show, and we encourage that," said senior Rekha Tadoori, president of the association. "I think people are just really interested in the Indian culture and its beauty."\nTo kick off the weekend festivities, ISA is hosting a Henna tattoo fundraiser this evening at the Foster Quad Formal lounge from 7 to 9 p.m. The cost is $5, and all students and members of the local community are invited to have temporary body art painted on their hands and legs.\nProceeds collected from the fundraiser will go towards funding for other ISA shows and payments.\nTadoori said the fundraiser can stimulate students to initiate friendships with people from different ethnic backgrounds, in addition to learning about henna tattoos and their origin.\n"Students in the dorms (especially freshmen) have the chance to meet new people they never would have otherwise," she said. "Some (students) are from small towns and have only been exposed to a homogeneous group of people."\nIn the Indian culture, the Diwali holiday is often seen as one of the most well-known of Indian celebrations. It is commonly known as the festival of lights because of the tradition to light small oil lamps and place them around the home.\nAlthough there are several legends and variations behind Diwali, it tends to signify the renewal of life, and many that practice the tradition don new outfits on Diwali to signify a fresh start and the beginning of winter.\nSaturday's festivities at Bloomington South will include 10 acts, which will feature a mix of both classical Indian dances and songs, in addition to a western flavor of contemporary pieces.\nDiwali 2002 is sponsored by the ISA and the Committee to Assist Student Initiatives.\nIU Folklore professor Pravina Shukla lauds ISA for expanding the opportunities for IU students to celebrate cultural events unlike their own and for literally giving a taste of another culture.\n"It's wonderful that the local Indian community provides different modes of celebrations and expressions of creativity, such as dance, clothing, food and henna painting," Shukla said. "By experiencing a celebratory event like Diwali, students' understanding of diversity on campus -- and the world, is enhanced.\nAll in all, ISA members encourage the community to come out to the show because it provides something different to do on the weekend.\n"Essentially, it's a great way to become insightful about new ideas, and it's also something fun to do on a Saturday night," said senior Neelu Rehil, ISA cultural chair. "It's entertaining, the food is great, and you can meet so many interesting people there"