In India, a country comprised of 28 states and seven union territories, there are 22 official languages and over 800 spoken ones. This week, UCLA’s Indian Student Union is celebrating South Asia’s variegated cultures with South Asian Heritage Week. The array of events planned is a feat of organization and communication for ISU, but one appropriate to the group’s mission: bridging the divide between various South Asian cultures while celebrating their differences.
“More than most realize, India is one of the most diverse countries in the world,” said Nikhil Vijaykar, a third-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student and ISU culture chair.
ISU itself is comprised of members with shared Indian heritage but an assortment of ethnicities.
“All you have to do is look at our staff, where we come from. It is a very hard thing to depict,” said Vikram Ganu, a third-year physiological science student and also an ISU culture chair.
The aim of South Asian Heritage Week is to do just that: depict the diverse culture of not just India, but all of South Asia.
“More than any other event we have, this event caters to all South Asians,” said Sonia Hingorany, a fourth-year electrical engineering student and president of ISU.
While ISU has sponsored and planned South Asian Heritage Week, many different student groups are contributing to the week’s events. All three of UCLA’s dance teams ““ the Raas Team, the Nashaa/Hindi Film Dance Team and the Bhangra Team ““ will be performing. The Beta Chi Theta fraternity will be presenting a skit, and the Delta Phi Beta sorority will be hosting a fashion show. Ethnomusicology Professor Ravi Deo is spearheading the Mehfil South Asian Classical Arts Show, and the Asian Pacific Coalition will also be presenting a separate art show.
Finally, Bharatiyam, the UCLA Indian Students Association, is hosting a cricket game.
The week is structured around daytime and nighttime events. Daytime events, most of which will take place between noon and 1 p.m. in Bruin Plaza, are geared toward introducing UCLA students to South Asian cultures.
“In the plaza, we try to get people’s attention. We have food sitting out, we are dressed up, we have performances and music. When people are walking by, we want them to come over,” Hingorany said.
The afternoon presentations include a performance of Raas-Garba, a popular form of dance in which up to 1,000 people form a circle, to be hosted by the UCLA Raas Team on Tuesday at 12:30 p.m.
While Raas-Garba is a popular event within the South Asian community, other events are educational for ISU members as well. An afternoon event scheduled to take place Thursday at noon is an Indian wedding demonstration. Those participating will be dressed in traditional clothing.
“I can guarantee you a lot of our members have no idea about the different types of weddings within the South Asian community,” Hingorany said.
South Asian Heritage Week is not only aimed at raising awareness of South Asian culture as many of the evening events are meant to solidify a deeper connection between South Asian students and their heritage.
“There are parts of Indian culture that are very standard, like Bollywood. It’s easy to market. That doesn’t require a connection between our generation and our parent’s generation. What does is taking an actual vested interest in Indian culture,” Vijaykar said. “I see that as a sign that the gap is lessening.”
One way in which ISU is attempting to promote solidarity is by hosting an open mic night, which is scheduled to take place Tuesday from 6 to 8 p.m.
“The whole point is to get members involved. We want to let members speak up,” Ganu said.
Another way in which South Asian Heritage Week is addressing that gap is by inviting socially relevant groups. ISU has invited Sahara, a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising awareness of domestic violence within the South Asian community.
“We incorporate some South Asian issues that are prominent,” Hingorany said.
Also featured in the week’s events is a film screening of “Water,” a movie directed by Deepa Mehta about the lives of young girls married and widowed before the age of 10 because of common betrothal practices. The screening is scheduled to take place Monday from 6 to 8 p.m. in De Neve Auditorium.
All of the events, however, are meant to be fun as well as educational.
“It’s entertaining to watch something you’ve never seen and learn about what is going on,” Hingorany said.
With South Asian Heritage Week tackling a wide variety of cultural traditions, the members of ISU, at least, were in unison on one topic: cricket.
“Cricket,” Vijaykar said, “is the unifying religion.”