Fifty purple tea lights lined the stage of the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, where more than 100 performers sang and danced in celebration of Diwali, the Indian festival of lights, on Sunday.
About 1,000 people filled the auditorium to observe the holiday, which marks the Indian New Year.
The celebration was produced by the UF Indian Student Association.
The national anthems of both the U.S. and India kicked off the event, which consisted of 20 acts that fused together the traditional Indian culture and more liberal western culture.
The celebration blended the two cultures through costumes, music choices and a series of skits encouraging Indian students not to become disconnected with their customs.
Some performers dressed in saris while others wore more American-style clothing.
Anisha Kshetrapal, one of three directors of the event, said the Indian Student Association has been working on the program since the first week of classes.
Kshetrapal said most of the dancers and performers have been dancing since they were 3 or 4 years old.
SFC freshman Janki Gandhi has been in more than 40 performances.
Gandhi took part in a team called Gator Adda Fusion, an act showcasing both traditional and modern Indian music and American hip-hop.
A fashion show following intermission featured clothing from the Eastern and Western hemispheres, including saris and dresses.
Because it was the festival of lights, colors such as gold, teal and fuchsia were in abundance in all the acts and fashion show.
Family members of the participants came from all over the state to join in the celebration. Kshetrapal's parents and grandparents came from Fort Myers to watch the show.
"It's a mixture of cultures," Kshetrapal said. "Some of us were born in India while other were born in the States. Some come from traditional families, and others come from liberal families."
