A troop of 11-year-old girls dressed in pink and green traditional saris pranced on stage in front of more than 1,000 people in the Reitz Union on Saturday.
The performance was part of Praharsha 2014, an annual celebration of Indian culture.
The event was held in the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom and brought together 12 acts by UF students, as well as other community members. It cost about $4,000 and was funded in part by Student Government.
The free festival was put on by Gators for Asha, the UF branch of Asha for Education, whose mission is to promote socio-economic change through the education of underprivileged children in India. Gators for Asha, which means hope in Hindi, was founded in 2003.
“Education is one of the primary things that has to be given to a child,” said event coordinator Poojitha Satti, a 25-year-old UF civil engineering graduate student. “That’s one of the main reasons that I’m involved in this organization.”
Speakers remembered UF graduate student Krishnendu Saha, who drowned on Sept. 13, at the event.
Express, a student-based performance group, sang a song in Hindi, accompanied by acoustic guitars in remembrance of Saha. He was scheduled to perform at the event.
UF’s No Southern Accent a cappella group, several traditional Bharatanatyam dances and a fashion show were all part of the festival.
A community band called ICEC Youth Group played an original piece on trumpets, saxophones and an electric drum set.
Satti and Gators for Asha co-president Apoorva Mohan, 25, said they were both most excited for the Bollywood dances and the food catered by Andaz Indian Restaurant.
Visitors came from around the state to attend the biggest Indian cultural festival on campus, such as Sue Rocher of Trenton, who works with several of the performers.
“I think it’s definitely a worthwhile event and something that is a great cultural experience,” she said.
[A version of this story ran on page 8 on 9/22/2014 under the headline "Annual Praharsha celebration brings Indian culture to UF"]
UF biology sophomores Jayash and Manash Ram, both 19, perform a Bharatanatyam dance at Praharsha, the festival of hope and happiness, at the Reitz Union Ballroom on Saturday.
