Festival rings in Indian new year

The South Asia Society hosted an annual festival in honor of Diwali, the Indian new year, on Friday night. There was a prayer session and dinner in Houston Hall's Bodek Lounge, followed by a performance in the University Museum's Harrison Auditorium. Diwali, literally "the Festival of Lights," celebrates the triumph of good over evil. The performance included traditional Indian dances, skits and songs that told about life in India. The dancers wore colorful costumes and six flags hung above the stage representing the different provinces of India. At one point when there were technical difficulties, a student spontaneously jumped onto the stage and led an impromptu a cappella version of humorous Indian songs. The audience received this well, and clapped along rhythmically. People were pleased with the event's turnout. "This is our best turnout ever," Engineering senior Sandeep Bhat said as he scanned the auditorium. "All 817 seats are filled, and there are still people standing in the isles. Parents, Penn alumni and friends from Drexel, [George Washington University], Johns Hopkins, U. of Maryland, Princeton, Rutgers, Temple, Yale and many other schools are all here." "The first time we celebrated Diwali at Penn, only a few people showed up to a modest celebration on the Roof[top] Lounge of High Rise North," College senior Jay Yepuri said. "Tonight we enjoy vast support from both South Asians and non-Asians alike." The dinner, which was attended by 300 people, was prepared by Tandoor, a local Indian restaurant, and received rave reviews. "The buffet-style dinner was delicious," College junior Raj Guharoy said, praising the tika masala, a mixed vegetable dish with curry, and golab jamun, a sweet fried ball made of flour, dipped in syrup for dessert. College senior Raj Mehta, who helped coordinate the event, said he was pleased with the success of the evening.