If you’ve never celebrated Navratri before, Monday night is your chance.
Thirty members of UIndy’s Indian Student Association, some in colorful homeland dress, will perform and teach traditional dances from 7 to 10 p.m. in Schwitzer Student Center’s UIndy Hall A. The event also will feature refreshments and snacks from India.
Navratri is a quarterly Hindu ceremony derived from the words nava, or nine, and ratra, or night. The traditional nine-night celebration honors Durga, the Hindu goddess of strength, with elaborate prayer services and dinner preparations. In this case, however, the focus is on the fun part.
“Navratri is known for its dances,” says ISA President Ketan Kulkarni. “These are communal dances where everyone participates, and the steps progress from simple movements to more complex dance movements involving multiple partners.”
Kulkarni, who hails from India’s Maharashtra state, is pursuing a master’s degree in clinical psychology and mental health counseling at UIndy. He also works in the university’s Physical Plant and interns as a counselor at Volunteers of America.
