Hannah Miller

The Hindu festival of Diwali (phonetic spelling?) is a celebration of the triumph of good over evil, and San Marcos got a glimpse of it on Saturday night. Hannah Miller has more in this Bobcat Update.
There were speakers at Diwali, a lot of singing, and, of course, decorations. But the Indian Student Association's real reason for bringing almost 400 Westerners and Asians together in a crowded auditorium was not religious.
The night's celebration featured eleven different dances, all meant to give San Marcos a small taste of Indian culture.
The Kuchipudi dance is a representation of Diwali. I-S-A vice president Deepthi Komati performed the dance with her feet not on the floor – but on a gold plate. She balanced a candle on her head, and one in her hand.
Deepthi moved from India two years ago. She's been dancing at Diwali since she was eleven years old.
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Girls decked out in traditional Indian jewelry and dresses performed time-honored Bollywood classics.
And traditional dances were fused with hip hop beats and danced moves to represent the rich diversity of India's culture.
I-S-A President Pawan Gogad remembers celebrating Diwali in India, where festivities last for several days.
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After several high-energy dance performances, the I-S-A served everyone a traditional Indian meal of naan, rice, curry, and vegetable fritters.
After dinner, a string of fusion dances enthralled the crowd, getting some audience members on their feet.
The I-S-A has been celebrating Diwali at Texas State for the past six years. For Texas State's Indian community, sharing their culture with others holds a lot of meaning.
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Stand-up:
The festivities are over for now, but Diwali will be back next year, and another three hours of Indian cultural immersion will be sure to go by in the blink of an eye. For Bobcat Update, I'm Hannah Miller.