South Asian Students Association

Garba and Bhangra Night will be an annual event which is a combination of two events we used to hold separately in the past. In the past, S.A.S.A. used to hold Garba Night in the Fall semester and Bhangra Night in the spring semester. However, since the two events tend to split the members into two small events, we decided to unite both cultural events into one big night so that all the members will choose to come to this one event of unified traditions. Garba and Bhangra are two cultural practices which are an expression of the soul and spirit of various regions in South Asia. Art forms are the most natural form of expression for various ethnical groups and Garba and Bhangra are the result of the evolutions of such a concept. Garba and Bhangra are not only cultural practices, but they are a regular part of communities in South Asia. These are cultural events that give communities a reason to unite and maintain a strong bond. In addition, both of them are ancient cultural practices which have been passed on for many generations, a cultural practice so revered that it has stayed very close to its original form. Garba and Bhangra Night is an opportunity for our members, and our friends in the UMass community to come together and express themselves through a rich culture. This event, to its very core represents the purpose of S.A.S.A. which is to unify the rich cultural tradition of South Asia with customs of the West.