BIS # 3237 CULTURAL DAY AT DIVYADAAN

BIS Mumbai

BOSCO INFORMATION SERVICE # 3237

CULTURAL DAY AT DIVYADAAN

Cl Mylin Noronha

NASHIK-MAHARASHTRA, NOVEMBER 23, 2012 :‘Variety is the spice of life’ and the variety on display made the evening of 21 November 2012 a rather ‘spicy’ one as Divyadaan Celebrated its Cultural Day.

It was an evening to display and appreciate the great diversity and richness present in the various cultures of the students studying in Divyadaan. The evening began with a short prayer and a few words by the principal Fr. Robert Pen who appreciated the initiative of the students and also highlighted the importance of culture. The students then welcomed the chief guests for the occasion – Fr. Michael Fernandes, the Provincial of Mumbai and Fr. Ian Figueiredo, the Provincial of Konkan. The members from the neighbouring communities were also invited to witness and enjoy the cultural display by the brothers.

The Goans were the first group to present their culture and they did so in song with their famous ‘mandos’ - laying emphasis on the elements of love and humour that are characteristic of their songs.Then followed a ‘Sadri’ dance from the tribals of Jharkhand and Chattisgarh who got the audience tapping their feet and swaying their bodies to the rhythm of their folk songs. The brothers from the north-east put up a melodious ‘Khasi’ song and also managed to get the audience to sing a few lines along with them!

The ‘Vasaikars’ put up a medley of their folk songs which emphasized the events of daily life especially as farmers. Their presentation was followed by an East Indian folk song – complete with dance and music – by the brothers from Uttan-Pali. The brothers from Ahmadnagar put up a tableau that portrayed the various aspects of the culture of interior Maharashtra including their respect for guests, their food and also their famous ‘lavani’ dance. When the brothers from Uttan-Pali took centre stage for their energetic Kholi dance, they had the audience charmed. They had come well prepared with their boats, fish-baskets, a good ‘catch’of fish and a ‘catch’ of an enthralled group of admirers.

The evening was not all song and dance. The brothers from Tamil Nadu presented the diversity in their culture with a power point presentation. The brothers from the North-east also used the same medium to present the history and characteristics of their ‘Rongmei’ culture. The Manglorians presented their culture in style! Instead of appealing to the auditory and visual senses they decided to attack everyone’s taste-buds. They prepared some mouth-watering traditional Manglorian prawn chutney and salad (on stage) and thus gave the audience a real ‘taste’ of their culture. The Anglo Indians, Mizos and Keralites had charts that displayed the elements of their cultures. However, the Keralites did not disappoint the community with just a chart presentation. They put their culinary skills to good use by preparing a special sweet dish for supper!

All in all, the cultural evening was a vivid display of the cultural wealth and ‘unity in diversity’ existent in Divyadaan. It was a moment where each member of the community took pride in one’s culture and also learnt volumes about the cultures of each other. Such occasions will definitely go a long way in fostering a healthy sense of respect for the various cultures present in India.