Bhasha Utsav And Ethnic Day 2019 Celebrated At CHRIST, Lavasa

“Bhasha Utsav and Ethnic Day 2019” were celebrated at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Lavasa amidst cheer and applause and in its true spirit on Saturday, 9th November 2019. The stage was set and the students displayed an array of tradition and showcased their diverse ethnicities through their costumes. One could feel that diversity of India was aptly represented in the entire campus.

CHRIST, Lavasa is a perfect representation of such an amalgamation because students hail from all over India. The students from different regions to study and work in close coordination with each other and such events highlight unity in diversity. The ethnic diversity adds an element of richness to our society and it also teaches students to be tolerant and appreciative of another person’s culture.

`Ethnic Day’ is a much sought after event as the students eagerly look forward to display their distinct culture and tradition and celebrate our legacy. It was a celebration of various cultures, languages and traditions and to show how unique everyone is in their own way. The message conveyed through organization of Ethnic Day was to celebrate culture in the form of appreciating different individuals.

The colourful event began after everyone assembled at Management Block and proceeded to Central Block. The students danced to the beats of Dhol Tashe to the their heart's content. The entire Management Block and the path till Central Block resounded with the sound. The tone was set, the bright colourful dresses added a traditional touch and everyone was enthusiastic about it.

The event began with a prayer song by Nandini Pahwa, who recited with utmost reverence. Then Director & Dean, Dr Fr Jossy P George addressed the spirited gathering. Fr Jossy rightly pointed out that Ethnic Day is an epitome of unity in diversity. He felt it an accomplishment to have students in CHRIST from nearly seventeen states and in an age of technology and modernization such events offer an excellent opportunity to blend students from different cultures. 

Fr Jossy motivated the Christites to accept the good from each tradition and respect each other's culture. Fr Jossy thanked the Chief Guest, Ms Seema Biswas for blessing the students with her presence and also expressed his heartfelt thanks to DJ Rajan and Mr Jimmy Joseph.

The Chief Guest on this occasion was Indian film and theatre actor, Ms Seems Biswas. Ms Biswas is an Indian film and theatre actress from Assam. She shot to prominence with the role of Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur's film Bandit Queen, for which she won the National Film Award for Best Actress. She is famous for performing strong character roles. She won the 2000 Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the 2006 Best Actress Genie Award for her role as Shakuntala in Deepa Mehta's Water. Her other mainstream films include Khamoshi: The Musical, for which she won the Screen Award for Best Supporting Actress, Bhoot, Vivah, and Half Girlfriend. In addition to films, Ms Biswas has been a part of many television shows. Ms Biswas addressed the gathering.

Graceful and elegant Ms Biswas was dressed in her traditional Assemese attire. She felt extremely glad to be a part of a wonderful evening and profusely thanked Fr Jossy, Fr Arun and Dr Daisy Alexander. Ms Seema was mesmerized by the cool balmy breeze and could feel the pulse of Bhasha Utsav in the ambience. She gave facts about the languages in the country and narrated anecdotes from her professional life as she travelled and interacted with people who spoke varied languages. 

While Ms Biswas consider language as a medium of communication yet she asserted that language of humanity is par excellence and has the potential to cross any barrier. She rightly pointed out that in today's digital world the geographical boundaries may have been reduced yet humanity surpasses everything and brings together people from different cultures. She concluded by inspiring everyone to spread the language of humanity all over the world.

The cultural program began with some eye catching cultural programs. The dance performances ranged from students representing Orrisa, Telengana, Rajasthan, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, North East, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal through their well-choreographed dances. The colorful costumes added an extra spark to the cultural celebration and there was an air of festivity all around.  

 It was a pleasure to watch the students take part enthusiastically and greet each other in a traditional way. It was a sight to behold the students dressed in colourful and traditional costume walk down a ramp with aplomb. Despite being conscious initially, soon inhibition was shed and they confidently displayed their best. Mr and Ms Ethnic title was given to Nihal Thapa and Miss Teresa M Thomas respectively. Rajasthani dance was adjusted as the best dance.

The Christites radiated smile and each time they burst into peals of laughter it added to the atmosphere of gaiety. It was a moment of fun and frolic and everyone, be it students or faculty, enjoyed it immensely. The students and faculty members showcased their diverse ethnicities through their ethnic dresses which represented the uniqueness and cultural identity of their individual native state. The vote of thanks was given by Academic Coordinator, Dr Fr Arun Antony.

Later the dance floor was thrown open for the audience and DJ Rajan entertained them with popular song and dance numbers. They grooved to the beats of foot tapping numbers in perfect sync with each other.

The event was successfully coordinated by SWO team and they effectively managed to let everyone come together under one roof to make it the most vibrant and momentous event. The entire event was gracefully and perfectly anchored by Nihal Thapa and Divyanshi.