The University of Central Missouri is home to a staggering number of Indian students who find it to be the best educational institution for them. Recognizing the community they have formed there, the university allows for the conduct of multiple cultural Indian Festivals. With these events, the community gets a chance to embrace their cultural traditions.
Primarily, the International Student Services and the Indian Students Association established on the campus are the two primary event managers for the Indian festivity celebration. Taking the help of both of these boards, the students get a platform to come together and support their cultural inclinations.
Be it the vibrant festival of Holi or the festival of lights, Diwali, the Indian students at the University of Central Missouri celebrate them all. Moreover, students of other cultures also carry an interest in these vibrant experiences.
Diwali: The Festival of Lights
One of the most renowned Indian festivals is Diwali, also called the Festival of Lights. It is a festival that Indians celebrate wholeheartedly with their families. At UCM, the student community allows Indian students to experience this feeling of home among their peers. By conducting an entire event comprising decorations and performances correlating with the core of Indian tradition, students there get a chance to celebrate vibrantly.
Usually, the community starts by lighting lamps to light up the entire place. To join in this cultural environment, all the students come in wearing ethnic clothes. They dance, sing, play, and participate in a plethora of cultural activities.
Navratri and Garba Nights
The holiest nine days in the Hindu calender are represented by Navratri and are celebrated with its Garba nights. Indians, as well as other students at the university, wait for the year to enjoy these nine days as a part of the cultural drive at the university. All of these students collaborate and set up the Garba night celebration for these nine days.
Students dance using the ethnic dance forms of Garba and Dandiya and enjoy the event to the best of their hearts after studying the whole day. All the students are seen in different light colors, be it yellow, blue, or red. Observing them dance in harmony best displays how festivals hold the power to bring hearts together.
These are organized when students from all over the university collaborate with the Indian Student Association established at the university. All the contributors play a different part in setting up the festivity as creatively as possible.
Holi: The Festival of Colors
Among the festivals of the Hindu religion that are known worldwide for the positive energy they deliver in the environment they are played, Holi comes at the top. With complete excitement, the entire student council of the University of Central Missouri sets up the venue to enjoy playing with eco-friendly colors and paint all faces with different colors.
After filling the place with both traditional and Indian music, people use colorful powders and water on each other while dancing to their hearts’ extent. Furthermore, traditional Indian food items, such as lassi and samosa, are set up to complete the entire setting and make Indian students feel at home. Holi is always played on a sunny evening, making the colors pop up.
Students who are not of an Indian background also await this colorful festival and take this moment to connect with Indian culture. Thereby making Holi a moment to celebrate the unity of diversity in the student community at the university.
Tips & Tricks To Celebrate Indian Festivals In UCM
When you opt to celebrate your festival as a part of a different community, you need to be aware of the challenges. As much of a fun experience it is, it should not become a hindrance for you, your peers, or the university in any manner. So, to maximize the chance of your festival celebration being a fun experience, below are some tips and tricks you can follow.
- Contribute to Cultural Organizations: If you want to represent your culture, join groups like ISA and come ahead to contribute to the setup of trust as a team member.
- Unite Your Co-students: To make Indians a community and make them work like one, work as much as possible to unite with your co-students and form good communication.
- Incorporate Indian Traditions: To introduce your non-Indian peers to your tradition and its beauty, start incorporating traditional art or food in your surroundings.
- Invite Others: Since you are among a foreign public, try and invite them to explore your culture as well and become a part of the celebrations.
- Form Virtual Connection: Connect with your family and friends on video calls as well and share your happiness with them to get twice the festive joy.
- Learn To Adapt: Not everything in a foreign environment will be the same as your home, so learn to accept the local variations of your traditional requirements and blend them.
With these tips, you can maintain cultural unity as a part of your community while celebrating your festivities in a memorable and meaningful manner.
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FAQs
How good is the University of Central Missouri for Indian students?
Comprising over 3,901 international students from over 47 countries, the location delivers a great academic community which is highly accepting and supportive towards Indian students.
How many Indians are there at the University of Central Missouri?
As per the official statistics displayed by the faculty of UCM, Indian students comprise about 6%of the student community at the campus. Thereby making the 558 Indian students at the UCM the 4th leading international population in the college.
Which city is best for Indians in the USA?
Among the different cities that are renowned in the USA, Houston, Arizona, San Diego, Boston, Chicago, and Atlanta come as the top names where living for Indians becomes a good experience.
Why is the University of Central Missouri so popular?
The University of Central Missouri was established in 1871. Since then, the university has excelled in offering majors to a diverse international and domestic population in the most innovative manner. Having an 18 students worth of average class size and delivering financial aid to over 94% of UCM undergraduates, UCM stays true to its #4 national college ranking.
