On Wednesday night, the Babbio Center Atrium was full of good food and people excited for the Indian Undergraduate Association’s Henna Night. The IUA has been holding Henna Night for several years, and since it is so popular, it now occurs once a semester. Henna is a type of body art popular in India and other South Asian countries. Because Henna is not permanent like a real tattoo but lasts longer than most temporary tattoos, it has gained a lot of popularity throughout America. This accounts for the event’s popularity, as many lined up to get tattooed with an interesting design.
While the IUA changed things up from the last few events of this kind by hiring professional henna artists, this was not their way of putting an end to students applying henna on their own. The students had the choice to apply their own henna tattoos or have the professionals do the job for them. Students seemed excited for their designs. “I love Henna,” said student Liz Steward, who was attending her second Henna Night. “It’s like getting a real tattoo, without the commitment.”
And body paint was not the only item the IUA offered. There were also tables of food and drinks. Most of the food had some sort of Indian bent to it. One platter featured naan, a flatbread found in the cuisine of West, Central, and South Asia. The lineup also featured a buttered chicken dish and kajukhatri, an Indian dessert. For the less adventurous eaters, there was also the option of classic toasted bread. The Vice President of the IUA, Kevin Mehta, worked the table and was very helpful in explaining the dishes to students who were unfamiliar with them.
President Naiya Patel was also present and available to answer questions at the event. “The Indian Undergraduate Association’s mission at Stevens is to bring people of various ethnicities together and celebrate various festivals/holidays that occur in the Southeast Asia region,” Patel said. “We want to educate people on the traditions and explain the meanings behind them. We also like to bring everyone together to give them a taste of our various types of foods.”
Luckily for Patel, it seems as though the Henna Night succeeded in all of those goals, not that that’s stopping the IUA from putting on more events. Their next event is a Fashion Show, which will be held at Bissinger on February 25 at 8 p.m.. On March 11 at 1 p.m., they will have their annual Holi celebration. It’s clear that the IUA has many events, and Henna Night is just one in a string of successes.
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