Stevens first Hindu new year by Hindu YUVA

On Sunday, April 3, the Stevens Hindu YUVA Chapter celebrated its first celebration of Hindu New Year. The festivities began with Jallosh, a New Jersey-based music troupe that keeps the playing of traditional Indian drums alive. The band performed music that originated from Maharashtra, India. They combined drums (Dhol) and cymbals (Taasha) to create an incredible and authentic atmosphere. In Marathi, the language of Maharashtra, the name for such a troupe is Dhol Taasha Pathak, which translates to Drum Cymbal Squad. This form of music, Dhol-Tasha, was originally used in war to motivate soldiers before battle. However, over time, Dhol-Tasha became a custom for joyous occasions, such as marriages, New Year celebrations, and Ganesh Chaturthi. At this particular New Year celebration, over a hundred students danced and rejoiced together to the beat of the drums. 

Along with the captivating music, student performers Yasha Manjunatha and Venkat Gouranga sang for the crowd. Two speakers, Shri Shivam Gosai and Dr. Shekhar Patel joined them as well in order to provide more insight into the meaning behind the Hindu New Year. Shivam is a mental health counselor who spoke on the spirituality surrounding the new year. For three years, Shivam studied Hindu spirituality, which is called Advaita Vedanta, at Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in South India. Meanwhile, Dr. Patel is the President of the International Center for Cultural Studies and a Board of Trustee of the Hindu University of America. He informed the audience about the meaning behind the New Year. 

After the speakers presented, dinner was served. The food was prepared in Maharashtrian style. There were spiced potatoes with herbs (Batata Bhaji), fried wheat bread (Puri), spiced rice (Masala Bhaat), and saffron milk sweet balls (Kesar Pedha). The food was delicious and filled the room with a beautiful aroma. While the attendees ate, Jallosh began to beat their drums, and the dance floor filled up again.

The Stevens Hindu YUVA Chapter was established in November 2021 by founding members Abhishek Paradkar (President), Sumedh Habbu (Secretary), and Nishanth Sura (Treasurer). The other executive committee members are Samradnyi Deshmukh (Vice President), Ayushi Gupta (Social Media Chair), and Sanhita Bhagwat (Public Relations Chair). Their doors are open to students of all religious, national, and backgrounds. Additionally, the Chapter invites all and any Hindu undergraduate students to attend their meetings and events.