Music and devotional songs filled the Engineering Atrium at U of M on Friday, Aug. 8, as the Hindu Students Council (HSC) held its Janmashtami celebration. The event marked the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Lord Vishnu, and brought together faculty, students and families for an evening of cultural performances and community gathering. Originally scheduled for the U of M quad, the celebration was moved indoors due to bad weather.
Diya Jairath, HSC vice president, said, “Janmashtami is Lord Krishna’s birth […] celebrated with bhajans (devotional songs), chanting and re-enactments of Krishna’s birth story.”
“Lord Krishna’s life and teachings focus on the importance of love, compassion and selfless service.” She added, “the purpose of this gathering was to have a lively celebration with our community […] Those away from their families have a chance to celebrate without missing home.”
some participants of the Janmashtami festival pose for a group photo hosted by the Hindu Students Council.
Attendees danced to traditional tunes while performers presented cultural pieces. “The biggest highlights were the dance performances showcasing incredible talent and adding so much energy to the celebration,” said Bhavya Vats, vice president of events management. She described the planning process, “It was a well-planned effort where every team member contributed their skills and creativity […] We divided tasks so each part of the event could be handled efficiently.”
The evening was not without challenges. Ashish Charaya, marketing president, said there “was a major sound issue.” Charaya added, “this setback delayed our event by about an hour and 45 minutes.” Despite the delay, Charaya said the turnout was “very good” and attendee feedback was “overwhelmingly positive.” He promised, “we’ve learned a lot from this experience […] so we’ll be better equipped next time.” Charaya added, “Students can expect our future events to be even more organized, engaging and inclusive […] We plan to bring in more professional support for sound and stage, create more opportunities for audience interaction and continue featuring vibrant performances, beautiful decorations and a variety of vendors.”
Divyanshu Chadda, vice president of external and internal affairs, serving as master of ceremonies for the program, noted the extensive work that went into preparing the celebration. “Preparations involved weeks of planning to ensure that the event was authentic and welcoming for all the guests,” he said.
For the HSC, Janmashtami is also about community building. “Our aim is to build a community and be involved on campus, we want to engage students in festivals and cultural activities but also support each other as students,” said Jairath.
Students interested in joining HSC can find the membership registration link in the group’s Instagram bio. “We welcome everyone,” Jairath said, “and cannot wait to expand our community.”
For updates on upcoming events, follow HSC on Instagram at @hsc_uofm.
