Saratoga fosters Indian cultural roots

Being Indian is kind of strange. There are so many moments in which we feel happy to be Indian, yet also a number of moments in which we’re glad to be raised as Americans. However, the former is more frequent than the latter.

As Indians, we are proud to say that our culture (or our parents’, anyway) is represented well locally. Saratoga makes sure to represent the Indian community in full force through various events and traditions, all culminating into the pride we feel as a culture.

Bombay in the Bay

Some attribute this Indian emergence to the rise of the Indian Cultural Awareness Club and its annual show, “Bombay in the Bay.” The show features acts from each class, as well as various Indian styles of dancing, singing and instrumentals. Students of all ethnicities have developed an interest in the show; the senior class alone will display almost 100 performers this year, a record breaking number in the club’s history.

The show now takes place in February, with acts beginning practices as early as December or November. Choreographers work hard to produce fusion mixes, mingling Indian music with contemporary styles of music fit for choreographed dancing.

“Being a choreographer is super stressful but super fun because the process of making your ideas come to life and working with your friends and peers is really rewarding and involves a lot of creativity,” senior choreographer Meghna Chakraborty said. “I usually just listen to the music while thinking about the dancers and audience and the ideas just come to me. The toughest part is making the picture in my head become a reality.”

Although Bombay in the Bay started as a show put together by predominantly Indian performers, more students from all races have been signing up to take part. Since the performance is open to anyone who chooses to participate, many students who are not of Indian descent, especially from the senior class, have partaken in the show at some point during high school.

“I think Bombay in the Bay’s a really fun way to learn about a different culture and it's really cool that I'm getting to try something that I normally wouldn't be comfortable doing,” senior Adrienne Kim said. “I'm not the best at dancing, but the choreographers are pretty good with helping me and the dance itself is so fun.”

Homecoming dance

Beyond Bombay in the Bay, cultural Indian dances can also be found plentifully in quad days during Homecoming. Although much more informal than the annual Bombay in the Bay, these dances still find a large number of participants and are highly anticipated by the rest of the school.

“Having an ethnic dance [is] kind of a nice change from the same music and dance moves that a lot of quad day dances have,” junior Luke Salin said. “Since our racial and cultural diversity is so strong at this school, I think people get really passionate about having ethnic dances.”

The Homecoming Indian dances have garnered a considerable amount of interest from students of various cultures, with upwards of 80 signups for the senior class’ dance. Although only around 40 people ended up performing on Oct. 25, 2014, everyone involved enjoyed taking part.

The trend towards more Bollywood style dances during Homecoming started after the class of 2013 incorporated one into their “Pirates of the Caribbean” skit. Due to the extremely enthusiastic response from students, the number of these dances is not expected to decrease soon.

“We used to have a lot of [Korean] dances, up until the class of 2013, but I don’t mind the transition from K-pop dances to Bollywood dances because Bollywood is so fun,” senior Eunju Pak said. “It looks cool, and also there’s such a strong Indian culture at our school that I feel like it was inevitable.”

The crowd is usually pleased by the mix of different cultures associated with the song mix and the dance present in the Indian performance, another highlight of Saratoga’s Indian Culture Takeover.

Pop culture

Growing up in an Indian household, most Indian American students are exposed to a great deal of traditional music and movies, giving them a taste of the styles and format of entertainment that their parents grew up with. This includes upbeat songs integrated into movies, most of which are about a stereotypical criminal justice story.

Exposure to such songs and movies change the views of Indian American students, giving them an insight into their parents’ native cultures. Some students say that learning about such things provides them with a bridge into the immersion of tradition and knowledge of their parents and ancestors.

One popular form of cultural expression is traditional Indian dance; in addition to being featured in the cultural section of the Bombay in the Bay performance, many students choose to take on dance classes which are established with enriched cultural backgrounds.

“I started learning dance when I was young because my mom suggested the idea of a lasting cultural hobby for me,” Maheshwari said. “I danced for several years and it was an amazing experience that I will always remember.”

Most cultural dancers culminate their learning experiences in a performance known as an arangetram, a three-hour performance representing the graduation of a dance student to the next level of dance. This performance can take place at any age, though most performers are in their teenage years.

Lasting legacy

It is clear that Indian influence is a force on our community, affecting many students in various ways. Whether it be through annual cultural performances, simple home exposure to popular media, or continued traditional dance opportunities, the Indian community is proud to have a strong home in Saratoga.