Kamini Purushothaman, Contributing Photographer

On Sunday, Nov. 3, Yale’s South Asian Society transformed Woolsey Hall into a celebration of song, dance and even comedy for one of their largest annual cultural shows, Roshni. 

Named after the Sanskrit word for “light,” Roshni highlighted South Asian creativity on campus and featured performances from nine campus organizations: dance groups Kalaa, Jashan Bhangra, MonstRAASity, Rangeela and Navarasa, along with a cappella group Avaaz and classical Indian music group Dhvani.

Individuals and smaller ensembles also performed at the showcase, bringing a range of talent from across the South Asian diaspora.

“It’s Woolsey, it’s a big stage.” said Chiraag Sachdev ’26, co-captain of Jashan Bhangra. “There’s lots of people, and it’s always lots of fun.”

Preparation for the show begins with weekly dance practices, music selection and costume planning — ramping up in the final week with daily rehearsals. During this intensive tech week, performers focus on perfecting every detail and fine-tuning transitions to bring the showcase to life.

Performers blended classical Indian art forms with contemporary music throughout the show, even combining the two.

Bhangra, the main genre of performance for Jashan Bhangra, is a Punjabi folk dance that involves drums, sticks and saap — accordion-like props that dancers use to make synchronized clapping sounds. 

In their most recent performance, the group strove to blend the traditional with the contemporary, according to Sachdev and his co-captain, Jaspreet Sandhu ’26. In some songs, the group paired typical moves like leg lifts and shoulder bounces, not with the characteristic beat of the dhol — a double-headed drum, but with the deep bass of contemporary pop and hip-hop music.

“We really wanted to highlight Punjabi culture in our music and choreography choices and also make traditional moves newer and more creative,” Sandhu said. 

For the pair, that endeavor is personal. As the first Punjabi captains in recent memory, Sachdev and Sandhu said they felt a responsibility to honor their cultural roots.

Having both been on the team for three years, the two captains said that this year’s Roshni experience pushed them creatively. In the process of preparing for the showcase, the two said that they worked extensively with their DJ over a five-month period, coordinated the details of the dancers’ vibrant outfits and organized an impromptu day-of rehearsal due to scheduling conflicts with Yale’s Diwali celebration.

According to Sachdev, one of the best parts was celebrating with the team after the showcase ended, as the members ate dinner together and watched videos of their performance.

“It was a lot of fun to see everyone so happy with their performance and with all the effort they put in,” he said.

This sense of community is woven into the fabric of Roshni itself. A long-standing tradition, each class in Yale’s South Asian Society performs their own choreography. The lighthearted competition between different years encourages students to celebrate their shared heritage together.

Rohan Lokanadham ’28, a South Asian Society Board member, sang the Hindi song Kaise Hua at the showcase. Having helped prepare the performance for two consecutive years, he said that he always loves watching the show come together. For Lokanandham — who is part of the a cappella group Out of the Blue — performing at the showcase was a way to explore his musical interests through his cultural background.

“Watching the teams practice and hype each other up is really heartwarming,” he said.

Another participant, Anjal Jain ’26, echoed Lokanadham’s statements about the exhilarating lead-up to Roshni. She said that the nervous excitement backstage contributes to a sense of satisfaction and camaraderie once the performers step onto the stage and share their work with  those who came to support them.

Jain, who is part of Kalaa and Dhvani, also performed a song with Maanasa Nandigam ’25. The two bonded over their love of Bollywood music, combining their favorites to sing at the showcase.

Regardless of whether it’s your first, or last, Roshni, Jain said that the spirit of the celebration remains constant.

“Every year it’s a new set of faces as people come and go,” said Jain. “So it’s really cool to see that the energy at Roshi always stays so supportive.”

She said that Yale offers a large platform for South Asian culture that sets it apart from other universities. Jain mentioned that there were very few South Asian students at her high school, so experiencing the South Asian performing arts scene at Yale has made her feel more connected to her heritage and artistry.

Jain added that seeing her non-South Asian friends come to Roshni to support her and experience something new is particularly powerful. Most of all, she feels “comforted” by the bonds she has been able to form with other classically trained South Asian performing artists.

“The best feeling,” said Jain, “is when we’re done with a performance and come off stage like ‘we killed it. That was so good.’”