“Immerse yourself in all things Indian Saturday during Namaste at Millersville University” – published in Lancaster Newspapers on Sep 7, 2016
Namaste, co-sponsored by the Indian Organization of Lancaster County and the President’s Commission on Cultural Diversity & Inclusion at Millersville University, features Indian food, dance, entertainment, games and vendors. Namaste is a customary greeting in India. In the Hindi language it means, “I bow to the divine in you.’’ Visitors can experience Indian culture through dance performances, an array of traditional food, henna tattooing, games, an Indian marketplace and, new this year, cultural workshops. “We’ve tried to make sure there’s no overlap,’’ Balepur says. “We want people to be able to experience everything.’’ Food and vendors will be open all day. “No matter when you come, you can eat and you can shop,’’ she says. A variety of traditional Indian food will be offered at Namaste. Balepur points out that the dancing workshops will be instructed by area high school students, who are very excited by the opportunity. That delights her. “As a cultural organization, it’s neat to do these things, get great attendance and all that,’’ she says. “But for our children to be involved in the culture and actually be happy about getting involved and sharing is huge.’’ Some returning performers are coming from surrounding counties, Balepur says. “They love performing here,’’ she says. “There’s a level of energy and warmth in the room that they always want to come back for.’’