Religious festival celebration to be held Saturday

Hayden Freese

Troy University students will have the opportunity to participate in the Nepali Dashian Festival, a spiritual celebration, hosted by the Nepali Student Association.

The festival will be celebrated on Saturday, Oct. 7, and is an event that Student Government Association (SGA) President Ashli Morris, a senior political science major from Athens, hopes will bring students together.

“One thing that I am super passionate about and excited about in general is furthering our relationship with international students, and that’s because we all, on both sides, have so much to gain from that relationship being built and strengthened,” Morris said.  “So from these events, I’m hoping that students will go and they will take the time to sit with someone who is not from this country (America), learn about them, who they are and see them as a person.”

According to Oshan Upreti, a junior computer science major from Nepal and Nepali Student Association Treasurer, the celebration is very important.

“It is one of the biggest celebrations in Hindu culture and typically lasts for fifteen days (in Hindu culture),” Upreti said.

Morris said she hopes students gain the opportunity to build relationships with other students at the festival.

“I’m really hoping that these events will help international students build relationships with domestic students, but also give us the opportunity to bridge the gap,” Morris said.

Upreti said there will be food, dance, songs and entertainment at the event.

It will be held on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 6 p.m. at the Baptist Church Ministries (BCM). Tickets are $10. Those interested in buying