A Highly Entertaining “Andaaz Purana, Nayya Zamana”
By Iraj Siddiqi
As they looked for familiar faces through the sea of Pakistani community members, attendees of the 3rd annual Pakistani culture show entered USC’s Bovard auditorium on Sunday, March 30, 2008 with a buzz of excitement. The over 800 guests who attended the event took their seats and waited to be blown away by the acting and dancing of students from the Pakistani Students Associations of UCLA, UCI, UCR, and USC. Through their joint efforts, this production titled “Andaaz Purana, Nayya Zamana” raised over $5,000 for the autistic ward of a facility for disabled kids in Lahore, Pakistan.
The program began with a speech by Pakistan Link’s very own Arif Mansuri highlighting the importance of reading the Link for its immense value. Then, they were off. The PSAs organized the event to involve a dramatic story presented through a skit that unfolded throughout the evening. Three separate tales were shared and summed up together in the final scene in which two separate morals were learned: that relationships built on lies do not prosper and that people must adapt and assimilate into their environments even if that means letting go of lasting traditions. The skit was interspersed with various dance performances covering traditional, hip-hop, bhangra, and other styles by each of the different universities. Delicious kebab rolls and chicken biryani were sold at intermission by sponsor Shalimar Garden Restaurant.
Overall, the success of this event can be attributed to the generous support from various organizations, the tremendous assistance from patient volunteers, the enthusiastic participation of skit and dance members, and the incredible drive and perseverance of PSA Presidents Vageha Khan, Imran Ahmed, Shalra Hameed, and Sabeen Chawla as well as the boards at each university. The success of this event sets the bar even higher for the organizers of next year’s annual PSA Culture Show.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
