The night’s festivity included singing, dancing, a recital, and highlighted a fashion show during which a wealth of designs and fabrics symbolizing India in all its artistic hues took the audience to a journey across the country.

“A lot of work went into it. We never planned anything like this before. We learned a lot of things. It was fun,” Paturi said.

She said that club members lent each other outfits. “We were sharing the clothes that we had – our best clothes.”

Indian fashion industry came scintillating as over a dozen models draped in stunningly beautiful fabrics accented by different designs and textures catwalked to superb elegance.

According to Paturi, the women dressed in formal and casual wear called salwar. The formal salwar comes in “jazzy” materials while the casual form of the salwar commonly comes in cotton.

The men, she said, wore the traditional pajama outfit. The pajama comes in silk and comes below the knee. She said on regular occasions, men wear trousers and shirts.

The night’s highlighted fashion show was accented by a sitar recital by chemistry instructor David Gray, who is a student of Ustad Habib Khan.

According to event-goers, Habib Khan is regarded as one of the best players in the country today.

Gray said that the sitar, also known as the North Indian String Instrument, has 18 strings and has been around since the 14th century. Gray said that the sitar is associated with the classical music of India.

According to Paturi, Gray plays for various charities.

The earnings from the night will go to earthquake victims in India, Paturi said.

After the recital, host Svetha Swaminathan ignited a flame to a long candle, then passed it around.

After about a minute club members on stage had their candle lit. Swaminathan then asked for a moment of silence to remember all those suffering.

“It’s unfair to be partying, while we have relatives in India suffering,” she said.

The Drishti Indian Club meets on Tuesdays from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the Student Council Chambers on the lower level of the Hinson Campus Center.