The UMass Hindu YUVA Executive Board has exciting future plans for the year ahead! This is the first year that we are raising funds through UMassGives and we hope that this will help us achieve great things this year! This year, Hindu YUVA successfully organized a series of vibrant and meaningful cultural events that brought our campus community together. We began by celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi, where students participated in a hands-on activity, creating their own clay Ganesha idols—an experience that beautifully combined artistry and devotion. Later, we hosted a spirited Dandiya night, wherein students decorated their own Dandiyas for Navaratri. We concluded the semester with our flagship event, the annual Diwali Puja, which brought together students, faculty, and community members to honor the Festival of Lights through prayer, music, and celebration. This semester we kicked off with our first Speaker event wherein our speaker Sooraj Saxena gave a talk about the divinity and power of Shakti - the divine feminine. We held a traditional Holi Dahan bonfire ceremony that symbolized the victory of good over evil. We have also held several smaller events like a Pipli workshop, Bhajan nights, a weekly Bhagavad Gita book club, a Finals week Meditation & Yoga workshop and collaborations with various other cultural groups. These events foster community and provide a space for students to freely practice Hinduism.
Your support and donations would help us gather funds to create the best experience possible for all attendees at our events. This includes catering for 500+ students, sound systems through external vendors, hiring photographers/videographers, arts and crafts, performances, along with other club expenses. To reach our ambitious goal, your support is vital! We believe that if we rally together, we can better serve the Hindu community at UMass Amherst! To make events possible, ensure Hindu and Dharmic students feel at home at UMass, and to increase our advocacy power on campus it is vital to have the necessary funds.
Let us invest in Hindu students and Hindu life on college campuses. We're calling on students and our community to help us reach our monetary goal. Every dollar counts, and your donation will go a long way in ensuring that adequate support and a voice is given to Hindus on campus!
Thank you for contributing!
Power Hour #3: April 29, 3–4 p.m.
