Indian and Pakistani student groups came together Sunday to compete in a cultural event that leaders hope will help form bonds between the two groups.
The contest, known as Anthakshari, is a singing challenge, said Indian Cultural Association president Nishant Porbanderwalla. One team starts the game with a song. The next team sings a song starting with the letter that ended the first song.
The biannual event is usually held exclusively by ICA. This is the first time in recent history the Pakistani Student Association has been involved, said Junaid Karimi, PSA president.
Anthakshari is a cultural tradition. Families in India and Pakistan play the game at home and at parties, said Kanika Gandhi, ICA publicity coordinator.
Rohit Kapoor, ambassador of ICA, asked PSA to join in the singing game this year. PSA had been contacted about the event in previous years, but declined to participate.
ICA tried in the past to include PSA in Anthakshari events, but until this year, the Pakistani group was not able to fit the event into its schedule, Karimi said.
Kapoor said recent controversy involving Pakistani students was a factor in the decision to come together. Pakistani students, in September, were accused of forging transcripts and have been criticized by other student groups on campus.
"We just wanted to support PSA because of what's been happening lately. You can't label an entire group of people for one person's actions," Kapoor said.
The purpose of the event was to unite Pakistani and Indian students on campus, Karimi said.
"It's not about who wins the game," he said. "It's about what getting the two groups together symbolizes."
Prior to 1947, Pakistan was part of India. Consequently, Pakistan's culture is very similar to India's, said Aaqib Naviwala, PSA event coordinator.
The main difference between the two countries is religion. Many Indians are Hindu, while the dominant religion of Pakistan is Islam. Religious differences have resulted in half a century of bitter warfare between the two countries.
ICA and PSA members want to send the message that events in the Middle East will not cause animosity between Indian and Pakistani students at the University, Porbanderwala said.
"Everyone knows that there's a drift between the two cultures, but the drift is not between common men," Kapoor said.
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