Beautiful handmade costumes, months of rehearsals and a chance of winning one thousand dollars in cash can mean only one thing: it's time for Muqabala, the annual talent competition held by the Indian Student Association.
On Saturday Nov. 12, teams from universities across New York and Pennsylvania will be assembling at the Center for the Arts to showcase their special talents. From traditional Indian folk music to modern Bhangra, songs from Bollywood movies and the first Indian band at UB, the audience can expect an evening of theatrical and musical delights.
"Muqubala," which translates to "competition" in English, is now in its 11th year. With the culmination of months of planning and rehearsals it is the biggest event in the Indian Student Association's calendar.
"In past years, Muqabala has always proved to be an event where we were able to promote awareness of the South Asian culture while having fun at the same time," said Mukul Talihiani, president of the Indian Student Association.
Apart from the singing and musical aspects of the show, the costumes also play an important role. Students will be dressed in beautiful traditional Indian clothing. Some are bought from professional dressmakers in Canada and New Jersey, while others will be showcasing their own and their parents' handiwork.
This year's competition is among teams from SUNY Binghamton, SUNY Albany, USP-Philadelphia and the University at Rochester, as well as two teams from UB. Each team is made up of an average of 15 people and the participants are a mixture of ethnicities, not just Indian.
An audience of over 800 people is expected at the event and Tahiliani said that many different members of the community would make up the audience.
"This event draws students, staff and faculty from the university as well as members of the greater Buffalo community," said Tahiliani. "It is one of the largest South Asian cultural shows in Buffalo."
This year prize money has been introduced, giving the competition an extra edge. There is $500 for the best song and $1,000 going to the best overall performance.
However, aside from the generous prizes, Tahiliani said the show is about much more than just competition.
"The most important aspect of Muqubala is not the prize money, but the energy you feel during this healthy competition," said Veneet Dutta, vice president of the Indian Student Association. "Be prepared to have the teams sweep you off your seats."
Jeyandini Fernando and Harkiran Singh are both participants from UB taking part in the competition. They are part of the UB Bhangra Club and have spent hours preparing for the show, including ordering their costumes directly from India.
"I enjoy dancing, particularly Bhangra which is the folk dance of Punjab, since that is where I am from," said Singh, a junior chemistry major.
"Our dance is 100 percent original, as we have been choreographing it since the summer," said Fernando, a sophomore legal studies sophomore.
The atmosphere of the performance is different from that of a regular show. As it is an inter-collegiate competition, the audience's contribution is important.
"The performers feed off the audience. The cheering and screaming gives us a massive adrenaline rush," said Fernando.
The show starts at 6 p.m. and is expected to last three hours. Tickets cost $10. After the show, the official Muqubala semi-formal is taking place at Hearthstone Manor in Depew. The climax of the day's celebrations, it is open to both participants and spectators of the show and promises to be an excellent night. With a DJ from New York City and dancing until 3 a.m., tickets for this event cost an extra $10. Transportation will be provided from both campuses.
