BROOKLYN COLLEGE– The bedazzled dresses of the dancers shone like their own galaxies filled with twinkling stars alongside the full moon for which they were there to celebrate. Music emanated throughout the entire Student Center, spreading a symphony of laughter and singing as members joined together in song. The Bangladesh Student Association held this celebration, known as “Purnima Raat” (পূর্ণিমা রাত “Night of the Full Moon”), on Dec. 3, inviting all to observe the night.
For lead organizers of the event, the goal was to introduce Brooklyn College students to Bangladeshi culture through the full moon celebration and by showcasing elements of their culture through a variety of dances, skits, and Bangladeshi poems and songs. For Bangladeshi-American students, it was a moment to feel even more connected to their culture.
“The goal of the BSA hosting Purnima Raat tonight is essentially to kind of capture and captivate the crowd and allow people a chance to celebrate their Bangladeshi heritage while being overseas and out of the homeland,” Naheen Khan, vice president of BSA, told The Vanguard. “But at the same time, in this diverse environment at Brooklyn College, one of the most diverse I would say universities within New York City and if not the whole of the U.S., essentially invite other people from other cultures to come and enjoy ours.”
