“Mother India”, at the Patio Cafe, offers authentic Indian cuisine. Sheru Singh, the owner of the fast food restaurant, said that “Mother India” has been doing so well and there has been such high demand that they are planning on opening another “Mother India” in the Union in August.

With over 150 students on campus from India and a large community of Indians living in Sacramento and its surrounding areas, Indian culture is quickly becoming a subject of interest for many in the region.

Few countries in the world have such an ancient and diverse culture as India’s. Stretching back in an unbroken sweep over 5,000 years, India’s culture has been enriched by successive waves of migration, which were absorbed into the Indian way of life. It’ s physical, religious and racial variety is more immense than any other country’s, and modern India presents a picture of unity in diversity to which history provides no parallel.

In India dance is considered to be divine in origin. Shiva’s cosmic dance, Tandava, is believed to encompass creation, preservation and destruction, and this idea has been embedded in Hindu thought and ritual since the dawn of civilization. Dance and music, like in America, pervade all aspects of life which bring color and joy to a number of festivals and ceremonies, and Indian classical and modern dances have become immensely popular all over the world.

“I was happy to attend Diwali, the festivals of lights at Sac State in November of last year,” said Raghu Krishnamurthy, who is from the city of Mysore in India and is a student at Sac State, getting his masters in Computer Science.

Diwali, which leads Indians into truth and light, is celebrated nationwide every year in November. It symbolizes that age-old culture of the country, which teaches them to vanquish ignorance that subdues humanity and to drive away darkness that engulfs the light of knowledge. It also teaches them to uphold the true values of life.

“Kheer is one of my favorite dishes and a must-have at all festivals in India and here,” says Krishnamurthy. “It is a rice pudding mostly made of rice, sugar, noodles, cashews, almonds, and dried grapes, and it can be (served either) cold or hot,” he says.

Even though Krishnamurthy is 12,280 miles from his hometown, he still practices his religious beliefs. “Every morning I begin my day with prayer,” he says. “I pray to the gods to give me energy and strength, to watch over the people I love, and I ask for support to get me through the day.”

“The major part of our culture and beliefs is to take care of our family, the elderly. We are a strong unit,” said Janhavi Gummaraju, who is also from India getting her masters in Computer Science. “Learning about other cultures while in America has made my experience here all the more better,” she says. “I don’t feel I’m secluded on campus.”

With such rich diversity on campus, there’s no reason anyone should feel secluded because they are part of a culture we know nothing about. We are part of a college campus where we can learn about different cultures and see those cultures be represented on campus. To experience even more culture, visit “Mother India” for authentic Indian cuisine and put a little culture in your life.

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