Beasley Coliseum rang in the New Year Sunday when the Sikh Student Association (SSA) held its annual Vaisakhi Night.

Vaisakhi is a harvest festival celebrated in the Punjab region of India and represents the start of the harvest season.

“Vaisakhi marks the New Year in the Punjab region, because our culture is based on farming,” said Sunny Gill, a WSU junior and member of the SSA.

The event featured traditional Indian cuisine and cultural performances from various on-campus and local groups. Henna was offered at $5 per hand.

“The whole Indian community gets together for this,” Gill said. “Spokane, Tri-Cities, Lewiston, Clarkston – we go to a lot of places to promote it.”

Jay Dave, vice president of the Indian Student Association, performed in a Bollywood fusion dance that featured five other dancers.

“The fusion Bollywood is not from the state of Punjab but from all of India,” Dave said. “We put together the latest songs, the ones that were really popular in India, and made up steps for them.”

Dave also performed a more traditional fusion solo dance.

Children from the Palouse Indian Families Association (PIFA) also performed at the event.

SSA adviser Amita Mohan said that the annual Vaisakhi Night helps the local community and students connect with Indian culture.

“All the dance performances, and particularly the kids’ performances, helped connect them to their culture,” Mohan said. “India is a culturally diverse country — though Vaisakhi night is particularly celebrated in the Punjab region, the harvest festival is celebrated in almost every part of India.”

Two brothers, Aditya and Shoham, played melodic instruments and sang three traditional Indian and Bengali songs. Additionally, the brothers performed “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons.

Five children in traditional costume danced in the style of Bhangra, a musical genre and dance style that originated in Punjab.

Three girls performed to the Bollywood songs “Dhinka Chika” and “Manva Lage.”

The event also featured Giddha, a Punjabi folk dance, performed by eight women dressed in traditional attire. The dance is intended to portray feminine grace and elegance.

Traditional dishes such as shahi paneer, dal makhani, naan, and gulab jamun were served as part of the event’s annual dinner.

“Usually what happens in India, there’s a feast and it’s for free,” Dave said. “It doesn’t matter who you are or where you’re from, everybody comes together to enjoy the festival and welcome the New Year.”

Gulab jamun is a traditional dessert made from milk solids and is often served at weddings and birthday parties.

Dal makhani is a lentil dish made with black lentils, red kidney beans, butter, and cream.

Shahi paneer is a thick gravy made with cream, tomatoes and spices that is usually eaten with bread, such as naan.

Naan is a type of flatbread similar to Greek pita. The menu also included butter chicken, rice, and salad.

“I hope everyone had a wonderful evening filled with fun, colorful performances and good food,” Mohan said.

U.S. Bank and the Residence Hall Association co-sponsored the event. The Sikh Temple of Spokane also contributed funds.