Pennington’s South Asian Student Society, affectionately known as SASS, has had a particularly busy month. Earlier this October, the group hosted a student-centered Garba Night on campus featuring brightly colored clothing and festive sparklers.The evening of food, music, and dancing commemorates Navratri, a traditional celebration of women and empowerment in Hindu culture.
A club like SASS allows students the opportunity to “better connect with (their) peers at Pennington,” according to Nishka V. ’26, one of the group’s student leaders. Nishka explained that SASS “gives me a space to host events related to our culture and strengthen my identity by celebrating what is important to me within the greater Pennington community. Hosting Garba was such a wonderful experience because of the connections and memories we made with students and teachers.”
Later in the month, over a dozen members of SASS spent a memorable Chapel service sharing some of their favorite Diwali memories and stories with peers and faculty members. Diwali, also known as the Hindu festival of lights, commemorates the triumph of good over evil and is often associated with new beginnings. Shubh G. ’26 described the holiday as a time full of joy, light, and togetherness, and recounted his many memories of putting up lights each and every year. Nishka shared that the lights are symbolic of triumph over darkness, and emphasized the strength we can find in unity. “It is so important that SASS and other affinity groups are present within our school because then we can better understand and truly appreciate the diversity within our community.”