NU Aaroh’s Dilwale Valentine’s Day showcase took place at the Fenway Center Feb. 7 and included a vibrant mix of classic romantic melodies. Within the South Asian community, Dilwale means generous or brave-hearted; someone with a lot of love in their heart. With Valentine’s Day coming up, the theme was very fitting.
Aaroh, the student group that organized the showcase, is an undergraduate Indian music club whose music ranges from classical, semiclassical, jazz, classic Bollywood and South Indian, among many other genres. Its showcase included popular numbers such as “Laal Ishq,” by Arijit Singh, “Aga Naga” by A.R Rahman and “Tum Se Hi” by Mohit Chauhan that many in the room swayed to. There were myriad instruments, including the acoustic and electric guitar, violin, keyboard, drums, veena, kanjira and harmonium.
Aaroh’s collective talent and creativity acted as an inspiration for all of its members.
“Everyone is just so creative, and it’s just so awesome to be surrounded by these people, and they definitely inspire me, not only off stage but on stage,” said Diya Misra, a first-year behavioral neuroscience major and one of Aaroh’s singers. “This is the week before Valentine’s, so definitely the theme was love. And so I think all the songs kind of encompass that.”
The showcase had eight sets of songs total. Each set brought a different flurry of colorful outfits to match the theme and genre of the songs being sung.
Throughout the showcase, Aaroh’s voices and instruments blended together to create a romantic and warm atmosphere. Their songs put a smile on everyone’s face.
Another one of Aaroh’s singers, Naomi Rajput, a fourth-year behavioral neuroscience major, said she was really proud of the showcase. “This showcase meant a lot for us, because not only is it highlighting all of India’s and South Asia’s culture, but it also speaks to that sentiment of how ‘Dilwale’ Indians are, which means how personable they are and how they wear their heart on their sleeve and invite everyone,” Rajput said.
During the showcase, it was clear that Aaroh had created a community for others.
“It’s a community, no matter if you’re Indian or not. We are people with heart. And we invite people in, so it meant that to me,” Rajput said.
