The University of Connecticut’s Hindu Students Organization collaborated with the Bangladeshi Student Association to host Mock Shaadi on Saturday, April 19 in the Student Union Ballroom. The event’s doors opened at 4:30 p.m. and was followed by an afterparty at Kathmandu in downtown Storrs.
“[Mock Shaadi is] HSO’s biggest event! It is a mock wedding where couples compete against each other through various games that test their understanding and compatibility, and they are pure fun,” said HSO co-vice president Roshan Jagannathan, in an email correspondence.
After the games, the audience votes on the “best couple” in a poll and they partake in a traditional wedding ceremony, according to the HSO board. Additionally, a number of UConn dance teams perform. This year’s lineup included performances from UConn Jhalak, Surya and Bhangra. Husky Hungama, a South Asian-inspired acapella group also had a performance.
“To engage with the audience, we also have audience games where students can win prizes. The event also features a delicious dinner served at the end. This event is funded by USG and is open and accessible to all undergraduate students at UConn,” stated Jagannathan.
According to Jagannathan, because the event is such a grand affair, it requires lots of planning. The organizations began in the summer of 2024. Throughout the year, they worked on finding decorations, working through USG funding requests, food catering, creating an itinerary for the performances and more.
One of the most essential aspects of the event is finding the couples, according to their Instagram post. Applications opened in January and were due on February 21, according to their Instagram. After the applications were reviewed, couples and individuals were interviewed. On April 2, the three couples were announced via Instagram.
For music, the organization even flew in DJ Shay from California to perform at the event, according to Jagannathan. Additionally, they hosted a Love Island themed afterparty at Kathmandu in downtown Storrs.
To raise money alongside the University Student Government funding, HSO hosted fundraisers throughout the year in order to put on the event. Some fundraisers they hosted were a 3×3 basketball tournament and the Raksha Bandhan fundraiser, which is a bracelet that siblings tie on a cultural holiday. Additionally, they had a fundraiser for pani puri, an Indian snack.
HSO is a cultural club that “works to build unity through sharing the Hindu culture and traditions with the students on the UConn campus,” according to its UConntact page.
They host a number of cultural events throughout the year, including a Diwali celebration at Late Night, and Aarti, which is a Hindu prayer night.
Photo by Awesome Sauce Creative/Unsplash
