Sur Sagar, an intimate showcase of South Asian performing arts, is held each year by the Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo. The name of the show directly translates to “an ocean of melodies.” It is a night aimed at embodying the togetherness, spirit, and pride of the South Asian community by celebrating dance, music, and spoken words from across the region.
This past September, the group held the show in collaboration with the Signet Society — a group founded in 1870 celebrating the arts — marking the first collaboration between the two organizations.
Sur Sagar offers a warm and inviting environment to a broad community of performers and viewers while emphasizing community-building and shared responsibility. Last year, in collaboration with The Harvard Advocate and Harvard Pakistani Student Association, Harvard Undergraduate Ghungroo put on “Sur Sagar,” with all proceeds from ticket sales going towards HCPSA’s campaign for flood relief efforts in Pakistan.
This year, all ticket sales went towards supporting The Harvard Society of Arab Students' fundraiser for earthquake relief in Morocco.
The showcase featured various performances ranging from Bengali spoken word to a Punjabi giddha dance. In total, nearly twenty students performed at the event, helping raise hundreds of dollars for the fundraiser.
The sense of community that permeated through Sur Sagar this year was truly inspiring. Witnessing students come together to perform, support their peers and contribute to a significant cause was not only heartwarming, but also profoundly meaningful. Each act showcased the richness of South Asian culture while also serving a greater purpose.
Sur Sagar exemplifies the power of collective action and the transformative power of the arts, especially at Harvard. As the curtain closed on this showcase, Sur Sagar had successfully created an ocean of melodies that has made waves far beyond the confines of the stage.
