OKEMOS, Mich. (WLNS) — Nearly one hundred people gathered at Okemos High School on Saturday for a special event celebrating Indian culture.
The Indian Cultural Society of Lansing’s annual event, known as MILAP, was last held in 2019 after being canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The community turned out to show its support at Saturday’s event at Okemos High School.
“MILAP is our annual cultural heritage show,” said Sandeep Sood, President of the Indian Cultural Society.
The celebration included bright, colorful decorations and vibrant Indian music that filled the school’s auditorium.
“We have numerous musicians, dancers … from the young at heart, to older individuals … singing patriotic songs, music songs, movie songs, followed by a cultural dinner,” Sood said.
Sood said the Indian Cultural Society started the program more than 20 years ago as a way to enjoy and share Indian heritage with the mid-Michigan community.
“Kind of share back with the community, what we do, what we feel. Some music, things that they may have never heard before, seen. And just get a sense of who we are … and just have some fun,” Sood said.
And although the show was in mid-Michigan, the enthusiasm from performers transported audience members to the heart of India.
“The vibrant colors, the place, whether the outside is dreary or dark, it just helps lighten the mood for everyone,” Sood said.
