Letter to the Editor

The Center for South Asia at the UW-Madison hosts an annual South Asia conference. This year, the conference coincides with the Hindu festival of Deepavali or Diwali-the festival of lights--one of the most beautiful and spiritually significant of Indian festivals. 

 

However, the conference organizers have chosen to ignore the festival: None of the evening's cultural events showcase it, nor do any of the panel presentations deal with it. I cannot imagine the conference organizers ignoring Christmas or Id or Muharram if they coincided with the conference. It seems as if India is fit only to be \anthropologized"" in academe.