As you enter a conference room in the Olin Library, you’re greeted by stacks of comic books with bright hues of orange and blue. If you take a closer look, you’ll see imagery from classic Indian myths, stories, and epics: white horses lead chariots adorned with gold, gods and goddesses convene in the cosmos, and warriors wielding divine weapons clash on fiery battlefields.
On Wednesday, March 19, the recently formed Rollins South Asian Student Association (SASA) hosted a cultural showcase in collaboration with the Olin Library’s Olin After Dark program. The event took place in Room 230 of the Olin Library from 4 to 7 p.m.
The showcase featured a discussion on the lead-up to the war of succession between the Pandavas and Kauravas in the ancient Sanskrit epic, “The Mahabharata.”
Guests were invited to look through a selection of Amar Chitra Katha (A.C.K.) comics, one of India’s “first and most beloved comic book series.” SASA president Akash Yalamanchili (‘28), an international student from Hyderabad, India, described the impact of A.C.K. comics as the “equivalent of Marvel and D.C. comics in the United States.”
“These are the comics that I grew up reading,” he said.
The A.C.K. Epics and Mythology collection is now available in the graphic novel section of the Olin Library, to the right of The Grind Café. Yalamanchili hopes that the comics will allow students to learn about Indian mythology “in a way that is fun and educational.”
Yalamanchili started to organize SASA during his first semester in the fall of 2024. On starting SASA, he said that his goal was not only to create an inclusive space for South Asian students but to celebrate South Asian cultures and traditions with the wider Rollins community.
The cultural showcase offered attendees a chance to try homemade murukku, a crunchy, spiral-shaped snack from South India made with rice flour, dal flour, and an assortment of spices. East met West on the snack table, where the savory murukku was served alongside vanilla Oreos.
Though the cultural showcase had a limited turnout of less than ten individuals at a time, Yalamanchili was not deterred. He hopes to have greater participation as the group leads more events in coming semesters. Currently, SASA plans to host a celebration honoring Holi in early April, paying tribute to the festival of colors that takes place across South Asia and around the world.
For updates on the upcoming Holi celebration and future events, you can follow the Rollins South Asian Student Association on Instagram.
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