People say, you get new clothes, new foodies, cookies and what not on the festive of Diwali. But come to IIT kgp and you'll forget all these things. For the last four years of my stay here, i havent been able to eat properly on that day. I had to fill my stomach with a mere egg burger or a cup of tea/coffee whatever is available by that time. Did anyone say new clothes......Huh!!! You can watch me with pied dress all colored up with rangoli powders. I sometimes think that i celebrate holi two times a year, the latter one in a bigger and for a much extended time as long as a week. Here they used to call this competition Rangoli and Illumination.
Illumination:
This is the most extravagant way of wasting the money of students. But then it is the most unusual thing happening in this whole eastern zone, rather in India i guess, at least not in any college level. It first starts with a big budget of around Rs 50,000 (lil more than $1000). And mind it, this isnt any money of iit administration, it is the money of student.
Anyway, illumination, we call it illu for short, is a competition between different hostels here. On the day of diwali, the whole iit hostels will be powered off and they ll decorate their halls (other name of hostels) accordingly. The hall which does it brilliantly wins. This looks simple but its that much harder when u get into it. Preparations for this starts more than a month before. A proper theme is decided which has to be depicted to the judges. According to the theme, various designs are made, which are very simple though. Chatai are bought which have huge dimensions on which the designs have to be transferred. After doing that, small loops with a size to support the diyas are fastened to the chatais along the design. Many tests are done before the final presentation. Dry test where the diyas are checked again and again so that the clear figure comes up. Wet test where the whole scene is given the final look, the diyas are filled with oil and lighted and then checked for the figure. If all is perfect, green signal to go ahead for the final round.
This is the one just before the final presentation, where students are 20-23 fts high from the ground and ligting diyas for their illu to be judged.
10 min after this picture was taken, judges arrive and the whole view looks mind blowing and marvellous. You couldnt believe that just students without any professional skills would have done this.
Isnt that nice???
Rangoli:
After watching this, you wouldnt be in your senses anymore. You must have seen many paintings, numerous sketches and not to say Rangolis also. But when you see the rangoli that is done here, you cant think that this can be done on this earth too. A painting, and i mean a proper painting is taken and it is copied exactly on the floor not by any colours but by color powders. You can probably think how much laborious work it is by watching the following picture:
It has also got its own complications. The main objective is to repaint a pic of paper size 8"X5" into a 14'X9' floor rangoli (" for inches and ' for feet, for clarification). The floor is divided into equal number of divisions as done in the painting. The sketch is then traced on the floor by markers. And then it begins. Powder colors termed as rangoli (some kind of chemicals i guess) are mixed with sand so that they slip away from hand easily and spreads uniformly. With the help of small sieves, you start putting layers of colours on the floor. The shades has to come as they look in the painting which is the most difficult part of it. But neways, by around 6-7 days the whole rangoli gets prepared with 3-4 nighouts of course apart from 6-8 hours work a day. The rangoli that fetched the 1st prize last year is this, have a look:
And i was involved in it totally. This year due to some genuine problems i couldnt contribute much but i always wished positively about my hall.
Result/ Prize:
It would be surprizing that after spending about 1 month of one's academic semester, investing around 50,000 bucks, what one gets in prize in a pot full of rasgulla.
1st Prize: 300 rasgulla
2nd Prize: 200 rasgulla
3rd Prize: 150 rasgulla
Consolation Prize: 100 rasgulla
Is that what all these are worth for? But what makes sense is the winner. The prizes dont matter here but the title does. The halls which win these titles, illu and rangoli separately, cant sleep for the next two days enjoying their success. Same happens with those who dont get anything. But not in enjoyment but in mourning of the wastage of their 50000 bucks which is non-refundable, which burnt in just 10 min in front of their eyes and fetched no rasgullas also.
Well what can one expect in the land of Bengolis.....Anything, just anything for a rasogolla......"kimon dada? thik bolche naa"
Illumination:
This is the most extravagant way of wasting the money of students. But then it is the most unusual thing happening in this whole eastern zone, rather in India i guess, at least not in any college level. It first starts with a big budget of around Rs 50,000 (lil more than $1000). And mind it, this isnt any money of iit administration, it is the money of student.
Anyway, illumination, we call it illu for short, is a competition between different hostels here. On the day of diwali, the whole iit hostels will be powered off and they ll decorate their halls (other name of hostels) accordingly. The hall which does it brilliantly wins. This looks simple but its that much harder when u get into it. Preparations for this starts more than a month before. A proper theme is decided which has to be depicted to the judges. According to the theme, various designs are made, which are very simple though. Chatai are bought which have huge dimensions on which the designs have to be transferred. After doing that, small loops with a size to support the diyas are fastened to the chatais along the design. Many tests are done before the final presentation. Dry test where the diyas are checked again and again so that the clear figure comes up. Wet test where the whole scene is given the final look, the diyas are filled with oil and lighted and then checked for the figure. If all is perfect, green signal to go ahead for the final round.
This is the one just before the final presentation, where students are 20-23 fts high from the ground and ligting diyas for their illu to be judged.
10 min after this picture was taken, judges arrive and the whole view looks mind blowing and marvellous. You couldnt believe that just students without any professional skills would have done this.
Isnt that nice???
Rangoli:
After watching this, you wouldnt be in your senses anymore. You must have seen many paintings, numerous sketches and not to say Rangolis also. But when you see the rangoli that is done here, you cant think that this can be done on this earth too. A painting, and i mean a proper painting is taken and it is copied exactly on the floor not by any colours but by color powders. You can probably think how much laborious work it is by watching the following picture:
It has also got its own complications. The main objective is to repaint a pic of paper size 8"X5" into a 14'X9' floor rangoli (" for inches and ' for feet, for clarification). The floor is divided into equal number of divisions as done in the painting. The sketch is then traced on the floor by markers. And then it begins. Powder colors termed as rangoli (some kind of chemicals i guess) are mixed with sand so that they slip away from hand easily and spreads uniformly. With the help of small sieves, you start putting layers of colours on the floor. The shades has to come as they look in the painting which is the most difficult part of it. But neways, by around 6-7 days the whole rangoli gets prepared with 3-4 nighouts of course apart from 6-8 hours work a day. The rangoli that fetched the 1st prize last year is this, have a look:
And i was involved in it totally. This year due to some genuine problems i couldnt contribute much but i always wished positively about my hall.
Result/ Prize:
It would be surprizing that after spending about 1 month of one's academic semester, investing around 50,000 bucks, what one gets in prize in a pot full of rasgulla.
1st Prize: 300 rasgulla
2nd Prize: 200 rasgulla
3rd Prize: 150 rasgulla
Consolation Prize: 100 rasgulla
Is that what all these are worth for? But what makes sense is the winner. The prizes dont matter here but the title does. The halls which win these titles, illu and rangoli separately, cant sleep for the next two days enjoying their success. Same happens with those who dont get anything. But not in enjoyment but in mourning of the wastage of their 50000 bucks which is non-refundable, which burnt in just 10 min in front of their eyes and fetched no rasgullas also.
Well what can one expect in the land of Bengolis.....Anything, just anything for a rasogolla......"kimon dada? thik bolche naa"
7 comments:
It wouldnt have been nice to describe all that in words...pictures have got their own charm all the time...
those are gorgeous photos...and hard to believe students put that kind of work into a project that lasts so fleetingly! great job though!
uh..whats a rasgulla?
man awesome pics ...and nice work...
thanx men...
"rasgulla" is kind of wet sweet which is very famous all over india...got an enticing taste and i am sure u cant eat just one...hehe
this blog was becoming very long thats why i didnt put up all the pics...but i think i must do it in the next blog
so all that work..and you get CANDY??? wtf?
thats dedication to a cause.
yeah...and thats the weirdest part of it...but its the competition that matters not the prize...now i am getting weird!! he hehe...
if I remember, one of the pics are from RP's exhibit.
RKites got the illu this time...but we're gonna get it next time! :) yo RP!! :D
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