Of freedom, fests and seniors!

The last blog created quite a flutter. It was not supposed to be a piece of unearthing journalism. But it did turn out to be one roughly 17 hours after being posted.

It was supposed to be an article about an artist’s dilemmas about his art. Unfortunately my doubts did not quite go down well with the Moksha team. The following evening I was called to jeeto for a discussion. What followed was not quite a discussion but a threat.

Delete that post or you’d be beaten up.

More than anything else I was taken by surprise. Hello! Whatever happened to freedom of expression? Our forefathers fought and laid down their lives for an independent India, where mind is without fear, and head is held high (oh! Tagore).

I thought about our primary class lessons, and thought of the consequences of not taking them seriously.

“It’s better to lose an arm, than to lose your soul”- Anju Sinha ma’am, from 9^th standard!

I used to tell my colleagues how NSIT is a much better place than DCE, because law of the land prevails here. Hooligan forces do not command respect. Yesterday was an eye opener. More so, because the rogue forces here are the influential people who’re governing the fest.

When we say Moksha’09 was a GOOD fest, we don’t say it in terms of the budget, or decoration. It was a good fest, because it had a soul.

Ability to take criticism contributes to the soul of a team, ability to prove critics wrong contributes to the soul of a team, to let actions speak-contributes to the soul of a team.

I deleted the post initially, because I did not know what better to do. I repost it now, because I revere my freedom of expression. I may have to take a beating and go down with it, but I know if I do, the morals of the Moksha team would have to go down first. And I know all juniors and students of NSIT, who respect their college, principles and freedom, would stand by me.

I Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!
Though you've belted me and flayed me,
By the livin' Gawd that made you,
I’m a better man than you are, Gunga Din!

-Rudyard Kipling, quoted a bit differently.

Why Moksha'11 is not for me...

I have an over expressed patriotic gene in my body. I love India. I love Delhi. I love my school. I love my college.I love my college fest. I love my college drama society. Phew!

Inspiration is VERY important for my body to function and more often than not this gene provides the very necessary inspiration and keeps me going.

Hence, when we revived the NSIT DramaSoc last year, the chief inspiration was the absence of NSIT’s name from the Delhi Campus Theatre scene. As respect grew for us through these circles, it provided the fuel for train as we steered from one win to another. Ashwamedha-the DramaSoc, frankly I HATE the name, but “kya karein, heritage mein mila” is practically the most active and successful cultural society on campus currently. It commands significant respect from the student community if not utmost, and unlike other initiatives has pretty much managed to stay clear of egotist influences.

I stay committed to the society for no other reason other than that I respect it. I respect its members, who apart from being ultra thass-bhasad-champions have worked to bring it here, and probably value it as much as I do.

“It creates a great disconnect from the other areas of life when you think and sleep theatre”- Mahesh Elkunchwar

Probably that was wrong when I thought Ashwamedha would be given the charge of Moksha Inaugral Play, quite obviously. Moksha is the Annual Cultural festival of NSIT for the uninformed. But alas! Someone else had pressed the buzzer first. The team in a classic example of “bhai-bhatijawaad” gave the play to a ‘friend-of-the-team’. I asked for a change, denied. But fair enough!

What surprised me the most was, when on being asked, if both, their friends and the society can perform, the answer was a clear NO. I had never imagined such protectionism existed outside government offices. It would not have been the first time when the inaugural ceremony would have seen two plays.

Instead I was told to keep my tone low and clear of arrogance when I talk to the ‘Seniors’. They probably mistook frustration for arrogance. I was frustrated because I felt let down by the very person, for who I was working all this while, my muse, my motivation. NSIT.

Disappointed we worked on the next production, Vijay Tendulkar’s Sakharam Binder’s Hindi translation and production. It opened at Amity University and Delhi College of Engineering next. Two first prizes and critical acclaim provided what they call Artistic Orgasm!(courtesy Sukirti Sir).

I still love Moksha. But it’s not OUR Moksha this time. It’s their Moksha, I thought. As people talk about pressing for our case with the team and helping us get the inaug. No Man, I think. It’s not the same stage any longer.

We would rather perform at MAMC on the same day. Atleast they give the money…