Good stalls- check, amazing crowd -check, deafening noise-check, power packed performances- check. Day 1 of Mecca proved to be a roaring success with so much to offer. The atmosphere was bubbling with energy and lots of excitements as people were seen scurrying from one event to another and having a great time. 

The competition in today’s events reached new heights with every team putting their best foot forward. The evening had just set in and the scorching heat was taken over by comforting breeze- perfect timing for setting up the stage for a rock band performance.

The audiences were segregated into two separate lanes of boys and girls to take care of any kind nuisance. An eager audience could be seen hooting and screaming with every beat being played.The band performance came as a surprise to all since the event was kept under covers for long.Within no time the once abandoned lawns were packed with students.

The band -Underground Authority, was the first surprise to be revealed. It was their first time in Delhi. They were quite amazed to see the good turnout. The performances were enthralling and the crowd could be seen swarming in from every nook and corner of the college. They presented novel and fresh compositions of some well-known tracks in their own unique style.

The band performance lasted for almost 2 hours and the audience was in for another treat. They were exposed to a new Punjabi band-SHAD. They gave an introductory performance which will be resumed in day 2 as well.

Those who went to Hindu on day 1 surely didn’t leave the premises disappointed. The excitement of day 1 has overflowed into day 2 as people are eagerly anticipating what new wonders day 2 has in store for them.

Diotima Basu
Correspondent


Photographs - Diotima Basu

One of the most celebrated tech fests of Delhi University – Orrey - organized by Compu Ada, the Computers Society of Miranda House,is all set to add the ‘tech’ flavour in the on-going Delhi university fest season. The one day fest scheduled to be held on 28thFebruary 2013 has generated a lot of interest amongst students who are eagerly waiting to participate and show-off their tech skills.The theme selected for this year is - Social Networking. The day promises to be fun filled with various techno-events happening here and there in college. The fest surely is atreat for all the techies of Delhi University, being one of its kinds. Mark your presence on the day to make sure you don’t miss out on the fun and  entertainment which Miranda House promises to bring with this fest.

Here is an overview of the events for the day:

February 28th 2013

10.00 AM - 11.00 AM – Inauguration and Introductory Seminar

11.00 AM - 12.00 Noon – Speaker Session by Mr. Saket Modi

12.00 Noon - 1.30 PM – Movie Making Competition /Web Designing/ IT Debate

1.30 PM - 3.30 PM – C++ Debugging Cryptex/ Byte – IT Quiz by Brainwiz

3.30 PM - 4.30 PM – Map It by Google/LAN Gaming

More information about the event can be found on their Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/orrey.mh?ref=ts&fref=ts

For the inside story of the event, stay tuned with the University Express, the official Media partner for the event!!!



Garvit Godawat
Correspondent

University of Delhi recently organized its Annual Cultural Festival “Antardhvani 2013” from February 22-24, 2013. ‘Antardhvani’ when translatedliterally refers to the voice within, the voice that expresses with truth and passion what the heart deeply desires. This multi-dimensional festival showcased talent, achievements, and innovations at the Delhi University.

A cultural extravaganza with a multitude of group activities, healthy competitiveness and sportsmanship were at display at its paramount. The entire event captured the various academic, social and cultural facets of the university, one which already commands a leadership position in the Indian educational scenario.The festival began with the inauguration of the Flower Show and was followed by the NCC parade, exhibitions, various national and international cultural events and the food delicacies at the Food Court. 

Shri Kapil Sibal honored the function by marking his benign presence at the inaugural function. The special attractions for the events included the 55th Annual Flower Show, the International Plaza and the Innovation Plaza. The event was spread over a period of 3 days and witnessed participation in thousands. The University estimated about 150,000 people visited the University Campus located in North Delhi to enjoy Antardhvani’s innumerous offerings. 

The 55th Annual Flower Show was organized at the University Rugby Main Stadium Complex. The special attractions for the flower show included Cacti, Orchids, Succulents and herbal plants. The surroundings were enchanting with flowers all around sure to make you ecstatic. The Flower show was a treat for all the flora lovers. Events and competitions were held between individuals, teams and various colleges from all sorts of domains, ranging from paintings to quizzes, from classical dance competition to rock band competition and the list of events goes on.

The foodies were not left disappointed and were taken care of with the food Court serving all sorts of delicacies. The food Court at the fest was a culmination of various cuisines from all over the world served by the Indian Railway and Catering Tourism Department (IRCTC). The cuisine ranged from Italian Pizzas and pastas to regional food, from Chinese meals to traditional Indian street food. Besides, there were always the regular items like burgers, sandwiches and included some beverages like tea and coffee. Being reasonably priced, it didn’t cause much of a burden to the wallets for anyone!

Another one of the attractions of Antardhvani was the International Plaza where the students of Delhi University from all over the world introduced their traditions and customs of the respective countries they hail from. There were performances by several countries; they had their stalls exhibiting various souvenir items, art objects, and collectibles peculiar to their state. There were various inter-college competitions organized; the most prominent of them being the “Award of Good Practice” where the colleges were invited to showcase their good practices based on which the colleges would be entitled to grants in the form of the prizes to the winners.
The valedictory function and the prize distribution ceremony were presided over by the Chief Guest of the eve Shri Ashok Thakur, Secretary, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India.

All In all, the entire event was a“panorama of cultural exchanges, fun games, music, dance & food”.The name given by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Dinesh Singh, to the annual cultural festival of the University of Delhi, inspires every student to “march to the drumbeat of his or her inner calling”. He bade farewell to Antardhvani  by promising to have more such events soon….!!         

Garvit Godawat
Correspondent

If you are bored then you are invited because you need it, if you are not, then most invited because we need you!

Yes! One of the most awaited fest, CYNOSURE is here. 1st March will be observed as the day when the Sociology Department of Kamala Nehru College will rock with its Annual Departmental Fest- ‘CYNOSURE’, it is centered around the theme of ‘WOMEN IN THE MIRROR: CELEBRATING SELVES’.

To make it worth your transportation fare, your busy schedule and perhaps your classes, the Department has several interesting games, fun-filled quiz, group discussions, photography competition, where you can encase your capturing talent, AD-MAD, JAM (Just A Minute) where you can prove how good an orator you are, Scrap Artistry for the artist in you and a lot more to tantalize your brain buds. 

Not empty pots of fun, but there are exciting prizes, which surely is icing to the cake, including participation certificate for every individual participating. So we conclude that no one leaves with empty hands. The catch here is the ‘Vouchers’ worth Rs. 35000 from peppercloset.com, still planning to miss it, are you now?
To entice your taste buds are the various stalls, which would be welcoming your ravenous stomachs near the famous chaupal area of the college. Still not exciting, is it? Let beans spill then, you can put your test to luck with most attracting ‘Lucky Draw’ and win amazing prizes for yourself.

What are you waiting for? Christmas? Be a part, roll in and display best of your enthusiasm and talent. Eat, enjoy and go gaga about the fest, because afterall the ‘Fest Fever’ is high!

Sahiba Khan
Correspondent

February 23, 2013 was the most awaited day of Shruti 2013. It began with the slight drizzle that lifted the spirits as much as the events scheduled for the day did. The events on the final day of ‘Shruti - The Ethereal Song’ began with the mesmerizing tunes of the ethereal songs as well; Western singing and Classical singing commenced the day.  Ninaad, the Classical singing competition had two categories: Solo singing and Group singing. Parampara from LSR bagged the first prize in Solo Singing while Aishwarya from Hansraj College got second; Saba from Music Faculty and Farzana from Hindu College shared the third prize. The Group singing was appreciated by the judges for the variations that the teams included in the Ragas. The Auditorium felt cleansed with the beautiful tunes that came out from the violin, flutes, tabla and other instruments. While LSR and Music Faculty shared the second position, Gargi College stood first.

Gargi College performed well in the Folk Dance competition as well. Bringing to the stage the traditional Haryanwi song depicting the famous jija-saali conversations, the college won many applauds and the first position. The second position was secured by Kamla Nehru girls with their Punjabi folk dance complimented by live music. Although there was no third position, the judges were all praises for Jesus and Mary College’s performance of Lavani.

‘On the spot photography’ competition organized by the Film and Photography society of the college provided a platform to amateur photographers to showcase their talents. As challenging as the themes were, nothing deterred the budding photographers to capture  the best in the world around us through their lens.  Akanksha Chitkara won the first prize, Elisha Walia got second and Hemant bagged the third.

The Choreography event had an impressive turnout. Out of the 8 colleges that participated, Hindu and Hansraj College stood first and second respectively.

The Live performance by the SQS Project was the much awaited grand finale to the fest.  The beautiful weather added to the truly enthralling performance of the band. The covers were very well performed and the originals had no comparison; “Teri aankhon se” deserves a special mention as people were humming the song long after it had been performed. People wanted to enjoy for another hour of the performance but the oncoming rain posed a threat to the equipments and the band had to end their performance. Nonetheless, the fest was a great hit with people!

Mansi Sharma
Columnist

Bizhawk, the annual entrepreneurship fest of Sri Guru Gobind Singh College, an initiative of Commerce’s E-Cell, ‘Soch’, takes place on the 5th and 6th of March, 2013 at SGGSCC, Pitampura.

The two day event has been planned with great zest and fervor with a plethora of competitions and events organized to challenge the budding entrepreneurs of our country to showcase their business and management skills. The fest starts off with a guest lecture by Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, open to all students of Delhi University. An informative seminar on Critical Thinking by Dr Rachel Davis, Ex Dean of National University of Singapore and present Dean, Delhi School of Business is also scheduled to take place during this event.

The line up of events for Bizhawk include,

Ideamatic, the B Plan competition, where you don’t just present a business plan, but also get an opportunity to be a real life entrepreneur!

Escalada- the elevator pitch competition, where participants will get 2 minutes to present their idea for a new product, business or a service.

Phoenix- the mega case study competition of Bizhawk will see the participants tackle the problems faced by startups.

Soch Incubation, a platform for budding entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas to venture capitalists and angel investors.

Blue Chips, the mock stock competition, where buyers will have to invest, earn & earn some more, vying to outdo all the other investors in the market and emerge as the ultimate winner.

Scamsters, a team of 4 to 5 people will be tested and judged on their spontaneous and calculated decisions when faced with a given problem.  

For more information on the event, log onto their website: http://www.bizhawk.in


Tushar Aggarwal
Columnist

As the Festival season is slowly spreading to the entire Delhi University, Dyal Singh College got the ball rolling by successfully organizing ‘Priyadarshani’ from 13th- 15th February. Spanning over a period of 3 days, the festival offered something for everyone. Music lovers, Fashion followers, politically correct, artistically inclined or a wordsmith, it was a treat for everyone. 

What could have been a better start to these three days than various colleges battling to win, not by arms and violence, but by instruments and melodious voices?  The event was flagged off by a ‘Rock Anthem’,enthralling the crowd. Next in line was the ‘Fashion Show’ where beautiful girls and handsome hunks of various colleges donned their attires and walked the ramp. The ‘oomph’ factor had just been added. Newspapers are boring, computers are for fun, and televisions are for movies & shows and not for news channels, so how does one spread awareness amongst the youth? ‘Street Plays’ is your answer. Nukkad Natak is a very effective way of raising your voices against injustice and gathering support from the masses, because ‘unity’ is what our nation needs today. So, aimed at this noble cause, street play societies of various colleges entertained the crowd with a purpose; to transform the thinking prevailing today.

Expressions have various means of getting expressed. Some sing, some dance, some speak, some paint and some write! Now it was the chance for brushes and pens to perform miracles and display their creativity through the medium of ‘painting’ and ‘creative writing’. The most awaited day had finally arrived. The homestretch still had a lot of events in that small distance, but the medal at the end was what everyone was waiting for. The tapping feet took over most of the day with competitions like ‘western dance solo’, ‘folk dance solo’ and ‘western dance group’. The art societies participated in ‘Face painting’ and ‘Rangoli’. Now that the homestretch had been run, the medal awaited the runners. Or was it
the other way around? Indeed it was! ‘The Local Train’ had reached the station! The famous band performed live at Dyal Singh College. They mesmerized the audience with their famous songs like ‘Choo lo’, ‘Bandey’ and ‘Yeh Zindagi’.

Its fest time in DU and college walls are flooded with bright, big banner posters all over. Some posters get a mere one time look while some are scavenged down. Mecca is one such event that enjoys such patronage every year. The wait has finally come to a sweet end and the Hindu college union stands tall as a proud parent to roll out its much talked about annual festival - MECCA.

So roll up your sleeves and mark your calendar for the 26th, 27th and 28th of February. Here is a brief overview of the upcoming events:

Day 1 - 26th Feb, Tuesday,

·         Expressions-on the spot photography competition, 11 a.m.

·         Hindi debate,12pm

·         Kavi sammelan,12pm

·         Nukkad natak,12pm

·         Harmony: vocals-group and solo singing ,1pm

·         Chess wiz tournament,1pm

·         Bowl out-cricket game, 2pm

·         Western dance competition,2pm

Day 2 - 27th Feb, Wednesday

·         Street dance battle,11:30 am

·         Treasure hunt,1pm

·         Battle of bands,1pm

·         Rangoli making competition,1pm

·         Face painting,2pm

·         Volleyball,2pm

Day 3 - 28th Feb, Thursday

·         Daredevils- on the spot dares,1pm

·         Soccer lounge,1:15pm

·         Panache-the fashion show,2pm

Mecca surely promises to be a ‘fun-tastic’ fest this year with varying events for everyone’s taste.

More details can be found on the facebook page-https://www.facebook.com/Mecca2013


Diotima Basu
Columnist

SHRUTI 2012-13, the Annual Fest of Indraprastha College for Women was inaugarated on 21st feb and proceeded very smoothly. The highlights being, the inaugaration with a beautiful manipuri folk dance and blissful performances by Ila and Ibra, the Khalid sisters. The day ended with a groovy dj night.

The second day was off to a good start. Involving the audiences of diversified interests, the day began with a plethora of competitions. The festival commenced officially with Chauraha: The Street Play competition, The quiz for the Differently able: “WE CAN DO IT” and the Annual Quiz all happening at once, as the day began.

Chauraha 2013 hosted by Abhivyakti (The Dramatics Society) stole the show for the first half of SHRUTI on day 2. The street plays, solely a production of students, were performed and oriented in such a fashion that they intensely make an impact on the minds and souls watching it. The eleven teams performing came up with the most brilliant ways of showing the most prevalent societal dogmas. Common communal issues were unfolded with the help of simplest of props. Even though each performance lead to a tear drop, KMC and PGDAV topped the list bagging the first and second positions respectively. SGTB Khalsa College was people’s favourite and was recognized as the Best Beat Makers’.

The Annual Quiz witnessed a total of 25 participating teams. There were four rounds- General Round, A-V Round, Category Round and Differential Round to bring out the best and brightest from the whole bunch. After three hours of daft brainstorming, six teams were shortlist for the final round. The St. Stephen’s Cross Team (Fardeen A. Majumdar, Mukund Marodia and Vartik Upadhyaya) bagged the first position while FMS cross team (Abhishek, Atul and Hemant) bagged the second position.

IP College is an institution that gives place to everybody’s talent. “WE CAN DO IT” was a quiz competition designed for visually challenged. Four girls for IP College went through rounds- the oral quiz round and audio round of movie songs. It was a beautiful experience to observe these girls strive for the best. All of them performed well and were given a certificate of appreciation.  

Film festival put up by NSS was more than an asset to the people attending it. There was an intimate interaction about Gender Bias, Love and Violence. A group of youngsters shared a space where they spoke about questions that have hit almost all of us in various situations. This turned out to be a very valuable session.

NCC organised an event- “What the Picture Says” where a few pictures were shown to about 34 students from different colleges and they had to put their interpretation of the picture on the paper. Shreya Taneja and Himanshi Sharma of IP College got the first and second positions respectively. Vikas Prasad of MSIT bagged the third position.

The Hindi department organised two major competitions- Hindi Debate and Svarachit (Hindi Poetry). In the Hindi debate Competition; every participant had something better and new to say on the topic”Sadan ka matt hai ki samaj mai mahilao ko aaj bhi vyakti ke roop mai sweekar nahi kiya gaya hai” Out of the five teams, the prize winners were Balmiki from Ambedkar College (I Position); Shipra Shukla from IPCW (II Position) and there was tie between Prabhanshu and Imran bagging the third position. The Best Interjections was titled to Rajat from DIAS, GGSIPU and Garima of IPCW. 

Svarachit Poetry Competition was about the free flow of thoughts about anything you want to potray though your piece of work. The first, second and third positions were very well deserved by Manju Gupta, Pratiksha and Shayna in the given order. 

TROPES, the photography exhibition had the masterpieces from most creative minds from around DU and other universities. The Film and Photography Society organised the mobile film making competition wherein the students had to present their ideas through a video.

The Indian talent sprouted when beautiful classical dances came together and shared a common platform. The “Nritya Utsav” Solo dance competition was the most blissful experience for a viewer. There was a flow of peace all around the place.

The most awaited event of the day “Wacky Feet” or the Western Dance Competition happened in the main lawns got huge audience. The loud sound system compelled even the most tired volunteer to jive on the beats. All the performances were fabulous showing a great amount of hard work, practice and time. This was probably the most glamorous event of the whole fest. Maitreyi College took away people’s heart winning the first position. Following them were the geniuses of SRCC on second position. Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies got a special mention in the entire event.

All in all day 2 proved to be a fabulous day filled with lots of energy and fun. Day 3 , the finale to this celebrations has already gathered huge expectations and people are all set to have the time of their lives! 


Shinam Khandelwal
Columnist

“Shruti – The Ethereal Song” began with sweet songs sung in the melodious voice of the Khalid Sisters -  Ila and Ibra in the front lawns of the college. While the sisters kept many people spellbound, the other competitions and performances were soon on the roll as well. The annual production of Abhivyakti, The Dramatics Society, was titled “Sakina Rehearsing Manto in the time of Gang Rape”. The passes for the event had already been sold out like hot cakes and the auditorium was packed
with people who were sure to have left it brimming with emotions.

The campus was blooming with life, both natural and man-made. Flowers in almost all shapes and sizes, big blushing roses - in colours that would take your heart away, people smiling and laughing along with friends, the union members and volunteers busy in making sure everything turns out great. It was definitely a sight worth watching! Simulcra, Tropes was the photography exhibition in the N-lawns of the college that kept people dropping in and left them mesmerized by the theme based pictures (Theme: Outside the Frame) as well as the ones without the theme.

Apart from the various competitions and performances, Shruti had even more to offer. The ground was lined up by food stalls, accessories’ stall, fun photography stall, etcetra. The most visited stall proved to be that of IP’s favourite BTW (That’s Bun-Tikki Wala for you). There were also games which certainly brought out the child in you.

The fest ended with the one thing that brings everyone together: Dance. The DJ Evening proved to be a big hit with everyone having the time of their lives! All in all, Day 1 of Shruti was packed with fun and frolic and even more hopes for the second day!






- Mansi Sharma 
UE Correspondent