Commix Special
Edition
T R U T H   B E Y O N D September 2015
  FA C T S
A Department of Media Studies Initiative
Bhasha Utsav Special
CULTURE ON A PLATTER Bhasha Utsav is here to stay. Language is often known to create divides, however, here at Christ University, language unites, language binds, language makes us alive. Bhasha Utsav is a space that makes students resonate with passion - a passion for the love of words and languages. If there is one festival in Christ University that celebrates language, culture and fashion together, it is Bhasha Utsav. Started in 2005, it now celebrates its tenth anniversary. There are 216 languages which are spoken in India but the only language that Bhasha Utsav celebrates is that of culture. The festive mood kicks in with the beating of the drums. The extravaganza of the procession pulls the crowd in. The mesmerizing dance performances only add to the charm of the majestic event. It subtly hints at the preservation of culture, tradi-
Image Credits: Pratibha Dixit
tions, beliefs and customs. Quoting the words of the Registrar, “Bhasha Utsav lends one the opportunity to celebrate one’s cultural identity.” This makes the individual go beyond the boundaries of being a mere “Christite”. The festival sees diverse ways of celebration, the most evident being students as well as the faculty dressed in traditional attire from their respective regions. While some go the experimental way, others are inspired by the realms of cinema. Bhasha Utsav is Christ University’s way of offering culture on a platter. The ease with which the festival goes about, makes the whole process of bringing it all together appear seamless. This newsletter captures the very essence of Bhasha Utsav in all its glory and splendour.
Image Credits: Pratibha Dixit
It’s a day of culture, dance and music at Christ University. Bhasha Utsav, a multicultural festival gives the students an opportunity to promote their cultural diversity by showcasing their traditions. A group of Christites consisting of Ringngheti, Ashley, Mimi and others are representing the North Eastern states of Mizoram, Manipur and Nagaland by performing the Cheraw dance-the symbolical bamboo dance. The Cheraw dance, one of the oldest forms of Mizoram represents the different seasons of harvesting. Two pairs of bamboo sticks are used while performing the dance. Kawrchei and Puanchei are the attires worn by the women; the men dress up in Vakaria and Thangchhuahkawr. These traditional dresses of Cheraw Dance come in vibrant colors that enhance the feel of their culture and commemoration of the festive season. Aditya Mittal
From the land of the Mizos
The Cheraw dancers of Mizoram performed in the main auditorium
Image Credits : Kartik Nair
Traditions, Clothing and Rituals in Karnataka
Men usually wear white dhoties and the women dance according to the vocal songs that are sung dancers wear Kachi Saree which is worn in the live. style Amrutha Nair followed by the people of Karnataka. In Marikunitha, men are dressed up as women because of the age old belief that goddess always enters in them. Since the theme is based in poor villages where
people pray for rain, jewelleries are avoided in order to show their poverty. Karnataka folk dances are also known for the properties used in every dance used. They also use huge masks which are generally worn by men. In Pattadakunitha, the dancers use huge long decorated sticks and dance according to the rhythm. The dancers
Image Credits : Abey James
Dollu Kunita- 15 years on
Dollu, Tala and Gilli, three
variations. They do not
change their style be-
instruments in hand, cre-
cause this is exactly how
ate wonders. The Hoysala
Janapada Yuvaka Sangha
the crowd likes it. They
to 20 members have been
Dollu Kunita, which is a
perform
is professional group of 15
dance
playing in Christ Univer-
performed
by
nied by Dollu, the instru-
and they are extremely
ment.
happy to be a part of this bonanza, Bhasha Utsav.
They are one of the im-
They say, this environ-
portant performers who
ment is different from the
bring
other places they have enthusiasm and happi-
like
shepherd men, accompa-
sity for the past 15 years
performed at. The kind of
dances
life
to
Bhasha
Utsav creating a vibrant
Entertaining in style
ness around the University is commendable. The music they play every year is usually the same, but with a bit of
Leading The Extravaganza
Kerala‘s traditional ‘Sringari Melam’ was the highlight of the procession during Bhasha Ustav 2015. 21 members of the Shastha Troupe from the Thrissur district of Kerala took part in what was an energy packed performance. “We have been performing for the past few years in Christ University. It’s amazing to see the world come together in one place”, says Kiran, a member of the troupe. The majestic sound of the Thaayambakas and Chendas lingered in the atmosphere, even after the performance, and Christites, irrespective of their ethnicity, joined in on the fun and made it memorable. Ankita Singh
Precurtionist leading the beats
Image Credits : Nikhil Jose
God’s own Music
atmosphere with their music and dance.
Deepthi Naidu
Image Credits : Saketh . S
Interview with the Vice-Chancellor.
Bhasha Utsav is the annual cultural celebration organized by the Language Department of Christ University every year in the month of September. Excerpts from the interview with Rev. Fr. Dr. Thomas C. Mathew, the ViceChancellor of Christ University.
What is Bhasha and why Bhasha Utsav?
Bhasha means language which binds people together; people from various cultures and religions are bound together and understand each other with the medium of language. In India we have thousands of languages- few are spoken, few are written and few fall under both the categories, and celebrating the beauty of languages is what Bhasha Utsav is all about.
What does Bhasha Utsav symbolize?
The amalgamation of language, culture and traditions symbolize the unity among all of us but yet portrays the diversity our nation has. We have students from all over the world studying here, and each of them representing their culture and ethnicity will be a visual treat for all of us.
Keeping the tradition lit
Do you think the youth today is losing their Cultural Roots?
Culture has always been self-emerging and has kept transforming from generation to generation. The responsibility of carrying the culture forward is lowered and so now culture practiced by people is whatever is left of the tradition with slight input from the present generation. The students in the university are culturally inclined and so managing all of them is easy as they know how to maintain the decorum.
What according to you is special about Bhasha Utsav?
Bhasha Utsav itself is special to me because we all get to see 20,000 students representing their cultures in their ethnic wear. It is a colorful sight and the events which happen as part of this Utsav are cultural treat to all of us. Every year there are innovations and creative threads added to this Utsav, which make it more special and surprising for the audience Raygalla Kalyan Srinivas
Image Credits : Aditya Krishnan
A Conversation with Prof Sebastian
What motivates you to conduct Bhasha Utsav year after year?
huge festival to celebrate the diversities and languages. Thus Bhasha Utsav was born. After its first success, we never had to look back.
Bhasha Utsav brings a lot of cultural variety under one platform. We do not just have various cultural representations from India but also from countries like Africa, Tibet and Korea. All
We should celebrate the diversities we have in India. The folk arts are fading from the world today. Our motto is to ensure that through this festival it survives a little longer.
What is the message that you wish to send out through Bhasha Utsav?
The message is to celebrate ethnicity and also to preserve our cultures. What does it mean to you?
What triggered Bhasha Utsav?
The language department used to have various programs to celebrate each language in a unique manner. The Kannada Section of the department used to have their own and so did the rest. But then there was an idea as to why not club it all together and have one
just about fun, it is also about cultural integration.
Image Credits: Mitul Josephs
What makes Bhasha Utsav unique?
these nations put their folk art on display during the day. Bhasha Utsav is not
Amidst the Realm of Rhythm and Beats
Nayandi Melam, a folk music form of Tamil Nadu, compromises of Nadaswaram, Tambukku, Urumi and Pambai. This form of art is performed mainly for festive and entertainment occasions. The team led by Yuvraj is extremely happy to be a part of the Bhasha Utsav.
Image Credits : Kartik Nair
The group has been performing at Christ University for past 7 years and each year they look forward to the support and cheers of the Christites. Decked in their traditional attire of charismatic colors like Yellow and White, the group sets the tone and the mood in Christ University! Aditya Mittal
There is this image that always pops in my mind when I think about Bhasha Utsav. This is the view from the quadrangle, where I see all the students dancing and having the time of their lives. That is what pushes me to do Bhasha Utsav. It gives me immense satisfaction on seeing the event pulled off without any major hitches. Athira PM R
Special Note
Ethnic day plays a special role for the differently gifted students in the University. They relish the event with the same enthusiasm seen throughout the campus. The message of unity in diversity is strongly presented and that adds to the beauty. “I feel proud studying in this University among it’s students. Though being physically challenged I still enjoy the beauty of ethnic day in my mind” says Joseph a final year student of HEP.The university shows it’s culture by making the specially gifted feel at home. Akansha Rachael
The story of Raja and Rani There is a particular tradition amongst Marathis to celebrate their festivals with beautifully dressed horses, paraded around with songs and the beat to the drums while they walk from one point to another.
This is exactly replicated in Christ University’s ethnic day, with splendidly dressed horses leading the procession. Abbas M., 17 years old, takes care of Raja and Rani likes his own siblings. It’s their first time they’ve been invited to walk along the university’s path. Raja is the strong dominant horse that was sent
With Ethnicity comes Nostalgia
Hailing from South Korea, a group of vibrant Korean students were seen
enjoying this auspicious event at the university. Assembled at Block One, students from different countries as part of the exchange program, were excitingly awaiting to take
from the racecourse after placing 2nd in his previous race.
Kamsale- The Extraordinary.
Kamsale, the oldest art form of Karnataka, has inspired the new Christites to join the group and experience the folk art,
dance without any recorded audio,” said Mebin Chacko, first year B.Sc student. In Kamsale they use brass made instruments for music and they dance to the same tunes. It is performed by
Though aging has lost him certain privileges but that does not stop him from having fun. He has attended many happy weddings and has paraded along with many giggling grooms and brides. Watch out Christities! The King and Queen are here. Jaicy Verghese
part in the procession. “India is an extraordinary country with its amazing culture, and the ethnic day just gives a way to exhibit it” says Moonki a Korean student. “Although we are
dressed in the Indian attire, it still reminds us of our culture. We feel very Indian being in the campus on this day” he adds. Hoonsub adds “Korea has one culture but India is
which is a mixture of audio and dance. “It’s a great and new experience for me to understand different culture. As I am from Kerala it is amazing to perform the song and
known for its various cultures from north to south. The university is beautiful, clean, and the
Image Credits: Vishnu Menon
people in the university are very kind and make us feel at home”. Akansha Rachel
Image Credits: SnehaJames
the devotees of God Mahadeshwara. But here in Christ, everybody is devoted to the dance with the rhythm. Jini K Jose
Ethnic Bytes!!
Mandya (Karnataka District) Madan Gowda,First year B. Com. The tough looking ‘Gowda Sarpanch’ look of this Mandya student was hard to miss. His attire was pat pate covered by a rap around panche, with half greyish waist coat. A kanduva was thrown in for a more elegant look, truly envisaging his royal look, fresh from Mandya.
South Korea John and Jane, Faculty of Christ University. The south Korean essence was exhibited in the silk stiff ‘hand Bok’ worn, printed and painted with designs on it portraying South Korea. Sai Sushmita
Back to the Roots
A moment of pride
On the occasion of Bhasha Utsav having completed a decade in Christ University Dr P Krishnaswami, Head ofDepartmentof Languages and the Director of TQMS addressed the students and the faculty who were celebrating the language of culture, while being dressed up in their ethnic wear“It seems like yesterday when the Nagaswarams performed on campus at a corner of a building was without an audience. As Bhasha Utsav
INTERVIEW WITH PROFESSOR MALLIKA, DEPARTMENT OF FRENCH
Image Credits:Arjit Upadhyaya
completes its tenth year, I hope they have got their pride back now. The performances that will be taking place will sound the message of feminity and culture,” said Dr Krishnaswami while addressing the audience.
He also went on to state that the aim of celebrating Bhasha Utsav is to bring the students back to their cultural roots which has been ignored since the advent of technology . Sahiba Cuccria
The Umbrella People
Ethnic Day is more than just about the drummers, the music and the dancing. In all the excitement, we often forget to notice the little things that play a big part in making Ethnic Day the colourful event that it truly is. It is the culmination of these little elements that make Ethnic Day what it is today. One such unnoticed and ignored element are
What does Bhasha Utsav mean to you? Bhasha Utsav means a lot of things. And, it should mean a lot of things to both students and faculty at this University. The beauty of this fest lies in the term Bhasha Utsav itself which means a festival of languages. It is also meant to signify the diversity of cultures and traditions that we have here. And, Bhasha Utsav celebrates this diversity. As the Language Department, we believe that our responsibility is to inculcate among our students this sense of culture and tradition that is crucial in a society that is so influenced by westernization. What is your favourite part about Bhasha Utsav? My favourite part about this festival would definitely be the procession. I don’t think many universities have as grand a procession as we do, especially one that celebrates culture, tradition, and diversity. The proces-
sion is also led by the head of our university and when the head of the family takes part in something, everyone else will also follow suit.
What must students take back from this festival? Since Bhasha Utsav is an occasion that allows students to connect and mingle with all the other students on campus, we as academicians hope that the students take back with them important lessons too. It should remind each and every one, of their roots, their cultures and traditions and it should remind them to be proud of it. I always hope that the students make the best of this day. Bhasha Utsav and Ethnic Day is meant not merely for the students to dress up, but also to comprehend the message behind it. If the students are able to understand this message, then we would have succeeded in reminding them of what we intended to. Nikita Shroff
Image Credits:Ashish Kumar
the umbrellas. These umbrellas added little flash of colours to the already vibrant Ethnic Day procession. The umbrellas are brightly coloured with shimmer all around them. Students from around the campus carry these umbrellas as a part of their ethnic wear. These umbrellas became a favourite prop for selfie-takers.
Suhani Gupta
Image Credits: Kartik Nair
A Grand Utsav for the Freshers
Expectations of first years
On the morning of Bhasha Utsav excitement was wrought in the air. The freshers of Christ University were all set for the colourful fest. “ I am very excited to take part in the fest. All my classmates are going to be in traditional clothes and I can’t wait to see them”, says Rajesh, a first year student. Be it the clothes, the dance or the music, each one of them is waiting for the unique experience. “ I’m awaiting the procession. It seems to
Man in White
Students from Middle East Image Credits: Meghna M
Final year B.Com undergraduate, Fazil, a resident of Bangalore, dressed like a Sheik, has mixed feeling this year on Bhasha Utsav. Being in his final year, all he wants to do is just enjoy every bit of it. “Last year there were separate places
Image Credits: Nikhil Jose
be very different”, says Harsha. Prerana, another student beams, “ The campus looks so vibrant. Everyone is all smiles”. A few of the freshers expect Bhasha Utsav to teach them something as well. Mebin Chacko, a first year student of Sociology says, “ I feel that Bhasha Utsav will be a learning experience. We will get to see the varied culture of not only India but other countries as well”. Varsha Raja
where people would go and dance, but this year I am expecting the entire university to be under one roof” says Fazil. This is one day where every student can forget everything else and just enjoy the feel of Bhasha Utsav. The fact that no other College or University celebrates ethnicity in such a unique manner is the highlight of this magnificent day. Even the lecturers get to let loose and enjoy with the students. The one thing he will miss about Christ is this celebration and the bond that brings the entire University to together. Deepthi Naidu
Revival of Oppana
Oppana is the dying dance form of Malabar Muslims, where girls are dressed in traditional dhoti and blouse. This dance form is commonly performed at weddings. Since 1980's, this art form has been slowly forgotten as the new generation is widely influenced by the western alternatives and it is uncommon for the youth to wear the traditional Oppana attire. However, our very own Christite- Merrin Rose, rose up to this challenge by joining the procession
in her perfectly stitched Oppana attire from Kerala, matched with the perfect gold accessories and the Elekya Thaali around her waist. It is the second time she has got the opportunity to join the procession; the previous one being dressed in chatta-munduthe traditional Syrian Christian attire. Her only message to the students is that she wants the youth to embrace their traditions.That is the only way of staying unique and true to oneself. -Jaicy Verghese
Merrin Rose poses in her Oppana Attire Image Credits: Nikhil Jose
Enthralling the Audience in Doll-Suits
One of the eyecatching elements of the Bhasha Utsav was Gaarudi Gombe, a traditional folk dance of Karnataka. The dancers dressed up in costumes of Yakshagana and other characters of folklore. The Gaarudi Gombe dancers, dancing to the tune of Thamitae were leading the ethnic procession that went around the campus and they did not fail to fascinate the audience. “The dance was so beautiful and interesting to watch. It was unique”, says Apporve. M. Lingaiha, the manager of the troupe says, “
Gaarudi Gombe is famous in Dakshin Karnataka. We want to showcase this dance form to people from different states as well as in other platforms and that is why we perform at Christ University”. Kushal, a native of Bengaluru says, “ I’m glad to have got this opportunity to witness Gaarudi Gombe because I don’t get the chance to see our traditional dance forms”.
Image Credits:Nikhil Jose
Varsha Raja
The Walking Extravaganza
Miles from Home
Never forget our culture,even though we're far from home
Miles away from home, Image Credits: Meghna Majumdar young people from Zim- “World is one, we are all babwe were here in Christ one, but we are just treated University to represent differently, and today we their Mother land and cul- will show we are one ture. A group of 11, who among the rest” they experformed ‘Museve’ and pressed and also ex‘Sungura’ dance forms, pressed this through their were here for the first time. performance. All they “It is very diverse and in- wanted to do was enjoy on teresting, but sometimes stage, and they definitely shocking to understand showed this through their the culture of India” Fred, performance. the team lead said. It is a It was a very lively perwonderful opportunity for formance and they gave a them to showcase their message “Never forget our culture and this is how culture even though we people will understand are far from home” as they what they are. bid adieu. Deepthi Naidu
Colours of Garba
Bhasha Utsav brings out the cultural pride in the students of Christ University. Onesuch example is a theatre studies student, Sambhav Nahar. Sambhav Nahar who hails from the Kutch region was brought up in Bengaluru. “ Bhasha Utsav is all about representing one’s culture. I wanted to represent the state of Rajasthan. I feel very proud to dorne this ethnic costume”, said a smiling Sambhav who was dressed in the ethnic wear called Kathiawadi, generally worn during the dance of Garba. Also what inspired Sambhav to wear the Kathiawadi was the fact that he wanted to
stand out. “ I wanted to stand out during the fest. Nobody else is wearing the Kathiawadi”, said Sambhav. His unique costume did catch the attention of many other students surrounding him.
-Varsha Raja
Image Credits:Nikhil Jose
Larger than life
The Ethnic Day procession is the ultimate euphoria where Christ University displays itself in pride to celebrate India’s cultural plurality. The students dressed in their extravagant traditional wear walk down from Block Four to the Audi Block lead by all the faulty members. One can witness the rich diversity of India in the intricate contrasts of clothing in terms of color, style and design. The entire procession walks to the energetic beats of Indian music flowing out of the
Image Credits:Pratibha Dixit
chenda(drum) which resonates in the entire campus . One of the striking aspects of the procession is the Garudi Gombe which led the procession. It provides a spectacular performance of larger than life deities who are dressed in vibrant colors and glittery costumes. These large life size deities lead the procession while dancing to the tunes of the chenda. Prerona Dey
Thai Meets Indian Culture
Image Credits:Pratibha Dixit
The astonishing beauty of Ethnic day at Christ University is a tradition followed by the University to showcase the various culture existences in the campus. The essence of this festivity is captured and enjoyed by the people of different countries as well. Students hailing from Thailand were seen in the campus in their ethnic
wears. “The ethnic day is a very unique event which enlightens us with the vibrant culture of India. It a nice feeling and an amazing experience to be a part of this day in Christ niversity” says Nontouch a student of BA English final year. “All the people across India are in different attire and it given a feeling of a mini India and it is lovable” he adds.fact that he wanted to stand out. “ I wanted to stand out during the fest. Nobody else is wearing the Kathiawadi”, said Sambhav. His unique costume did catch the attention of many other students surrounding him. Akansha Rachel
Interview with Dr.Krishnaswamy
Bhasha Utsav, being one of the most celebrated events in Christ University, is the amalgamation of various ethnicities and cultural heritage around India as well as various countries around the world. So, how
The man behind the scene
did it all begin? The entire initiative towards the mega-event Bhasha Utsav sprouted out of the feeling that there was a shift in the purpose of the Language Department. While it is often thought that the primary aim of any department is to teach, I feel that our mission was beyond just the
Reviving the Forgotten
Veeragaase is a traditional dance form, performed during the Jaathres and particularly during Dasara. It involves intense movements and a rigorous dance routine. For Bhasha Utsav, 2015 Sridhar Umashankar, from the Department of Commerce and the team of dancers performed beautifully, and spoke to us about the deep rooted culture associated with this dance form.
realm of academia. And hence Bhasha Utsav was conceived with the intention of imbibing the cultural, social and religious within values students.This year would mark the tenth anniversary
Image credits: Srilaxmi
of Bhasha Utsav. How would you describe the journey through the years? Bhasha Utsav was ďŹ rst celebrated in college in the year 2005. What had begun as a small step towards cultural integration between the students of Christ University, in making them more aware of the rich cultural heritage of their an-
Image Credits: Vishnu Suresh
While on conversation with Sridhar, we found out that Veeragaase is being performed for the first time
cestors, which eventually led to everything that we know of Bhasha Utsav today. The interspersing of cultures, traditions, colours and students is a sight to behold. Over the years, the overwhelming response and enthusiasm displayed by students made the Vice Chancellor to realize the scope of Bhasha Utsav in promoting the blend of cultures. On a personal level, what does Bhasha Utsav mean to you? As a teacher, I feel that most students are culturally alienated from their own rituals, customs and beliefs. So, this being a simple approach towards hoand education listic development of students, which is the founding principle of our institution, instilling a sense of cultural identity amidst the students while having a respect for the culture of others as well. Here is where, we, as the language department, play the instrumental role in propagating such values among the students and the sta alike. in the University. However, it is risky and expensive. The training these dancers receive is rigorous and the participation is not very high. However, from the people who came in for the selection, a total of 16 were filtered out. This dance form is important to preserve as it is one of the richest traditional Carnatic dance forms. It is, therefore, crucial to encourage and popularize traditional dance forms.
Tejas N.K
A Working Ethnic Day!
How can we forget about one of the most important set of workers of our University, who makes sure that everyday when we arrive, the place is presentable and clean. Yes! The support staff- from the security to the cleaners. The environment of Bhasha Utsav is a whole new feeling for them. Monica, an attendant in the Audi Block, says that
Image Credits: Bonny Louis
it’s one of her most favorite days in college as she loves to see everyone dressed in attires different from the formals and churidars. On a surprise note, they are not even sad about the fact that even on this celebratory occasion they are not able to take a leave or enjoy the scene. Instead, they make sure that all their work is finished on time and they can enjoy the music outside. We can see here how Christ University is successfully keeping their students as well as the staff happy . Bhabna Mahanta
Modern Traditions
The outfit of Manipur exudes their unique charisma. The traditional costumes patterned with native designs are very simple and are also easy to wear. Shirts, t-shirts, jackets, jeans and skirts are common among youngsters. But they still like to wear their traditional costumes. The youth prefer to modify the attires with contemporary changes. This ethnic day that is what they have opted to do. “I have lots of expectation
from this event because I have heard a lot about eth-
In conversation with Dr. Anil Joseph Pinto, Registrar, Christ University.
Can you tell us about Bhasha Utsav and how it has evolved over the years?
In Christ University everything evolves over the years. Similarly Bhasha Utsav has also evolved. The venues, the events, everything undergoes innovation every year. This is because at the end of the day, it is not about what the university has but what the students take back as memories. This year, of course, there will be a procession which will start from block 4. We are also trying to include students from all regions and
nic day from many people.
We have worn our tradi-
tional dress which is also one of the official dress we
wear in Manipur during
any events or meeting. We have modernized our tra-
ditional dress and worn it
with traditionally desig-
nied vest coat and muffler.”
Shatsang
Tonreipam from
A
BA
(EPS),first year and Chan
Shinray BA(EPS), second year.
Ankita Singh
Manipur students twist tradition with modernity Image Credits : Saketh .S
Celebrating Individual Identities
not just specific sections.
What is unique about Bhasha Utsav?
The unique thing is that in general we only talk about being a ‘Christite’ but this is the only day that we celebrate our individual identities. I can assure you that you will not come across this sort of variety anywhere else in the country. And I say this because where else will you see more than forty languages being spoken in a University? We have students from around fifty six countries which is very rare.
Bhasha Utsav is conducted on a huge scale. How do you cope with the pressure that comes while organising it?
In Christ University everything works through delegation. Things come together for a moment, like in meetings, and then we distribute the work. Every event is special and it demands its own commitment. The language department, student welfare office and student council are the main people involved in Bhasha Utsav.
What message do you want to put across through Bhasha Utsav? Like I said, the diversity here is huge. Every person comes from a different background. As you walk through the college you can see this diversity widening. So that is what you get to see on that day.
What significance does Bhasha Utsav hold for you on a personal level?
I come from the Humanities background so I look at it from that point of view. We have this term called ‘carnival’. A carnival is where different people get together, dance, sing, eat good food and just have a lot of fun without any barriers between them. For me, Bhasha Utsav is like that. It is also a day where we are breaking stereotypes and various barriers that restrain us so we can celebrate wholeheartedly. Varsha Raja and Srilakshmi M
Dollu Kunita- 15 years on
Dollu, Tala and Gilli, three
variations. They do not
change their style be-
instruments in hand, cre-
cause this is exactly how
ate wonders. The Hoysala
Janapada Yuvaka Sangha
the crowd likes it. They
to 20 members have been
Dollu Kunita, which is a
perform
is professional group of 15
dance
playing in Christ Univer-
performed
by
nied by Dollu, the instru-
and they are extremely
ment.
happy to be a part of this bonanza, Bhasha Utsav.
They are one of the im-
They say, this environ-
portant performers who
ment is different from the
bring
other places they have enthusiasm and happi-
like
shepherd men, accompa-
sity for the past 15 years
performed at. The kind of
dances
life
to
Bhasha
Utsav creating a vibrant
Entertaining in style
ness around the University is commendable. The music they play every year is usually the same, but with a bit of
Leading the Extravaganza
Kerala‘s traditional ‘Sringari Melam’ was the highlight of the procession during Bhasha Ustav 2015. 21 members of the Shastha Troupe from the Thrissur district of Kerala took part in what was an energy packed performance. “We have been performing for the past few years in Christ University. It’s amazing to see the world come together in one place”, says Kiran, a member of the troupe. The majestic sound of the Thaayambakas and Chendas lingered in the atmosphere, even after the performance, and Christites, irrespective of their ethnicity, joined in on the fun and made it memorable. Ankita Singh
Precurtionist leading the beats
Image Credits : Nikhil Jose
God’s own Music
atmosphere with their music and dance.
Deepthi Naidu
Image Credits : Saketh . S