“Mediocrity knows nothing higher than itself, but talent instantly recognizes genius.”
― Arthur Conan Doyle, The Valley of Fear
To celebrate the spirit of art, UPG's very own cultural committee came up with Cultural Carnival: an opportunity to unbottle your talent. From fine arts to open mic, this intra collegiate event gave a platform to every individual's uniqueness.
Opening Ceremony
Bringing a refreshing break to the monotony of the virtual world, the Cultural Committee kicked off its flagship event in the college premises once again. The opening ceremony of Cultural Carnival’21, hosted by students Priyanka Singh and Rajeshwari Ghorpade, was filled with talent, celebration, and positivity, all in just 15 minutes. Principal, Dr. Anju Kapoor, and teacher-in-charge, Prof. Mayur Vyas, delivered speeches encouraging others to focus on the positivity of the festival season instead of the losses that occurred in the previous year. After the ritual of lighting a Diya by staff members, the extremely talented Rucha Dharap and Fenil Songarwala, from the committee, put up dance and music performances, respectively, as a way of honoring the true essence of the coming event days: a dazzling showcase of skill and raw talent.
Fantasy Premier League
As the name very well suggests, the participants were asked to make their football team. Options were given in a tabular form for strikers, mid-fielders, defenders, and goalkeepers. There were a total of 12 teams from Chelsea to Leeds United. The prices of players varied from Ronaldo at 12 million to Rodrigo at 6 million. There were a total of 2 game weeks with one free transfer in the middle of the two weeks. The event was super engaging with participants bidding on the best players. The very enthusiastic, Parth Chamaria, was declared the winner with 50 points.
Taal Se Taal Mila
Indian culture branches out to several forms of art, and a beautiful branch of this tree is classical dance. Taal Se Taal Mila was organized to highlight the very spirit captured by Indian classical dances. Basic ground rules for the event were simple. Participants had to send pre-recorded videos a day prior and the selected finalists would have to perform a 2-minute dance live. Brilliant dancer and an expert, Ms. Moksha Shah was the judge of the event. The first place was awarded to the graceful, Khushi Bhuta, while the second place was awarded to the expressive, Ishani Kapoor.
BGMI
BGMI was a gaming event that focused on the participants’ ability to survive in a gaming situation. They were to play on the Sanhok map in an arcade setting. All the required weapons were given and the participant who survived till the very end was declared the winner. After extensive focus and dedication, Vaibhav Mogal was finally declared the winner.
Zodiac Chakras
The participants had to showcase their artistic skills by creating mandalas based on the theme ‘Zodiac Signs’. They had the option to choose any zodiac sign(s) that they wanted to draw. Participants were given two hours to complete their tasks. The event was mediated by Ms. Rashmi Gala, a fervent teacher who teaches art and craft. The winner of this event was Lily Kawadia, whereas the second podium was awarded to Khushi Baxi, both of whom created an art piece that captured the intricacies of design. The event brought the participants’ creative sides to light and painted a picture of the potentials of human artistry.
Mehfil Master
Mehfil Master was an open mic event at the carnival. Participants had the stage and had to speak any piece of literature that they wanted. The event was brimming with shayaris, poems, and literary texts. The participants captured various emotions such as romance, sadness, and anger through their voices and words. The event was judged by prolific speaker and writer, Mr. Saurabh Vashishth. The first podium was bagged by Khushi Bhuta, due to her use of poetic devices and emotive tonations. The second podium was a tie between the extremely talented Nikunj Padaya and Om Mishra.
Just Say It
Honoring India’s long history with theatre and drama, the event, Just Say It, was an ode to the traditional Navrasa. The participants had to submit a video of a mono act performed by them, capturing any one of the Navrasa. The event was judged by an extremely talented student of UPG College, Mr. Utkarsh Yadav. The first place was bagged by the brilliant actor Madhura Giri and the second place was awarded to the emotive Raajlakshmi Jain.
Surmai Mehfil
The musical event, Surmai Mehfil, stayed true to its name and created an aura of appreciation for music. The participants sang songs that made us take a trip down memory lane. It was a beautiful moment and hearing their voices for the first time was refreshing. The judge, Mr. Som Prem, sang Tu Aashiqui Hai, and the comment section was filled with compliments. The first podium went to the euphonious, Sharanya Gosh, whereas the second podium went to the melodious Vanshika Raigaga.
Bollywood Baby
To summon the Bollywood Fanatic in the participants, Bollywood Baby aimed to provide a plethora of alternate endings to Bollywood cult classics. The participants were given the option to choose between PK, DDLJ, 3 Idiots, Lunch Box, and Om Shanti Om. They had to write an alternate ending to their chosen film within 20 minutes. The event was judged by the dynamic Ms. Shehzeen Khan. The first place was awarded to the brilliant Khushi Shah, while the second podium was bagged by the talented Arhat Kaushik.
A Journey To Your Past
In the graphic designing event of the carnival, the participants were expected to capture nostalgia from their childhood in the format of a digital illustration. They were permitted to use Procreate, Illustrator, and CorelDraw. The event was judged by our very own faculty member, and an impeccable artist, Prof. Abhijeet Mohite. After exploring the epitome of creativity, the first podium was awarded to Niyati Gala, while the second podium was awarded to Khushi Baxi.
Dynamite Daze
Ending the Cultural Carnival’21 on a dancing note, Dynamite Daze was the last event of the Talent Hunt. Ms. Freya Desai, a learned dancer, was present to judge the event. Everyone was eagerly waiting and thrilled to witness the contestants perform. The energetic performances and the song choices like Tamma Tamma again and Saki Saki had pumped up everybody’s day. Keeping up the competitive spirit, it was a neck-to-neck competition making it difficult for the judge to decide the winners. But outshining the rest, Bhavika Lohiya secured the second position while Ridheesh Ghildiyal secured the first position.
Closing Ceremony
Closing Ceremony of the Cultural Carnival was a look-back at the eventful three days. The cultural committee's hosts and members amazed the audience with such an unforgettable event. HOD's shared their experience about how much they loved organizing such a great event and gave their token of gratitude. Winners were announced and the amount of appreciation each participant received was immersible. An energetic drumming session by Dev Shah, followed by a heart soothing song which was beautifully sung by Hiya and Vanshika Raigaga in their nightingale voice was indeed a cherry on the cake. The carnival was filled with art, poetry, emotions, refreshing voices, and sportsmanship! Each participant made sure to convey their feelings through Art as sometimes words don't do justice. This carnival was the break everyone deserved and the talent that all the UPGites were carrying was commendable. The event captured the spirit of art and the fact that nothing, not even a pandemic, could stop it!
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