Bhasha Utsav 2016

Bhasha Utsav 2016 Special Edition

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Photo:Girik Gupta 2

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Vice Chancellor Dr. (Fr) Thomas guages. Christ University represents a ment, our Vice Chancellor encouraged C. Mathew, as organized and small piece of this India as an amalga- our Christities to keep up the philoso- disciplined as he is, began with mation of cultures sheltering over 52 phy of the prestigious university, ac-a smile that lit up the crowd as he ad- national and international languages, cepting the love of various culturesdressed the audience, who understood reflecting the globalized small world and communities and to continue tothe relevance of diversity that residesin the minds of the Christ community. Photo:Gaurav UniyalHe focused on the aspect of diversitybeginning with the teachers who speak The formidable combination of wisdom and ethnicitydifferent languages and are from di-verse cultures thus bringing in the var- we live in. The Vice Chancellor com- remain ‘magnanimous’. Bhasha Utsavious cultural ethnicity to the classroom mented, specifically on the students of was then declared open by our Vicediscussions, and enriching the stu- the United States of America, who Chancellor with a thunderous beat ofdents. “In a globalized world we must were making an effort in accepting the the Dholak, which symbolizes theunderstand the prominence of culture of India that they were wel- widespread momentous glory of all‘Apartheid’, wherein race and colour comed to. This leads to the acceptance communities in and around India asact as matters of segregation. This di- of communities worldwide, where no its rhythm unites people, nation andversity of the campus is showcased community dominates on the basis of nature.through the clothes you wear, the food it’s numbers, but gains attention onlyyou eat and the culture that you carry through the parameter of it’s contribu- -Diya Joseph & Odyssey Gohainwith yourself. Every community must tion to the world around it.be respected and understood in termsof their culture.” He further quoted the With great excitement and encourage-example of the great Tata’s of theParsee community, who, with a mi-nority of only 69,000 members aremassively contributing to the field ofindustries, education, science andtechnology. He envisaged that thesmallness of the community in num-bers do not matter as long as there isgreatness in thinking and immensecontribution to the growing world out-side of our barriers.India, the land of beauty, greatnessand vibrant cultures with leaders cel-ebrating and guiding us towards the‘Veda Bhoomi’, that the country wasmeant to be, comprises of 1652 lan-guages, out of which only 22 languagesare recognized as scheduled lan- Words from the leader Photo:Gaurav Uniyal3

Bhasha Utsav 2016* A Trail of Culture Photo:Malavika Anupraj Culture has no faceAs the Drum Beatstheir nationalistic spirit whilst others flipped the concept and chose to wear On September 17th, For every rise in the musical tempo, Indian ethnic garb. Christ University trans- the crowd was led into a manic frenzy. formed itself into a People from different departments Block 4’s procession involved students panorama of culture and stood mesmerised as large bands of and lecturers swaying to the tunes of colours on the occasion of people were dancing, singing and just the Shingari Melan. The teaching staff Ethnic Day. All students enjoying the magic being weaved by had a well deserved break from their and the teachers alike the music. monotony; and the sparkle in their were adorned in their eyes betrayed their excited emotions.finest ethnic garb with nervous, ex- Some students went the extra mile Fr. Sunny Joseph, said, “It is excitingcited smiles plastered onto their and instead of adhering to their own to look at people in their ethnic wearcheeks. The procession began from all ethnic garb, they chose to represent even though their faces are familiar tofour blocks simultaneously led by the the historic personalities of their cul- us, today, they look different, colourfulVice Chancellor, Dr. Fr. Thomas C ture. For instance, two students from and full of cheer and vibrancy.”Mathew, the Registrar Mr. Anil Pinto B.Com were dressed as Tipu Sultanand by the lecturers of the Department and the King of Mysore respectively. Some students looked forlornly at theof Languages. procession as they were unable to Christ University is an institute where wear their ethnic garb but neverthe-Colourful umbrellas were being the mundane seeks to break free of its less they too were a part of it in spirittwirled about; with music from differ- shackles and present something that and soul.ent cultures dispersing their soulful has never been seen before. People be-notes amongst the crowd, changing longing to different ethnic back- -Aarthi Venkateshthe everyday facade of the University. grounds like Africa, Tibet and Arab countries were proudly showcasing Photo:Nikunj Bisht The Heads of Christ basking in culture4

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Photo:Stanley Hector Christ:When we stand and represent ethnicity A dash of fashion, a splash of cultureThere is a moment which everyone nator of the Students Welfare Organi-craves for, a moment to see and envis- zation and Dance Department. Theage the entire world’s diversity with a christites were then addressed by thesnap of a finger or a blink of an eye; Vice Chancellor who believed Christthis mirage was just brought to reality University is the breeding ground, i.e.,by Bhasha Utsav conducted by the De- “A university of diversity. The way wepartment of Languages on 17th Sep- celebrate Bhasha Utsav is because oftember 2016 in the Auditorium at our mother tongue, as it is a way to ex-Christ University. With the students press our culture and understandabil-donning the attire of their respective ity. For the students coming from thecountries and states; marching shoul- different parts of the nation , we haveder to shoulder towards the audito- an equally diverse faculty .” He thenrium with a blast of colors, ethnicity specially thanked the students of theand heritage. United States for accepting, respecting and celebratingThe Bhasha Utsav welcomed everyone the joy and the joie de vivrewith open arms as the celebration and of the Indian Culture byfestivities began with the introductory wearing the Indian Attires .speech in English, Hindi and Kannadafollowed by the invocation song. The The ‘ Bhasha Utsav thuslighting of the lamp was presided by stretches itself from thethe Vice Principal, Fr. Colonel. Great North to the OceanicThomas. C. Mathew, Dr.Krish- South, to the Colorfulnessnaswamy, HoD of the Department of of the West to the Original-Languages, George Joseph, Ms. ity in the East. This celebra-Kavitha A, Shivaprasad Y.F and other tion commemorates thefaculty members of the Language De- bliss and the blessed factpartment. As beautifully quoted by Dr. that “ LANGUAGE IS ASebastian, a Professor of Hindi “We GIFT AND A WAY OF EX-are proud to celebrate the different di- PRESSION”.versities in this university, whetherlinguistics or cultural.” Later, the stage Maryann & Ishawas ornamented by the Shiva Thandavwhich vivaciously and voraciouslyhighlighted the spirit of dance.Thedance was led by the Assistant Coordi- Photo:Stanley Hector A University of Diversity5

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Unlocking the sacred sym- A Chronicle of Cultural Life phonies of the past and invad- ing the mysteries of the world guage in which their roots lie in. The gether leaving behind their differ-while carefully presenting thoughts of language that remains within your ences, leaving their worries and trou-civilizations and the world beyond us, identity is forgotten and lost. A sense bles behind to be unified under thelanguage takes its glorious form in its of ‘disowning’ lingers in our mother shield of India and the true ‘Indianess’strength and vitality. The key to cre- that is attained through language. Theation and contemplation remains in performances, in dance or music arethe hold of language, and even more in showcased only through the tradi-the language that can understand and tional roots to create the link betweencommunicate our culture, traditions the culture and the self, which ulti-and our roots. Professor Mallika Kr- mately mends the identity of oneself.ishnaswamy, the Dean to the Depart- The emptiness that lies within each ofment of Languages speaks to us, us is only due to the lack of under-about the mythical roots that bind the standing of this cultural past and tra-self to the world around us, through dition that is forgotten. During thelanguage, during this festivity of festival of Bhasha Utsav, every studentBhasha Utsav 2016. participates and wears their ethnic best, to rekindle the cultural roots thatWhat is the essence of the Language lie deep within us. The Ethnic proces-department, as the core coordinator sion commences, led by the vice chan-of Bhasha Utsav? cellor and a sense of belonging andLanguage is the means of communica- pride manifests within the crowd, astion, which helps in enriching the self there is joy among everybody.in every way possible. The Universityas a wholesome community aims to tongue, and ironically the world What is the importance of languagebridge the delicate misgivings and around us, forces us to question, our and its symbiotic relation with cul-misunderstandings in the community identities. What are we? Where do we ture?through language. A long time ago, the come from? This is the intention thatuniversity proposed languages that lies in bringing about Bhasha Utsav, to Through language a connection is cre-catered to every community. Thus, unveil the self through language and ated that creates an opportunity towas the prominence given to Indian culture, to retrace the forgotten roots bring back the link with the culturallanguages. Telugu, Urdu and Malay- and to be proud of what we find of our- roots and it also serves as an opportu-alam were previously part of the lan- selves on our way. nity to reinstate the lost values. Theguages that were offered to the present generation has seemed to for-students. In time, each of these lan- What is the ‘Bhasha Utsav’ that you gotten the importance of these values.guages withered away from the cur- have witnessed in the past years, in With immense talent and potentialriculum, as they lost their popularity terms of bringing out the element of that lie within them, the youth must be ‘ethnicity’? guided to channelize their strengthsamong the student community. A festival that is looked up to with with a strong grip on their roots. Dur-Hence, the current status of the lan- pride and childish innocence is ing, Bhasha Utsav, the connect be-guage department comprises of Kan- Bhasha Utsav, with more than 17,000 tween language and culture is creatednada, Tamil, Sanskrit, Hindi and students and 600 faculty coming to- right from the inaugural speech toFrench as a foreign language. every activity hosted by the depart-Due to exceeding consumerism and ment.commercialization, a wave of disinter-est wades through the students, as A need arises to rely on the ethnicitythey seem to lose their pride in the lan- and culture to retrace oneself through language to fill in the empty gaps in life. The bedtime tales and the long lost folksongs, with a touch of nostal- gia is forgotten with the infiltration of the west. Bhasha Utsav stands to tes- tify the roots of each person and con- tinues to gain its position among Christites. Thus, with 35 years of expe- rience, Professor Mallika Krish- naswamy brings forth the intricate relationship between language and culture through the celebration of ‘Bhasha’. -Diya Mariya Joseph 6

Bhasha Utsav 2016*“Without memory, there is no culture. TRACING CULTURE THROUGHWithout memory, there would be nocivilization, no society and no future.” LANGUAGE- Elie Wiesel. It is said that language isthe key to the heart of people. It is a cated centre for culture. Soon after its and Abroad. Students tend to repre-means through which we connect to advent, the Department came up with sent ethnic identity of every statepeople across the world. But, lately multiple indoor events like Bhasha through their vibrant performancesone is being judged over their profi- Parishad, Bhasha Surabhi and more in while the professional troop’s per-ciency and command over certain lan- order to encourage students to show- formances enthrall the audiences.Mr.guages, most commonly, English. In case their cultural and artistic abilities. Swami highlights the importance ofthis rush to learn English, the impor- Later, In order to encourage student culture and emphasizes on the need totance of one’s mother tongue is dimin- participation, outdoor events were know one’s musical traditions, theatreishing at a rapid rate and sadly, this is also introduced.The main purpose be- traditions, film traditions, paintinga situation that is being ignored.Ac- hind Bhasha Utsav is to highlight the traditions, sculpture and many othercording to Mr. Krishna Swami , Head fact that our traditions have certain el- things. Values in culture are still veryof Language Department, Christ Uni- ements which need to be preserved much prevalent in the institutions ofversity, “Bhasha is a symbolic word and language is something which family, marriage, education and com-which basically means culture.” should be nurtured and its sanctity, munity. Each ethnic group across theBhasha Utsav is an annually cele- maintained. Mr. Krishna Swami also world has a national character, for in-brated cultural festival organized by mentions that, “Any message in the stance, the Japanese are known areDepartment of Language in Christ Indian context reachesUniversity. quickly if conveyed through known to be hard-workers.It is a festival of culture which can as much as a noise as pos- Similarly, Indians aretrace its roots to over a decade now. It sible. Also, in our country known for their attachmentis hard to believe that such a magnan- repetition runs in our veins towards certain eternal val-imous event has had such humble be- and that’s our national ues of life. The main aim ofginnings. It all started with a debate in character.” this program is to make in-one of Mr. Swami’s classes where stu- India has produced some of dividuals question anddents pondered and discussed about the finest music, sculpture, think-Who we really are?topics relating to Myths, Beliefs and architecture, paintings etc. and even to He also adds, “Language isLegends. Many think that one is not this day these forms of art are at par just a tool; it neither breaks norconsidered a man of culture unless he with art forms of the world.Although bridges the society. The meaning isor she knows his or her epics. Myths the organizers have done a tremen- shown in our ethnic wear and in the vi-and beliefs exist in every community dous job, admittedly, it was not with- brancy of the performances.”The pop-and the Indian culture is no exception. out its difficulties. One of them being ular saying ‘We all go back to ourThe stories of origin of the migrant highlighting each and every cultural roots’ is beautifully interpreted by himcommunities give credence to the item because of the vast diversity that when he says every root has positive asstatement.The initial thought behind the country exhibits. But still, they well as negative elements. We need tothis event was to introduce Centre for make sure that there is fair represen- choose for ourselves and pick the bestCulture in the University as the higher tation of all the cultures from India of our roots.educational set-ups had no such dedi- -Vidyashree & David“Traditions can be really important Later, the departments felt the need to honour the natural diversity too. Indi-since it’s a way of bridging past withthe present” – Yoni Pielet amalgamate the fests and brought viduals must not escape from the com-Addressing the audience in the grand forth Bhasha Utsav.auditorium of Christ University, Dr. PKrishnaswami, Head of the Depart- He mentions that Bhashament of Languages, articulated hisviews on the importance of nurturing The Red Letter DayUtsav- the festival of culture,the diverse culture.Inaugurating adecade year old tradition in the midst is a way we reminisce people Speechof a crowd magnificently dolled up in and their contribution to-their ethnic attire, Dr. Krishnaswami wards building a cultural en-begins his speech expressing gratitudetowards Col.Dr. Fr. Thomas C vironment in the system. The issue of mitment of preserving one’s ownMathew, the Vice Chancellor of Christ cultural colonisation was also brought culture. By inculcating and showcasingUniversity and the people who were to people’s notice and the need to pay the right attitude one can nourish theinstrumental in nursing the cultural heed towards such issues was also cultural and ecological diversity of theenvironment of the university. mentioned. The advent of machines nation.Concluding his speech, he left and softwares have led to the colonisa- the audience with a wise advise that,Prior to a bygone decade, every lan- tion of culture. Due to this, people are “Discipline contributes towards suc-guage department had a separate fete. forgetting ancient rituals like cess. One shouldn’t become a beast, Namkarana, Kanya Daan and many but should take conscious efforts to7 more innate rituals and traditions. Ac- maintain the ecological diversity.” cording to him, cherishing the cultural diversity is of utmost importance as it -Vidyashree & David in turn helps us realise, respect and

Bhasha Utsav 2016* the quadrangle, so the disciplinary teams of the Student Welfare Office (SWO) had to intervene Photo:Manasi at regular intervals. As a tribute to Goddess Yel- The music that gives a high lamma, performers of the Garuda Gobe Kunitha had two trained performers carrying out a highly mastered dance which involved them to carry heavy idols over their heads; from here it was an act of balancing and at the same time dances breaking out for the beats. On this auspicious day, will the Malayali culture be left far behind? The Shinkavimelam, a folk performance from Kerala broke their beats out in front out the Auditorium block. The beats fol- lowed the troop like a procession until they reached Block I. Soon the typical South Indian dances broke instinctively among the crowds to the beats of the professional folk performances -Nivedhita. THE POWER OF THREECULTURES SET THE CAMPUS IN A GROOVEDistinct cultures, graceful move- 2016. Photo:Manasi ments, vibrant colours, drum That is how they Dhol beats that make you shake Garuda Gobe Kunitha, a folk perform-your legs to its rhythm and perfection ance from Mandya, Karnataka, fol-are simply a few words that describe lowed the Melam. This performance,the performances by the professional strikingly different from the rest, wastroupes. The cultural performances an elaborate sight to the eyes as it hadkicked off in the main auditorium and performances by colourful life sizeflamboyantly went around the campus puppets. Depicting a story and an en-leaving the colossal audience with tertaining dance at the same time, theraised eyebrows. performers with ease worked out the trick of entertaining the crowds whileMigrating to every part of the campus, simultaneously pleasing the ears withthe performances surely made stu- some thumping beats.dents in every nook and corner in-stantly groove in exhilaration. It was a Dance broke out in some corners oftreat to one’s ears witnessing Dolluku-nitha, a dance form of Karnataka She’s got the POWER Photo: Joel Thomaswhich was performed in front of apacked auditorium. In a jiffy, the vi- 8brant enthusiasm of the performersbecame a synced feeling with that ofthe audience.Around the same time in the JuniorCollege, the quiet sight of quadranglewas dismantled as the beats ofNayandi Melam, (a folk performanceprimarily prevalent in Tamil Nadu),reverberated throughout the building.While students gathered on the floorsof the building expressed their merri-ment through whistles and roars tillthe close of performance, Col. Rev. FrThomas C. Mathew took a gander towitness the ecstasy of the profoundperformances of the Bhasha Utsav-

Bhasha Utsav 2016* forts paid off. A lot of students were impressed by the singing. All in all, the mentors did show that they too can rock the stage and steal hearts. These gems of folk melody produced by an individual and altered in transmission of a group fashioned a beautiful expression. The faculties ex- pressed their ethnicity by ex- hibiting their culture through the folk song. -Naman & Kurian Photo: Roopal Shetty Department of Languages in the SpotlightAnation's culture resides Mesmerising to get the in the heart and soul of feeling of ethnicity its people- M K GandhiOne of the most awaitedevents of Christ University -Bhasha Utsav was finally cele-brated today i.e. 17th Septem-ber, 2016. The 11th Bhasha Utsav is forming. I was a part of theready to set the stage on fire. Along invocation team so I knewwith the procession, the faculty of the what was going to happen.Department of Languages carolled a It’s actually fun to watch mykannada song. professors perform. MyThe students were eagerly waiting to friends reactions were toowatch their mentors on stage, singing. good. They were all zapped!”A student from the Department of Lan- Professor Nagalakshmi, Fac-guages said that ‘They have practiced ulty of Sanskrit, stated, “Wefor a long time in the staff room. They sing folk songs every year ondidn’t even let us to know what song Bhasha Utsav. A lot of effortsthey were performing on. It was great are put in by the teachers. Itto watch Shivprasad Sir sing. He has a is difficult to sing the folkwonderful voice. I came here to mainly songs. A lot of practice is re-watch him on the stage” The song the quired. Also performing onDepartment of Languages sang was stage is not an easy task. We‘Chellidaru malligeya’. were all excited to go andEvery year the faculty members per- perform, and now that weform on stage. For this, the professors are done with it, we feel sopractice well in advance. Dr. Shiv- happy”.prasad Y.S., faculty of Kannada, said, Professor Kavita, belonging“This time, because of the delay, we to the French Departmenthad more time in hand to practice. We had to learn the the lyrics be-took the help of Rajesh Sir and the fac- cause she did not know theulty from the Morning batch too guided language. She said, “I thinkus throughout.” we did a great job. It was fun Photo: Roopal ShettyThe students had a lot of expectations singing on the stage. I amfrom their professors and they weren’t glad to be a part of it.”let down. Nityashree Ramakrishna, a The Dean of Humanities and Dr. Sebastian all set to mesmerise the audiencestudent from the Language Depart- Social Sciences, Mallika Kr-ment remarked, “I knew they were per- ishnaswami, was glad to see that the ef-9

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Opines Professor George, the head of the department of Hindi, Christ University. Everything about BhashaBhasha Utsav is an annual celebration of culture, di- Utsav is extraordinaryin essence; festivity in its man- versity and ethnicity at Christ. Every year, this fest ifestation and captivation in its cultural convention. Bhasha sees students representing various states and coun- Utsav celebrates the very existence of varied Indian culturetries in their ethnic wear and presenting their folk art to and languages. The idea behind it is to encourage differentthe rest of the students.During a conversation with cultures and languages, which is something that really needsMr.Shivaprasad and Ms.Rathi belonging to the Depart- to be promoted in today’s times. With the current generationment of Kannada, they shared their views and hopes with being more akin to emulating Western trends, they miss outus for Bhasha Utsav 2016. on diverse cultures that makes our country the ‘Incredible India.’Bhasha Utsav is one of the most celebrated events for thestudents and staff at Christ University. “It’s a platform to Christites from different ethnic and linguistic backgroundsintroduce our tradition to other students. Our studentsperform various folk art representing their local culture,” dress in their traditional attire on this very day. The beauty says Mr.Shivaprasad. On the other hand, for looking forward for the extravaganza of this Utsav is Ms.Rathi, this day is where she gets to see her country at its vibrant best. The students JAI HIND(I)that, it not only reflect the culture, clothing and jewelry of various parts of the country on this day. celebrates the di- versity and eth- The celebration that is Bhasha Utsav has been a part of every Christite’s life since the nicity of the “English is for living, past 10 years. According to Mr.Shivaprasad, nation, but also Hindi is for loving”… students initially used to be very reluctant to transcends the re- come up and participate in the various gional and lin- events, but over the years, there guistic barriers. From the students dressed in Kashmiri attire are larger num- bers of students Cheran to Kerala’s Kasavu saree, Rajasthan’s vibrant volunteering for the events and coloured odhni teamed with ghaghra or lehengas to kurta py- actively working to make the day jamas and sherwani. From Mizoram’s traditional attire a success. “ Since the past three Puanchei to South Indian sundry silk sarees. years there has been a cultural Professor George stated, “Bhasha Utsav for the students Procession tak- might just be a day where they get to put their best clothes ing place, which on and adorn beautiful accessories, but for me it is the day is a visual treat when people come together to celebrate, appreciate and re- for the onlook- spect their own language.”Our primary focus is to shed light ers”, adds on Ms. on the folk culture. In order to bring this out, we have called Rathi, “also our for auditioning, and teams representing the culture of vari- students depict ous places like Maharashtra, Punjab, Zimbabwe, Mizoram, their culture Nepal and many more have showcased their cultural dance through their performances.” says Professor Sebastian, Faculty, Depart- various tradi- ment of Hindi and in-charge of preparations of cultural pro- tional dance grammes for Bhasha Utsav. forms like Garba from Gujarat, Professor George expresses his concern regarding the factBhangra from Punjab, Kolatta, Pattada, and Puja Kunitha that people prefer not to talk in Hindi. He adds, “English isfrom Karnataka. All this is something we look forward to regarded as a refined language and people are under the falseevery year now”, beams Ms.Rathi. This year, even with the notion that English helps them to gain a public standing.curfews imposed by the Government coupled with in- This is the reason why they don’t speak in Hindi nor showclement weather, Bhasha Utsav is still being conducted interest in learning it. Through Bhasha Utsav our Depart-with vigor and enthusiasm. The teachers are all excited as ment aims to make the students aware of the importance ofthey are working hard for a performance. “ This time, we the Hindi language.”have decided to form a group, consisting of teachers fromall departments and sing a folk song, we all have somehow Talking about how Utsav has turned into a cultural savoury,managed our schedules and are very excited to perform”, Professor Sebastian remarked, “Prior to bygone eleven years,says an excited Ms.Rathi. each Department of Language had its own free-standing cul- tural fete. Understanding the importance of the diverse cul-As always there is hope in every teacher's face who strongly ture, all the Language Departments along with Vicebelieve that this day will be a grand success. Chancellor Father Thomas C Mathew brought forth ‘Bhasha Utsav’. This being the 11th year, is a field day to trace back to -Madhura Chandana & Ashwini Raj our roots and hold other cultures in high regard.” Bhasha Utsav 2016 is a multi – lingual, multi – cultural fes- tival. Dollu Kunitha by Devaraj and troupe from Mandya, Chenda - Singari Melam by Sundaran and troupe from Pal- lasena and Naiyandi Melam by Yuvaraj and troupe from Kr- ishnagiri; are the most profound cultural performances by Christites and by professional troupes on the campus, this year. -Prachi Modi & Naman Gupta 10

Deva Bhasha of a Veda Bhoomi Bhasha Utsav 2016*The stream of all ver- merged into luring shadows Sanskrit began to lose its seems to be lacking in the naculars and cultures of tales and mythical crea- significance. With the ar- present society. The very resides within the tures. rival of the Vachanakaras; culture and value systemsheart-‘ Sanskrit’. It is a sub- the infiltration of various that we aim to abide by, re-ject that harmonizes with With the revolution of cul- other languages sparkled sides in ‘Samskritam’.science, politics, philosophy tural systems, Sanskrit at- through the entire field andand every aspect of the In- tained a position among the a sense of distortion due to It is a language of pride, adian life. Professor Na- common men. Previously the diversity of languages language of dignity, a lan-galaksmi, the Sanskrit spoken as a language of the was perceived in India. Dur- guage of love,a language ofProfessor spoke about the Brahmins, the language of ing Bhasha Utsav, the San- prose and poetry thatlanguage with immense the elite; Sanskrit was en- skrit department offers its touches the soul and haspassion as she dissected her dorsed with utmost pride deepest reverence to this guided them towards theway into the past and sub- and glory. Later, as the majestic language which path intended by the ances- pages of evolution flipped, has unfurled itself in the tors. Thus the pivotal role of land of bounty with songs Sanskrit is to canopy the and dances solely inspired various cultures and lan- by the Vedas. The prayer guages. Sanskrit hails from song is sung in Sanskrit the Veda Bhoomi of India verses, thereby laying the and determines its every as- foundation of all languages pect till date. itself. Professor Na- galaksmi, then spoke about -Diya Maria Joseph the importance of valuesIn conversation with Prof. Nagalakshmi that are passed on through Sanskrit Literature, whichTHE BATTLE OF LANGUAGES French Professor KavitaBhasha Divas is every Christite’s fa- thought often lingered about the in- English language courses when marksvorite day which is not a tough guess. tensity and importance of this vibrant is concerned”. With that, she expressesThe celebration of Language in this celebration of Languages. To this, Pro- that the interest of the students is notcampus is done in a way which is not fessor Kavitha remarked, “ Yes, it’s very potent. Her concern covers theonly astounding but also prodigious! important for people to showcase their area about Indian students not pickingThe Department of Languages had Pride. I am in-charge of the stage, I foreign languages and failing to under-taken this initiative to start “Bhasha make sure the anchors of the pro- stand that it’ll help them in the nearDivas” which is the commemoration of gramme converse in their language future, it is the foreign national stu-Languages that involves ALL the de- and be more accepting towards other dents that choose French as their Lan-partments, EVERY Christite, every languages. On the stage, there is com- guage as they can relate to Frenchnook and corner of the campus! Un- petition between Indian and Interna- better than English or other Indianderstanding Languages and celebrat- tional Culture and Languages, the Languages. The University helps theming diversity being the theme, students students and faculty successfully grasp adjust through their language. Profes-from within and beyond the shores of the huge variety of culture present in sor Kavitha illustrates about Frenchthe country celebrate their distinct cul- the college”. not been spoken in the campus buttural art forms and folk artists from fortify her students to practice thedifferent states perform in the campus. She highlighted a few obstacles the Language, not under pressure but withThis article is mainly focused on what foreign languages face. Her domain love and respect. Isn’t that how lan-the Department of French thinks being French, she discusses her expe- guages must be seen?about Bhasha Divas which falls under rience and uncovers the bitter truth ofthe huge umbrella of Dept of Lan- the students who often choose subjects On the eleventh Bhasha Divas, Profes-guages. that help them fetch easy marks , “ sor Kavitha anticipates the “Power” of French as a language is very important language will win hearts and encour-French professor Kavitha Anbarasan and the demand is increasing, but, age students to envision learning for-stated, “It’s a cultural fest, folk and tra- compared to other language depart- eign languages not just as an academicdition where people come together ments in this university, the French course, but also, a recreational activ-from different places and showcase Language is rarely chosen. Students ity!their pride in belonging to a particular refrain from studying a foreign lan-Culture”. As Fresh Christites, the guage and wish to stick to additional -Rumela Chandra & Mary Ann11



Bhasha Utsav 2016*13

Bhasha Utsav 2016*A Symphony Bhasha Utsav is a chance for show of skin. of Cultures Christites to showcase their cultural flair and flaunt Students of the Tangkhul Tribe Photo: Rose Tomy their ethnic attire. This cultural from Manipur proudly displayed festival presents an opportunity their attire mentioning that it was a for students to take a break from visual treat to see people from so the daily grind of academics and many different backgrounds gath- indulge in a bit of colour and ered in one place with so much joy charm whilst promoting their na- and energy being emitted. tion and nationalistic spirit as well. From Thailand, a trio of girls, Jira- Hailing from Tibet, Tenzin Kingdol, pan Wattanapan, Nachanat Thean- an MCS II Year, said, “This is a worachok and Panrawee chance for us to wear the attire Kaweesawat, BCA, were a view to which feels comfortable and re- behold and while her friends were minds us of home. Back there, we displaying half skirts with blouses, would wear our traditional fare Nachanat Theanworachok chose to every Wednesday but here, having indulge herself in wearing a sari as a rare chance to show our tradi- she was always fascinated by it. tional spirit increases the sense of its importance.” Lastly, an unusual tone of colour could be seen amongst the Depart- Students from the Republic of ment of International Studies. Congo had a different story to tell. Harini, a student from Kerala, said, According to them, they would wear “We knew people would be dressing their ethnic attire every day decked up in multitudes of colour and with heavy ornaments. Unfortu- hence, my classmates and myself nately, they couldn’t get their orna- chose to wear the Onam sari with ments but they compensated for it each one of us having a blouse of by mixing it up with Indian and the same colour tone.” their own ethnic array. It is evident that colours, joy and The entire student community that musical extravaganza form the was out on the streets looked akin roots of Bhasha Utsav. The excite- to a painting splashed with a myr- ment from the teaching as well as iad of colours. Shravya, a student of non teaching faculty could literally B.Com Honours from Gujarat was be seen shimmering in the air. In adorned in her Navratri costume the end, it is clear that Bhasha during the time of Garba. Another Utsav is one such festival where student from Kashmir chose to there is more than what meets the wear a simple fare but she made a eye. special mention of the fact that her purpose was to make sure that her -Ashwini Raj entire body was covered with no Photo: Rose Tomy 14

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Editorial Desk A Bridge through Bhasha The need of the hour is not just to re- alize one’s roots or ethnicity but value the concept of diversity. India being a hybrid land, a land breeding and breathing multiple colors and people is a sheer reflection of what Christ University stands and symbolises. As harsh and dev- astating as is present reality, against the backdrop of the issue between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, a certain oxymoronic rep- resentation of facts can be put forth here, where the problem of water scarcity is being touted as \"Burning\".The real world syndrome of a ‘DOG EAT DOG WORLD’ wherein declaring war and shots fired in succession is now a part and parcel of na- tion and men which is not what Christ Uni- versity preaches and teaches. Bhasha Utsav is a platform where diversity meets diver- sity and language is the code which binds all Christites together. Bhasha Utsav a magnum event is a culmination of the ef- forts of academicians from the department of languages seeking to be an epitome of linguistic unity. We need to embrace the fact that different cultures is what makes the world go round at the end of the day and this hour calls for an overlooking of prejudices by negating the differences and celebrating it.15

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Bhasha celebrating People!Bright lights, smiling faces, an alluring stage and exquisite Tibetian delightperformers - “Christites” presenting different hues ofmoods highlighting cultures through their graceful move- Tibet gotments. This day aims at a commemoration of languages the dancing shoesto remember traditional roots, and, to be more acceptivetowards each other’s cultures encouraging harmony. Na-tional and International students came together to per-form and exhibit Unity in Diversity. The taste of TibetNo power is greater than the essence of FreedomProfessional dance groups captured people’s hearts bytheir breathtaking outlook and presentation of incom-mensurable cultures. The bestowal of Sungura Dance, aspeciality of Tibet, is a vivacious dance embroiling beau-tiful hand movements of female dancers. All the dancersdressed up in colorful costumes marked the onset of theenergy. The crowd clapped loud as the dancers started toperform Admo, named after the place Tibet. They per-formed two styles - Sungura and Dendera. It is usuallyperformed on auspicious occasions like New Year’s Eve,that is, Losar in their Language and mostly on DalaiLama’s birthday. All the girls looked elegant and createdmagic with their postures and expressions while the mendid some majestic footsteps and won hearts. They repre-sented the life of Tibet through their dance and also up-lifted their community and inculcated the sense of respectfor their community which is seen as a Minority. -Rumela Chandra & Surabhi Ranjan Zimbawe burns the stage Our Culture is our brand ! With the articulation of love and happiness in the atmos- phere, the dancers looked vibrant. “Looking forward to a great morning with a variety of cultures”, said Anna Mapiye who represented the Zimbabwean Culture. Two songs beautifully brought out how the Zimbabwean cul- ture evolved, which is mostly played during their happy moments. The Zimbabwe team proudly exclaimed that they were really overjoyed to experience this essence of freedom in showcasing their country’s talent. The dancers were powerful and so enigmatic that the crowd failed to control itself from dancing. Their costumes were eye catching and their moves imprinted on the audience. The very concept of Power and Poise was mixed and ex- ecuted in a way that is beyond Imagination. Such a per- formance will be etched in the hearts of every spectator present in the Auditorium. They’ll be remembered. -Rumela Chandra & Surabhi Ranjan 16

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Bhasha celebrating People!Deva Shri GaneshaHoliness in their soul, devotion in their hearts, power Lezim’in all the way in their mind creating Lezim Love that unites, food that revives, words that sur-Lezim, a famous folk dance form of Maharashtra performed mise- Nepal.by men showcasing different feet movements in a sequencedmanner and is mostly performed during Ganesh Chaturthi. “An energetic dance and it’s more of surrendering your-Shubham, Aparajitha and Ritik remarked that they are nerv- self in a circle of trance”, said Aparajitha who looked ele-ous, this event being a huge opportunity for them ! Showcas- gant in her costume. The Nepali dance form could be seening their devotion to Lord Ganesha and their loyalty and path taking pride in showcasing their rich culture. “I feel pres-to Salvation, the fierce on their eyes, the movements of their surized though I am surely very excited”, said a performerbodies, their hair flying with every beat and their forehead when asked how he felt whilesmeared with vermillion tributi, their formations stood performing before such a hugestrong that resembled a pyramid and seemed unbreakable. crowd. When they performed,This dance form named after the instrument Lezimto was the audience had a smile on theiraccompanied by Dholki. The standard of performance was faces. They performed a lovebeyond excellence and the crowd ended up giving them a story which showcased the realstanding ovation. The photographers could not stop clicking. culture of Nepal. The womenThe use of props was done well leaving no empty space on were dressed in pretty skirts andthe stage. The power of dance that can reach out to the God the men in traditional Nepaliand can never fail to amaze people was proven during this wear and a Topi. The song wasperformance. exciting and the moves were fun. There was a sequence when the -Rumela Chandra & Surabhi Ranjan girls and the boys were trying to impress each other showcasing Nepalis are full of love and to- Around Nepal through getherness. The music had a the Love Trance touch of EDM too ! “Our dance represents the look of Young Nepal. We are beautiful and our youth is famous for dance and music. That’s our way to cele- brate life. We use different in- struments to dance and produce music. The Call of Hills just got printed and we are so proud. Our message is to plead people not to discriminate or demean us. We are as special as you are”. The crowd too danced with their beats. Clapping with the beat, the crowd sang along as they danced on the most famous celebrated song of Nepal. -Rumela Chandra & Surabhi Ranjan17

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Bhasha celebrating People!When Nritya Unifies Photographs: Nikunj Bisht, Sushakya Paul, Subhajit Paul, Ayush GiriThe much awaited Ethnic Day is finally here. After the Grace Personified chaos and the troubles surrounding Bangalore for the past few days, problems have finally died down and The first competitive dance event of the day, Thiru-the Christites are all set to make this day a memorable one. vathirakali is here. Malayalees being their usual self couldn’t stop howling when they heard MalayalamFolk dances are numerous in number and style, and vary ac- being spoken. The Main Auditorium was sparkling withcording to the respective ethnic or geographic region. Danc- a blast of colours. Professors Deepti Das, Department ofing traditions in India plays an important role in shaping Computer Science and Vijay Madhavan, Department ofand nurturing the rich and diverse culture of India. Performing Arts were the honourable judges for the event.The performance incorporating cheerful music and brightlydressed dancers moved with equal grace and poise, which Thiruvathirakali also known as Kaikottikali is a tradi-gradually gained momentum amidst the cheering of the tional form of dance found in the Southern Indian statecrowd. The dance performance was beautifully choreo- of Kerala. According to one belief the festival is celebratedgraphed with synchronized movements. as the birthday of Lord Shiva. Thiruvathira is the naksha- tra or \"star\" as per the Malayalam calendar of Lord Shiva. -Archana Thomas & David Sangma Another belief is that the festival commemorates the death of Kamadeva, the Hindu god of love. It is believed that on this day, the Goddess Parvathy finally met Lord Shiva after her long penance and Lord Shiva took her as a saha-dharma chaarini (equal partner). Both Parvathy and Shiva present this ideal to devotees in the form of Ardha-Nareeshawara (half male, half female form). Thiruvathirakali is a dance form performed by women on the day of Thiruvathira to the accompaniment of Thiru- vathira paattu, folk songs telling tales of lovesick Par- vathy, her longing and penance for Lord Shiva's affection and Shiva's might and power. The sinuous movements executed by the group of dancers around a nilavilakku embody lasya or the amorous charm and grace of the fem- inine. The dance follows a circular, pirouetting pattern accompanied by clapping of the hands and singing. Today, Thiruvathirakali has become a popular dance form for all seasons. Thiruvathira kali is a typical dance form of Kerala. Women dressed in typical Kerala style with mundu and neriyathu and the hair bun adorned with jasmine gar- lands perform this dance during festival seasons. Kaikot- tikali spreads the message of joy and also illustrates the emotions of a married woman – her hope of attaining everlasting marital bliss and of the unmarried woman’s longing for one. The audience revived their memories of Onam and clapped their hands to the melodious beats. The dance was indeed pleasant, beautiful and graceful. -Archana Thomas & David Sangma 18

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Opening the doors todiversity yet rooted intraditionsFrom the land of silk and sandalwood, the youngsters per- From the land of silk and sandalwood, the youngsters Contagious Energyformed the Kolata dance, which is one of the most famous performed the Kolata dance, which isdance of Karnataka. The dance is performed during the auspi- one of the most famous dance of Kar-cious festival of Ugadi which is the Kannada New Year and nataka. The dance is performed duringKarnataka Rajyotsava programmes. The men and women per- the auspicious festival of Ugadi which isforming this dance are called Kannada Kootas who dance along the Kannada New Year and Karnatakato melodic tunes of “Cheluvu cheluvayya Tanitan- Rajyotsava programmes. The men anddanaKolkolanna Kolukole”. women performing this dance are calledUnlike the Dandiya Ras from the northern part of India, The Kannada Kootas who dance along toKolata dance comes in two forms. One of them is performed melodic tunes of “Cheluvu cheluvayyawith coloured sticks and usually involves both men and women TanitandanaKolkolanna Kolukole”.dancing together. While the second is a very rigorous play ofsticks only by the men dancing to folk songs. Sticks here are Unlike the Dandiya Ras from the north-thick and hard to sustain strong play. There are many types of ern part of India, The Kolata danceKolata, like jade ( ja - day) kolata which means plait Kolata. comes in two forms. One of them is per-People here jumble themselves holding long scarves. These formed with coloured sticks and usuallyjumbling form a plait. There are many types of jade Kolata in- involves both men and women dancingcluding fishtail. together. While the second is a very rig-According to one of the dancers it was initially performed in orous play of sticks only by the menthe open fields involving immense dance, facial expressions dancing to folk songs. Sticks here areand enjoyment, which forms the core elements of Kotala. thick and hard to sustain strong play.Bhoomika.L from 1st Year, B.COM said the dance form signi- There are many types of Kolata, likefies “Namma Nadu,Namma Hata” which translates to “Our jade ( ja - day) kolata which means plaitland and our game”. The dance also shows how happy go lucky Kolata. People here jumble themselvesthe people of Karnataka are and how in spite of being so hard- holding long scarves. These jumbling form a plait.working and industrious they also know how to enjoy. The There are many types of jade Kolata including fish-dance form is powerful yet graceful which showcases how Kar- tail.nataka can be a state that imbibes balance in everything thatthey do. According to one of the dancers it was initially per- formed in the open fields involving immense dance, -Archana Thomas & David Sangma facial expressions and enjoyment, which forms the core elements of Kotala. Bhoomika.L from 1st Year,19 B.COM said the dance form signifies “Namma Nadu,Namma Hata” which translates to “Our land and our game”. The dance also shows how happy go lucky the people of Karnataka are and how in spite of being so hardworking and industrious they also know how to enjoy. The dance form is powerful yet graceful which showcases how Karnataka can be a state that imbibes balance in everything that they do. -Archana Thomas & David Sangma

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Photo: Samrat Ganguli ents by sharing their love and passion for Christ community with printed to- In midst of a story kens of coloured love. The students of MAMCS also flaunted their marketing“Amazingly wacky” said Manisha from talents when it came to luring a largethe Department of English and “Whee, number of people from the crowd, thusI can’t wait to get my pictures taken!” enabling them to gain a profit, whichsaid Anusha belonging to the same de- will be contributed to the CSA founda- tion. “No filters required “said one, as the fancy props greatly complimented her attire in every way. The 1st year stu- dents of MAMCS were immensely proud of the work that they pulled off. Madhura Chandana, the host said, “It pays to see the students enjoying theFiesta in a Frame! Photo: Rose Tomypartment. Vibrant and entertaining, fruits of our hard work” This fun filled PhotoBooth Callingwith friends turned family and pictures photo booth comprising of laughterthat go up the coloured walls, the stu- and energy, is just around the corner Photo: Rose Tomydents of Christ University welcomed of the Gourmet hall, and for merely 50 A Girl should be two things,the idea of a cool and quirky photo rupees per head, it did all it could to Classy and Fabulous!’booth set up by the First year students promote its cause for women’s em- – Rose Tomyof MAMCS, with great enthusiasm. The powerment.booth began its official duty, at 10:00am, with props setup and hosts wel- Diya & Nirupamacoming a queue that grew by theminute. The organizers looked as en- Photo: Rose Tomythusiastic as the students coming to gettheir photos taken. There were editors,photographers, printing machines anda culture enough for a Red carpet Pho-toshoot.The idea stemmed from a thoughtmoved onto a discussion and then touncanny agreements and the PhotoBooth was finally brought out. Afterrigorous days of work and excess over-flow of creativity, the students pulled itoff with props, frames and an insta-gram account. Fascinating and com-mendable, the best photographers of1st year MAMCS showcased their tal-“What V “I learnt a O “The decor Cbetter way O lot about F looks Hto express I Indian amazing! Rour C diversity Makes the Iethnicity E today” campus Sthan come to Tthrough An interna- life !” Iour tional stu- Tclothes?” dent. E S 20

Bhasha Utsav 2016*Ethnicities all over India and beyond came to- The third place was awarded to the performers of the gether at Christ University on 17th, September Kolata dance form. They were once again students of 2016 on its Annual Ethnic Day. The celebration the first year who bagged a prize on their very first per-was heralded by performances by student troupes who formance. Rashmitha and Pavitra, students of Com-were geared to flaunt the intricacies of their culture and merce and Management respectively expressed theirheritage. The extravaganza culminated with the facili- relief over the culmination of their performance as ittation of the best performances. The judges for the day marked the end of all the hard work they were requiredwere, M/s Deepti Das and Mr Vijay Bhargavan from the to put in.departments of Computer Science and Performing Arts,respectively. Exchange students from Zimbabwe who danced to the tune of their traditional music of celebration were also“While most are dreaming of success, winners wake up, exclusively facilitated. All other performers werework hard and achieve it”The first prize went to the awarded a token of appreciation for their enthusiasmteam representing Tibet who performed the Sungura and participation.and the Dendera dance form. The second prize was de-livered to the team representing Kerala who put forth Christ University’s momentary transformation into athe Thiruvathira form of dance to the tune of Unigana- space of cultural appreciation blurred differentialpati. The performers were first year undergraduate stu- boundaries. The dance forms were merely a leaf fromdents from the deanery of Science. The team on the existing foliage of human existence that culturallyreceiving the prize essayed the hard work they had to takes different forms.put in for over two weeks and also expressed their ex-hilaration on being placed second. M/s Meghna Menon -Dinisha Mehta & Prachi Modiand Ganga KM stated “ It is the time to celebrate and itis beyond our expectations.’ Performed Ethnicity: Celebrating Differences Photo: Kiran Thomas Photo: Malavika Nair21

Bhasha Utsav 2016* merce quoted “It is good to have an end to a journey.” She expressed her“Just as one candle lights another and gratitude towards the Vice Chancellorcan light thousands of other candles, Col. Dr. Rev Fr. Thomas C Mathew,so one heart illuminates another heart Dr. P Krishnaswami, Head of Depart-and can illuminate thousands of other ment of Languages and the other fac-hearts” – Leo Tolstoy ulty of the Departments of the Language, the Judges, Prof. DeeptiThe festival of celebrating ethnicity Das, Department of Computer science,and diversity-Bhasha Utsav 2016 con- and Prof. Vijay Madhavan, Depart-cluded with deliverance of the vote of ment of Performing Arts.thanks by Vice Chancellor Col. Dr. RevFr. Thomas C Mathew. In his speech As rightly said, “Every ending has ahe thanked the organisers and ex- new beginning.” The students of Christpressed his deep gratitude towards University parted from the auditoriumBannerghatta Campus for their im- looking forward to the happening daymense support and participation. He and next year’s bright festive season ofalso acknowledged Dr. Jyoti Kumar, Bhasha Utsav along with the vigourAssociate Dean, Department of Busi- and charm they possess.ness Studies and Social Science, Ban-nerghatta Campus of Christ University -Vidyashree & Jeena KSfor her support. He later wished Chris-tites a joyful and a memorable dayahead.Adding on to the thanksgiving, Ms.Purvi from the Department of Com- Gratitude towards the University- Student repre- sentative Purvi delivering the vote of thanks Maria JosephEnchanting happiness-Vice Chancellor Col. Dr. Rev Fr. Thomas C Mathew Au Revoir- Bhasha Utsav overwhelmed by the mesmerizing performances 22

Bhasha Utsav 2016* Student Welfare OrganisationBasha Utsav set to happen no matter what, despite to the students in prior. The volunteers ensured that at any troubled times in the city. Excitement spread across cost the rules are maintained. In order to carry out the true Christ University as the much awaited cultural ex- tradition of this day, the SWO had issued strict rules to thetravaganza Basha Utsav finally took place after dates being students and warned them that failing to abide maintainingreshuffled due to various reasons. But the wait was totally decency in clothes will cost the students. It was also en-worth it, because this time it happened on a larger scale. sured that no outsiders or ex students entered the gates. Proving to the University that ethnicity has no bounds, theThe Student Welfare Office (SWO), have toiled their way teachers were extremely excited to watch the students walkthrough keeping up with the numerous bandhs, events and into the gates from morning. What started off as a fest oncepleads from various departments regarding the postponing upon a time by the Department of language has finallyof the event and were finally glad to present the 2016 ver- made its way onto becoming a day dedicated for the funsion of Basha Utsav. and merriment of students. With three hundred SWO vol- unteers displaced across the campus, it was ensured that“This is one day, where the students will not have to think everything went according to the plans.about anything that is academics related, like CIA’s or Endsemester exams. I am proud to organize such an event -Niveditha Venkateshalong with my team to just make sure that the students arehappy and unwind freely”, said Bhaskar the head of SWO . Bhasha Utsav is a good initiative.The campus was upbeat and was converted into the biggest Wearing our traditional ethnic cloth-dance floor on the day. DJ consoles, traditional drum beats ing makes me remind me of home andand other varied types of music was played as the studentsshook their legs to the beats. The campus also witnessed I am thankful for that.this day with freshers and the students from the Christ Uni-versity’s Bannerghatta campus. - Joseph Safari, III BBAThe Bhasha Utsav 2016, was inaugurated by Vice Chancel-lor Col Rev Fr Thomas. C. Mathew, which took placein the Auditorium after the procession and the events forthe day commenced.Tight security measures have been in-troduced this year and the rules of the events was mailed Voice of ChristitesBhasha Utsav is Christ is a campus Wonderful endeav- Its really good to Bhasha Utsav is a a platform to where people all ours towards keeping see the different very colorful and see the differ- over the country our roots and culture culture and lan- beautiful to see. It ent cultures and the world come intact. Bhasha Utsav guages. Bhasha Utsav is an event help me get inand tradition in together to is a Great initiative touch with tradi- the university. study.Me being and fun too. thatSeeing different from Karnataka promotes lan- tion could finally see - Yashitha Vashishth guages, Its good people wear how different me 1 Journalism Honours to see the differ- - Anoop Vincent their ethnic and the other stu- ent cultures and 1 B.Comwear is very ex- Bhasha Utsav is unity languages allciting to see as dents are. through languages We are first year and culture - Annu around me. students and so it well. - Sirisha Prabakar Richu, 1 EMS is my first time in 1 B.Com - Anoop Vincent - Nisha Hegde Bhasha Utsav. Its - Soundarya R 1 B.Com 1 TEP exciting seeing the 1 CMS different traditions in front of me. I am anticipating for more. - Mayank Agrawal 1 B.Com F&A23

CREDITS With the concept of unification and Bhasha as our bridge, this newsletter is the handwork of the Masters in Media and Communication Studies and CEP(A) 2016 batch; wherein the reporters, photographers, designers, sub-editors, chief editor, as- sistant editors along with the grace of the faculty; have painstakingly worked till the last dew drop of Bhasha Utsav fell on the tender buds of perfection and flagged the dogma of diversity. Not conforming to the medians of war, we Christites have proudly unfurled this newslet- ter which hoists the tri-colour of unity and diversity. THE TEAM EDITORIAL EDITORS REPORTERS PHOTOGRAPHERS DESIGN Chief Editor Pratap Pranay Ashwini Raj Sushakya Paul Prannay Kumar Delara Banaji Naman Gupta Roopal Layout Assistant Editors Mitchelle Simon Subhajit paul Riya Agarwal Lisa Susan Abraham Meghna Jain David Sangma Gaurav Uniyal B.Prithvikanth Sarah James Diya Joseph Stanley Hector Text Ashwini Shajan Mary Ann Girik Gupta Aparna.SFACULTY INCHARGE Indushree SR Vidyashree Behalya P Fr Biju K Chacko Divya Swami Joel Thomas Image Suparna Naresh Arjun Banerjee Rumela Chandra Kiran Thomas Shantharaju S Rachael Dsouza Niveditha V Rose Tomy SreeHari Prachi Modi Vivian Peter Neha Gera Jeena KS Nikunj bisht Colour correction Prajwala Sachin Aarthi Venkatesh Manasi K Kurian George Malavika Nair Odyssey Gohain Maria Joseph Isha Shanker Surabhi Ranjan Malavika Anupraj Dinisha Mehta Vaibhava Nirupama Samrat Archana Thomas An initiative by the Department of Media Studies Christ University Bengaluru