In the last six months spent here, it is very difficult to pick out one memory and call it the best. Over the time there have been many endearing moments that have etched themselves in my mind, and they collectively make this first semester eventful. Shakespeare beautifully expressed this furor that we have for, and the meanings that we cling to, in the myriad memories of the past in these beautiful lines, “Praising what is lost makes the remembrance dear” (All’s Well that Ends Well, Act 5, sc3, l19)
Reminiscing back, it is the group events where RICS as a whole has come together and participated that have been the most wonderful. Right from our faculties, to the students of this program, to the non-staff and technical members that form the backbone of our institution, have come together to partake in the festivities of Cultural Day, Ganesh Chaturthi, Diwali, birthday celebrations, and more recently Christmas celebration.
These moments open up new channels of communication and present a different side of us to each other which otherwise we may not know. For Ganesh Chaturthi our respected Dean, Prof. Jagdish Math initiated the celebration with Ganesh and Lakshmi puja with his wife and all the faculties and students followed suit. There was puja, followed by distribution of sweets and everyone wishing each other. Whereas for Navratri, the SLING team had organised a cultural event that saw participation from not only the students but also the faculties.
Our associate Dean Prof. Amol Shimpi kick-started the event with such a fine rendition of old songs, and the mantle was carried forward by the talented students of RICS and other faculty members. All participated whether in terms of dance, singing, garba competition and so on.
Cultural days in the college allow all the students to represent their culture, traditions and roots and most people came dressed in their native clothing. Christmas celebrations saw all of us exploring a new tradition and getting to know the stories and carols behind the festivity. Participating in the Christmas play after the exams ended was also a huge stress-buster for all the students and laughter echoed through the corridors of students and teachers alike. Such interactions create an ecstatic atmosphere of cultural vibrancy and positivity that one feels more connected to the holistic environment of the academic institution.
The enthusiasm with which participation occurs is perhaps the best reminder of how fickle this time is. It’s going to pass before we blink. Perhaps that is the reason I have tried capturing all these moments through these pictures and the subsequent emotions through these words. All in all it isn’t the academic rigour but the loudest laughter and the tightest hugs that echoes through time and rings a bell deep in the memory lane to once again ruffle those buried emotions. These have been my fondest memories and most memorable days here at RICS. As Charlotte Bronte remarks in her poem, that “…rapidly, merrily, Life’s sunny hours flit by, gratefully, cheerily, Enjoy them as they fly...” (Life).