It was 7:10 in the evening we were all at our respective positions, checking and correcting the diyas to be lighted down soon. Any time from now call of RK lites can be given . Our hearts were full of expectations and apprehensions. Expectations were for our hardwork of last two weeks, to materialise into a heartening & memorable win. Apprehensions were weather our structure will light up fully or not because we knew if it get lighted then it would be the grandest and the most beautiful illu of all halls participating in this interhall illumination competition of IIT Kharagpur. illu, as it is commonly known, is one of the most labourious and creative event of iit system. Its the only event with a scope for every one to contribute in his own way. More ever specially for rkites it is not only a tradition but a question of prestige. No final year batch will like to passout without winning the illu in their time. This time the fact of being the defending champions and very good preparation by other halls have added additional pressure in all of our minds.
This was indeed the final step of the entire show when we have to lite down the entire structure and remove the entire logistic within a minute. And there came the command of rk lites we all started lighting our respective chatais. At first the atmosphere was tense, some us were fretting & lighting diyas with shaking hands. but soon the entire structure started illuminating. It was coming really great. Except for the top diyas they were lightening with no resistance. It was an awesome scene to watch your entire hall, congregated at a single place, lighting thousands of diyas tied to create a grand structure, depicting a theme . All the chatai heads were at their best, motivating and guiding their guys with an occasional glimse of the entire structure as a whole. To my satisfaction it was lightening with full intensity. We were enjoying our time and call for split and dismantling of the tables was expected soon. One.... Two.... Three and RK split every one came down took hold of their tables and run for cover whereever they can. It was really amazing more than a hundred tables arranged one over the other upto six layers, coming down and removed with in sixty seconds. It can be said to be one of the gratest example of desciplined team effort and that is what illu is known for.
We all were hiding in the cycle shed with judges inspecting our creation. We were dying for the moment judges finish and we are allowed to see our hardwork materialise. We were delighted and confident of a sure shot victory and anticipating a big celebration late in the night. Soon judges went away and gate of the cycles shed opened up. And we all were running towards the garden shouting and screaming at our best... each of us hugging everyone around with the entire lighted structure beside us. It was one of the happiest and most memorable moment which we will cherish through out our life. Soon there was a big tempo shout and again a series of hugging and wishing. It was illu at its best... It was Rk at its best...... And there were we all extremely proud of our creation. After all being the defending champions we were expected to give our
best & that was evident from the huge crowd admiring our show and comprehending the source of the excitement and jubiliation in us.
After all the celebration, photo sessions & a short tour round the campus. There came the time for the result. There was a huge crowd in front of gymkhana....every one at its best enjoying the impatience and excitement in the atmosphere. Specially worth watching was the enthusiasm of RK & RP hall. Each expecting a memorable win and getting a big pot of rasgullas as prize. The memory of last years illu was still in our mind.... how we had carried away the traditional victory procession....The taste of last years rasgullas was still in our mouth and it was raring to have some this time too..... All of us were confident of a sure shot victory. It was only a matter of formality for the judges to announce us the winner and handing us the trophy and also our share of rasgullas .
Finally judge came and started announcing the final verdict. And suddenly we saw a big roar from a section of crowd and there was the illu trophy lofted up in the air. My immediate reaction was whats happening???????? Why are they lifting our illu trophy????? They can't win illu may be they may have lifted it by mistake in lieu of rangoli trophy. But which is this hall????????? No its not RP????? RP guys r standing aghasted to our left....... OH No its lallu.......And now why r they lifting the rangoli trophy???????......... OH god what a folly.......Are this judges fool or am i dreaming.......... ITs too ridiculous..........How can they do it with us???????????? Its real prepostereous???????? They can't win both of it...............and the confusion prevailed for next ten minutes.
Finally it came clear that we got a big surprise from the learned judges who had just rejected our hardwork of an entire month terming it to be old and boorish and have adjudged lallu,the champion because they were too creative.... After all they have depicted a big tajmahal in their illu which was an exception keeping in view of the traditional mythological themes. It doesn't matter that such a structure consist of mostly straight lines and only a single curve in form of a dome. It must really be a catwalk keeping in mind the complexities of the figures made by RK & RP. And they had some additional offers too they have diverted from the regular decorum of illu and acted the plot of raajdarbar with some live music one as if thereal tansen was singing for akbar. It was as if judges got a drama free on a bargain of illu. Sometimes we do require changes but that doesn't mean that the present is not good. Changes should be admired but we should not completely forget the present which had given us the idea of the change required.
We worked really hard and did put up a splendid performance. The admirations & accolades we recieved were our treasurable rewards. It doesn't matter much that we didn't won the gold. Because we still believe we were the best. Memory of the moment we rushed out from all the direction to celebrate the result of our hardwork and labour will always we there in our mind. And will always make us nostalgic of a great event called illu and its ultimate master RK......Long live the tradition of illu........Long live the spellbound performance of RK
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