Banasthali Literati 2018 Springs to Fun and Frolic in Fall

The Department of English and Modern European Languages successfully organized its yearly fest Literati 2018 during Sep 24 – 25. It is indeed a matter of pride that this department of Banasthali was established in 1943 with the introduction of B.A. in English followed by M.A. in 1963 and subsequently MPhil and Doctoral programs. German and French were introduced in the beginning as Hobby Courses which later became Certificate and Diploma courses.

The two day fest drew a huge audience to Gyan Mandir auditorium, the venue of the fest. The fest began with a formal inaugural session by Prof. S. Paul Malhotra (Head, Dept of English), Prof. Pradeep Seth (French), Prof. Hamsavahini Singh (German) Prof. Anita Jain (Dean of Humanities) and Prof. Geeta Kapoor (Head, Dept of Hindi). Festival featured presentations from more than 400 students from different departments supported by many faculty members. It was a matter of pleasure to see a great number of first-year students at the festival.

The German Zeitgeist witnessed a commendable participation by more than hundred enthusiastic students of Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma courses in German. It exhibited the various aspects of the German culture and literature and popular media through a variety of performances that included a Group Song which was followed by a lively presentation on films shot in German – speaking nations. The event gained vigour by a Fusion Dance, an amalgam of the varied dance forms of Bhangra, Classical and Bollywood. An enjoyable Skit on Akbar-Birbal was wonderfully enacted by the students and this was followed by a ‘Guess Who’ performance wherein the audience was encouraged to participate and identify the characters being represented on the screen. Just about every word in their film shots was in German immersing the audience in the language and clueing them in with subtitles in both English and German was really a great fun. The events to follow this mind-engaging activity were the vivacious Yodeling followed by a German Dance and the National Anthem of Germany.

La francophilie, the French event showcased the exuberant, artistic and diverse aspects of French language, culture and literature through mellifluous songs, elegant dance forms, informative presentations and stupendous drama performances. It witnessed grand and enthusiastic participation of more than 200 students of Certificate, Diploma and Advanced Diploma course in French. The event started with a virtual tour of France followed by French songs, Cygne noire- a dance and drama performance. The event continued with energetic Polka Dance and story enactment of the adventures of Tintin all time famous French comic character followed by a French Comedy by MOLIERE- Le Malade Imaginaire, accompanied by French classical Ballet. The students presented National Anthem of France, La Marseillaise, giving the message of liberty, equality and fraternity.

This was followed by Panel Discussion on the topic ‘Can the Subaltern Speak?’ The panelists sent the sparks flying discussing the complex issue. The next event was Ad-Mad Show in which the students displayed a wicked sense of humor advertising the products of everyday use. This was followed by the event - Philosophers on the Ramp where the students demonstrated the persona by excellent use of the words and style of eminent philosophers like Aristotle, John Locke, Derrida, Adi Shankaracharya, Mahavir, among others.

Next there was a thrilling session of Poetomachia or Speech Poetry which showcased both the poetry writing and performance skills of the students. Students focused on various issues like “Why should all love end in marriage”, “I am the monarch of all I survey”, “Nothing is Original in this World”, etc.

The events on the 25th September saw a red hot Debate on ‘The Objectification of the Body of Woman in Beauty Pageants’. It was followed by Just-A-minute session where the teams had to speak spontaneously for a minute on given topics without stammer. It was followed by Musings on Soliloquy, delivering monologues, with anecdotes drawn from Macbeth, Toba Tek Singh, etc. The post lunch session saw the most popular event - Mime, where teams brilliantly performed on topics like ‘Don’t drink and Drive: Alcohol Kills’, ‘Relationships: Then and Now’, ‘Society’s Attitude towards Women’, etc.

Next session was a test of literary knowledge - Quiz Lit where the four selected teams had to answer questions about literary works and authors, genres and questions based on audio-visual clues.

Last but not the least, the event literary dance drama, Masque recreated famous scenes from Julius Caesar, Macbeth, and the Indian Epic Ramayana through dance and drama. The other activities like Card-Making, Fan-Fiction and Creative Writing had taken place three days before on September 21st before the actual event. Many students took video camera and criss crossed the campus throughout the day to capture the essence of Academic Festival.

The valedictory session and prize distribution ceremony was presided by Prof. Gopal Purohit and Prof. S. Paul Malhotra. They congratulated the students on the success of Literati 2018 and appreciated the team spirit in organizing the event. The fest came to a close with the formal vote of thanks along with the promise of returning the next year with the same vigour and vibrancy. It is quite likely that Stanley Horowitz made the quote “Winter is an etching, spring a watercolor, summer an oil painting and autumn a mosaic of them all" possibly after seeing Literati fest at Banasthali.

The students and faculty who attended and participated in Literati Fest left with beaming faces and pride that they were indeed part of an institution which is a jewel in the crown among the women's universities not only in India today but across the globe.

For more details about Banasthali see http://www.banasthali.org/

About Banasthali: Established in 1935, the Institution which is also the largest fully residential women’s university in the world has played a big role in revolutionizing women’s education and empowerment in India for the last eight decades. Banasthali has scripted numerous success stories in a wide range of fields, and stands tall among the citadels of learning in India today. Proud to be Banasthali alumni who call themselves as Banasthalites can be found in all latitudes, longitudes and altitudes in all walks of life across the globe. Banasthali has the pride of being chosen as a Faculty Development Centre under the MHRD Govt of India Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya National Mission on Teachers and Teaching (PMMMNMTT) as well as for hosting Atal Incubation Centre (AIC) by NITI Aayog. Banasthali also has Quacquarelli Symonds QS Four Star Ranking and Diamond Status.

Banasthali Vidyapith
Banasthali Rajasthan – 304022
Phone 91 1438 228456 / 228341
Email: info@banasthali.ac.in
Website: http://www.banasthali.org
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Banasthali.org

This release was published on openPR.