Disclaimer : Previously published on Thump 6.0, IIMU’s yearly Alumni Magazine

The Cultural Committee of IIMU strives to celebrate the cultural diversity on campus by celebrating various cultural festivals and events. The committee ensures that the students have a home-away-from-home experience at IIM Udaipur. The committee provides enough opportunities for the students to relax and enjoy campus life amidst rigorous academics.

Ganesh Chaturthi

The first event organised by the committee is Ganesh Chaturthi with high energy and galore. The Lord Ganesha Idol was welcomed into the campus for three days. Every day started with morning aarti where good numbers of participants were seen from the Marathi Community at IIMU. In the evening, some fun events were planned like chair race, for students and day ended with gala dinner at the mess. On the third and final day, the Ganesha Idol was immersed with grand procession and gulaal celebration. This was the first event where IIMU students came more close to each other and get a good relaxation time with positive vibes.

Navratri

Owing to the rich diversity on campus, it’s imperative to celebrate all significant festivals to make the students feel at home. Garba Night is the major highlight of Navratri, celebrated in traditional costumes along with Dandiya Raas. Being a significant festival of the Indian culture, the event saw a lot of excitement from the batch. More than 200 people participated in the Garba and Dandiya, and their enthusiasm drove the event for 4 hours.

Some of the faculty members were also present at the celebrations. A photo booth was set up consisting of a cycle, flowers, props, turbans, umbrellas etc. The whole area in front of the mess was decorated with lights and carpets two days before the event. The event kick-started with Aarti and was followed by Garba to desi beats. The CulComm team was involved in organizing the event. FootworX held Garba Workshops to teach the traditional dance moves.

Diwali

On the festive occasion of Diwali, the Cultural Committee of IIM Udaipur organised the evening of celebration. Diwali is one of the major festivals of the Hindu community, and as the Cultural Committee, it is imperative for us to celebrate all the major festivals. All the hostels were decorated with LED lights. CreArt, the creative society, held an inter-section Rangoli competition. The four sections were allotted different locations on campus at which they made beautiful Rangolis. In addition to this, the members of CreArt made a Rangoli in front of the mess.

A Puja was held in front of the mess. Following the Puja, the students of the college lit more than a 1,000 diyas at every location on campus. About 150 diyas were arranged on the stairs of the mess in a way such that they read ‘IIM U’. Following the lighting of the diyas, a special dinner was prepared in the mess. The students heavily enjoyed the food. After the dinner, Octaves, the music society, held a Karaoke night. Students in huge numbers participated in the same. The students enjoyed all the performances. Following the karaoke, bringing the night to a close, keeping in mind the core value of Ecological Sustainability, instead of firecrackers, the students released more than 50 lanterns into the sky. It was a beautiful sight to see.

Audacity’18

Audacity’18, the flagship cultural extravaganza of IIMU, is our pioneering endeavour to provide the youth with a unique opportunity to participate in some crazy events and explore their unexplored-selves. Audacity is a class apart from other college fests with some inimitable and never-tried-before events like Speed Dating, Angry Birds, Snook ball, and a Treasure Hunt all around Udaipur. There’s Insomnia Night, complete with a campfire to kill the chill, all-night gaming and musical night setup. Other engrossing events include War of Bands, Fashion Show, Chef-e-Udaipur, Pub Quiz, Dance competitions, Music and Art. Audacity’18 also featured a dazzling performance by Bollywood playback singer, Shalmali Kholgade. The members of the IIMU community come from diverse backgrounds and celebrating our differences and similarities helps us unite and learn from each other. Cultural sensitivity is essential in today’s business world, and the cultural committee strives to ensure the same on campus. With the rigorous schedule of students in our college, such festivities serve a pleasant break and help them unwind. No matter how hectic life may be, we, Humans of Balicha, never shy away from dressing up, shaking a leg, and enjoying ourselves!