Ashoka’s first Annual Fest Banjaara celebrates the traveller in you

By Sparsh Agarwal

Take the prevailing idea of college festivals (fests) ; add a little bit of quirkiness, creativity, a brand new campus, the Ashoka touch to it and Banjaara, the first annual fest of Ashoka University presents itself. Banjaara is going to be a 36-hour (Dedh Din) fest beginning at 10 am on Saturday, the 11th and will go on till 10 pm on Sunday, the 12th.

It promises to raise a toast to the spirit of adventure and is an ode to the traveller within each of us. Within the festivities that are soon going to ensue, here is a list of the five things that you absolutely cannot miss during Banjaara!

Parties: Ashoka University has a central philosophy that drives students, reiterated every orientation week. We work hard and party harder. This February, Ashoka University opens up its gates to all, to make one and all have a good time: Ashoka Style.

These are no ordinary parties. Over the span of the #DedhDin (one and a half days of Banjaara), the University is hosting two parties. For a traveller, the starry skies are the roof and the green grass, the bed. In line with that spirit, to not go gently into the night and be one with the stars; to unleash the stardust that makes us all, we present to you the Neon Party to become one with the nocturnal surrounding around you.

Immediately after the Neon Party, we have Band Baaja Bollywood. Be there to welcome the rising sun, grooving to retro Bollywood numbers.

Detours: The Banjaara team has ensured that competitive events take a backstage. Instead, ‘Detours’ takes centerstage.  Aptly termed Detours, the main non-competitive event is called Map Quest. Inspired by the TV show, The Amazing Race, travellers have to complete tasks at intervals, called People Stops, which will be pop up. The goal of the event? Participants stand a chance to win another traveling adventure : a sponsored trek to the Himalayas.

Artist Line-Up: Festivities wouldn’t be complete without music. Famed writer of the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series, J RR Tolkien said, “If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world”. Banjaara brings in the cheer and the song. There should be something for everyone – from blues to alternative to electronic dance music to dance performances,  and the Banjaara Team has really done their handwork.

Raaste kahaan khatam hote hai Zindagi ke safar mein.

Manzil toh wahi hai jahaaan khwaishiein mil jaaye.

To make it possible for our Banjaaras to fulfill their khwaishein (desires), the team has ensured that all these artist events are free for all.

With Banjaara right around the corner, do keep an eye out on the release of their lineup and artists’ list on their Facebook Page, https://www.facebook.com/banjaarafest/.

Zones: The team has put together three Zones: the Art Zone, the Street Zone and the Carnival Haat.

The Art Zone is for all the creatives, visionaries and dreamers.Step in, pick up a canvas, throw around paints and have a good time.

The Street Zone is where you head for everything from Dilli ke Rajkachori to Bombay ke bhel with a lassi or maybe just a gelato. Grab a cycle or play hopscotch, this is the block party to look forward to.

The Carnival Haat has been specially designed to bring out the child in you. Covering the main ground with bouncing castles and a mini flea market, there’s going to be something for everyone to immerse themselves in.

#DedhDin: Banjaara is bound together by a central idea for the fest, one which is unique and precisely true to the fabric of life at Ashoka. Ashokans will testify how sleep is a myth at the University and for guests to experience the Ashoka life it is important for them to get all their cheap thrills in the nocturnal adrenaline-driven plan that Banjaara lays out.

With events lined up through the night, this is a promise the fest would like to keep. Accommodation is being offered to all visitors at a cost but the team aims to ensure that it isn’t required by anyone. So come for a day and a half to Ashoka, be a Banjaara, wanderer of the beaten path, meet some interesting people, grab a hammock and revel in the festivities around you. All that’s left to be said is #StartPacking.

As we await your presence at Banjaara, we would just like to leave you with a few words from  Javed Akhtar’s poem by the same name:

“main Banjaara, vaqt ke kitne shahroñ se guzr? huuñ,

lekin…vaqt ke agle shahr mujhe ab jaan? hog?!”