The Diamond throne — a true story
It was in my 12th grade, 15 days around the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi. We create these huge 12–13 feet structures built using soldering metal rods (which are used in construction of buildings) and combine it with GI wire (that’s made of aluminum and other metals alloy) along with layers of our old books papers and fevicol prepped by the kitchen (using maida, say no to junk food, it sticks!).
This tale is about a lot of learnings and adventures for me because I was fortunate enough to be at the center of the ideation of it, the very inception of this idea. I find this occasion great for me to put it in its crudest, detailed form by the bright strong memories I hold now. I am reflecting on who I am, what excites me, what my heart, mind and soul cherishes from such moments, before they just become another distant memory. So, let’s begin.
The Spark of an Idea
It is the year 2019. In the classroom, frustrated with difficulty in understanding the commerce subjects, regardless of how hard I worked (yeah, it was not that situation of giving up and chilling to get lowest marks, for some reason, my mind was literally not compatible with the knowledge, skill and format of these subjects, or the format of the education system). I therefore always looked forward to the extracurricular activities that we had, that helped me use the best parts of my mind that excite me, the ones that come up with ideas, organize the mess, and also improvise in challenges not knowing where it will go, but we just have to do it, with the development of passion in all our hearts to bring something crazy into a possibility. The Ganesh Chaturthi festival was just around the corner, 15 days or so.
I just had a few phrases in mind, no visual idea yet of what we could create. In 10th grade our class had made a huge 12 feet panda. 11th grade was a huge disaster as the creative control was not available to us but in the hands of those whose words spoke louder than their experience. They had good intentions, but I think for a hit, we need to have the skill for it also, and a good rapport with the team/classmates. Fear will never drive true innovation where the participants will be happy with the process.
Crystallizing the Vision
So, I had 2 phrases in my mind this time. Since this would be my last one to take lead in, I wanted it to be the best of the best, something that made me/us/offering to our lord, the best possible one. Something that was hard to replicate because of its crafted improvisation that was beyond what math could do in the limited time of 7 days that anyone could try to. The phrases in mind were — something that’s mind blowing that none can come closer to, and people seeing it must say that it was impossible to make, but we made it, and have the pride of it.
I had fascination with creating such things since my mom at home made stuff from the TV show M.A.D and I got that genetically inclined art mind from her. In the hostel, I began to take initiatives, able to draw really well since first grade into the models we made since 3rd grade for multi faith festivals to offer them to God with a prayer letter attached with them.
This fascination brought the urge in me to experiment with crystals. Crystals had been something I was fascinated by, obsessed and studied about them on the old Nokia button phones as my dad got me some. Those were disposed of at his job location where he worked. I read and realized that crystals are some of the purest mediators of the current realm to the higher ones due to their scientific structure and properties, and from the literally miraculous tech like a quartz used for radio (see below how it’s able to do that with so little and no chips and circuit board!) I was always aware that science follows, discovering what’s already out there, giving it labels meaning and innovating over it, knowing that spirituality many times if sought from right perspectives and sources has that power to understand that which science is yet to follow.
This idea actually first cropped up in my mind in the temple, as I sat during a festival called Krishna Janmashtmi in 2018–19.
The first doodle was made there behind a paper. I believed God was the one guiding this, as I was aware of the immense sense of worth I got from these activities and how much they shaped my character to a big extent to what I am now and what I seek, moment to moment, day to day.
Making the Pitch
Anyways, so I started to draw the crystals, it turned into a throne, because we also needed to have Ganesha’s idol placed, and this is how it looked. I went forward making it aesthetic, adding the line weights, and also using all my favorite medium yet compatible with how my mind thinks mostly, the color pencils. I went in front of the class in a free period, pitching the sheet of drawing very casually.
It was a risky thing because, the first thing people would say is how the hell are we going to make it, with 90 people!?
I didn’t have the answer and said the same to them with a smile, that I wanted us to do something so special and tough that most will ask the same, but we show them the power of being fearless, daring and trusting one another to create it still gloriously, showing people how we can push the boundaries. Not all were so induced into this as passionately as me, and I too had no clue of how to go about it in a way where no person must create a negative ripple in class.
Rallying the Troops
I came up with this best visual pitch, very early itself before the buzz of Ganesh Chaturthi was felt. I knew it was going to need a core team that’s crazy, talented, good listeners to one another, good chemistry (thanks to our beautiful upbringing) so that must also begin. By God’s grace, my reputation in class, having handled and represented if not always on screen, but at the back, a lot of glorious art projects. I mean 99 percent of them, because that’s where I thrived. I came out of the sports loop as people got better than me in technique there and physically more capable and interested. Art, music and dance was what was dear to me.
So people trusted that “if this guy is there, things will pop out well.” The same luckily was tossed around this time that made me feel happy about the pitch. Our class had 2 sections, commerce and science. Science guys as we know are crammed up many times with work to the edge of the festivals ahead. So I knew there would be a bit of noise and friction, people just talking about what Keshav and others have planned this time for us, and some wondering how the hell are we going to make something so complex by cutting metal rods.
One of my close friends, very accomplished in academics and extracurriculars, slid me away from the queue to get lunch served at hostel during break. He also asked, “Are you sure bro we can get this right and grad? Coz this is important.” I was like bro, to be honest I too don’t know how, but I know we can nail it. This uncertainty of how to go about has been there for us for a lot of projects before, from the times we composed a song to a musical to another short film or a dance choreography. We just got crazy, prayed and offered it, and the universe paved its way.
The Building Process
So I told him the same, we will nail it. This doubt is what is going to make all other classes doubt us, in our process, but we are used to crossing it together and still choosing crazy, inspiring them and others to do the same, to push limits and create and make amazing memories at school.
The day came, a small team assembled, some of us who were allowed class exemption so that we could build the metallic base. We generally have a math guy, a guy or 2 who can understand its working but also help around instructing the rest of the class, and few really good artists. These were all a mix of science and commerce people.
We began as usual how we begin all of these structures since 8th grade when we made a monster truck, drawing a base on the ground in 2D and bending the rods to suit its shape to get a silhouette type structure. But we also knew one more thing — that extraordinary things required a unique improvised approach. There were no YouTube tutorials for this, just experience, cramped up with quick decision making as the welders would watch from class to class in the allotted 7 days of their stay. We didn’t even have internet access!
I approached the math guy with a more clear drawing of mine and told him to find x by which we multiply any cm measurement, it gives us the actual size one. He began that way, marking it on the paper, along those lines. We came to about lunch time and it had been 4 hours since we began, and not even the crystal was ready this way or just was about to be, for the first time I felt, math is not helping.
This drawing came out of my mind with no exact visual reference and I think we must give the artistic way a try. That’s when we started to draw the chalk drawings and outlines as per our artistic sense, and the 2nd attempt of the day reaped good progress.
The Artistic Struggle
This time one big learning was that, some of the people passionate enough, were a bit concerned when they too would get to work, as they too had their mind on this structure/chariot being built for each class by the few representatives.
They felt that it’s being way too exclusive for a lot of days than most others are, which was true. This was a beautiful lesson because even after structure was done and we got all of us to coat with paper and maida, and then after layer of newspaper, with A4 sheets, and a base layer of red paint and all, we had to figure out how to give it the feel and look. Again, there was no reference, just a color pencil art, so once again our class was sent back to the classes as we also have exams around the corner.
So only limited numbers are allowed to work during classes if urgent and the rest join in evening. But we had to hold them all back, which most understood but still some who were also very passionate pointed to the gatekeeping happening not letting them have memories. I totally understand from their perspective, and this got me a big lesson. As we were back to few top artists learning to blend shades on a large scale with stainers and oil paints, to crack the method to be used we used some of the most advanced painting techniques which only some of the artists, actually 2 or 3 of them only could.
Therefore rest of us, even me had to back up, giving them space. We had a few redos, of putting another layer of A4, and we cracked it. Once confident, the rest of the class joined. The lesson was that for such perfection and projects, it can require really good but small team at times, so communication can be effective and the idea/vision doesn’t tear itself among many others. But the creative control is given to the ones with the best skills so an artist can get most authentic with it.
The Final Outcome
We then in a group of 90 went all in, even made the ground of the chariot which most avoid, created a rotating mechanical mechanism which again a lot few have, and all proudly presented it on the occasion of Ganesh Chaturthi. The best part is, no one of us exercised any power over the others. We were just brothers working together to get the best vision so that our class could join it too. So when people knew a certain guy knows this stuff best, we paved the way. For creative direction, as they call it in the industry, I was able to. For artistry, another set of people were. For people management another set was.
The best part is these roles came up organically, no one fighting for the torch of leadership in a tribe. Each one humbly took the role they could do best. Some science guys just did simple paper sticking with fun and memories while some sweat it out shouting names or stuck inside the structure, coating it carefully from within to cover up the holes that came up between the paper mache.
Key Takeaways
I feel such moments need to be recorded and documented, because I’m sure the universe is not just throwing these at our life, but teaching us something that will all revolve back. So it’s extremely important for me to document it, cherish it and reflect on it from my eyes. The closed creative control, even if not best, but with understanding team helped us create this niched out beauty which the class proudly joined later and represented. I didn’t like to be there in front, because I know it was a collective effort, and my joy came from the journey big time over any recognition.
Grateful to the class for believing in me as in 10th grade, while pitching ideas it had not been so well received due to the social rapport. But then a year later our seniors built the same idea in their own way. We too rocked in our 10th with an amazing creation! So I would say, these incidents were like an MBA in action — the universe helping me understand how to carve my way, but first in a small scale of a class. To initiate first, to ideate, to share, communicate, to excite. Above all, be authentic. Because at times it helps them explore something crazy that they too didn’t feel was possible, or could be a disaster like our passionate but not so good one of 11th grade.
There are more such stories, to our secret compositions, to our talent show that was the grandest, to audio equalizer, or the panda we made in 10th grade or also the dances, especially the challenged one of 10th grade gratitude program or the one that glowed in the night prayer hall in 11th. To me, these hold the power of reading many books — such heavy and beautiful memories. Each could be a beautiful series/episode or a feature film on Netflix! Until then…
Lessons learned:
Some crip lessons learned related to pitching an idea, convincing others, creative control, and building trust:
Pitching convincingly — Pitch early with compelling visuals and logic. Explain the vision clearly but don’t get bogged down in execution details early on.
Inspiring confidence — Project confidence even if unsure of exact execution. People trust confidence stemming from experience and track record.
Addressing doubts skillfully — Expect doubts on feasibility. Turn it around positively as a challenge to attempt the impossible together.
Creative control with empathy — Give creative reins to capable artists for authenticity, but don’t exclude others. Involve everyone in some meaningful way.
Organic teamwork — Let roles emerge naturally based on individual strengths. Don’t impose control. Harmonious teamwork happens when each person owns their piece.
Winning trust — Earn trust over time through relationships. Then people believe in you and follow you on bold new visions.
Learning from mistakes — Failure teaches too. Analyze reasons like poor planning, communication or chemistry. Improving on these makes future successes possible.
other key lessons I learned that might come handy to me or you in future!
Importance of a shared vision and passion — Having a bold creative vision that the team is passionate about is crucial. This excitement and shared purpose enables us to achieve the impossible together.
Leveraging individual strengths — Allowing each person to take on roles matching their skills, without ego, is vital. This organic teamwork lets us create magic.
Managing creative control — Giving selective creative control to the most capable artists preserves the authenticity of the vision. But communication and inclusion of others is still key.
Learning from failures — We grew through trial and error. Even unsuccessful efforts taught valuable lessons on team chemistry and skills required.
Broad participation matters — Involving everyone maximizes engagement and memories. But a core team may be needed initially to establish the vision.
Importance of documentation — Recording the journey is critical to learn from the experience. These moments shape us in unseen ways.
Universe’s hidden teachings — Such experiences seem orchestrated by the universe to teach leadership, creativity, teamwork — skills that will spiral back.
