Banjaara: An Idea Worth Rescuing
Sparsh Agarwal | Class of 2019
Much has been expressed, even more has been felt in the last couple of weeks with what has now come to be known as our annual fest. This column has also been a part of this conversation and has in the past expressed avid discontent; the author has himself many a times led public tirades against the necessity of an event of the sort.
One week ago, this author was slated to write a piece declaring that Banjaara is neither the fest this University needs nor deserves (borrowing from what has now become quite a cliché). After a time traveling exercise that saw the convergence of Begums, long lost ruins of the Delhi Sultanate and Ashokan Emperors at Sonepat, the author has begun to appreciate the requirement of a communal (the Oxford Dictionary and not the Indian Media meaning) event of the sort with which Banjaara 2018 came to a close.
Congratulations and Thanks
The intention of this article is to first congratulate all those who worked on Banjaara for what was clearly an energetic few months.
It is important to thank the organizing committee for this year’s Banjaara, after the underwhelming performance of its predecessor; for ensuring that our campus wasn’t in a pool of puke, and incoming students didn’t think that this was merely an elitist school for sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll. It was admirable that the team was able to pull off the fest without any major scandal (ID cards don’t count, despite its unreasonableness).
Secondly, it is to start a discussion about what Banjaara needs to evolve into, now that it is clearly hear to stay.
Evolution over Emulation
It is of supreme personal importance to me that we don’t forget our charter as a University. We were created as a response to the education system of India, and not as an attempt to merely emulate it. This was the principle that drew me (and hopefully many others too) to Ashoka. The rationale for having an event like Banjaara cannot be expressed by the phrase, “all colleges in India have a fest, why shouldn’t we?” This column’s opinion of Delhi University and the mediocrity it embodies is common knowledge. Emulating what is common practice there (because of a lack of basic academics) is far below Ashokan ethos. But more significantly, if we are to go by standards set by other Indian colleges, we shall be disregarding our own charter.
It is important to ponder over the Ashokan Identity for it is through the distinctiveness of this character that Banjaara needs to be moulded. This identity was grooving and jiving to what seemed to be a musical refashioning of the 68er movement (the student movements that spanned from US, Germany to Pakistan and combined music and resistance) at the reggae performance that closed Banjaara. The author felt most at home during this performance put up by Delhi Sultanate (Taru Dalmia) and Begum X (Samara Chopra, who’s name is inspired by Malcolm X). Two hours were enough to truly break the shelves of individuality that all of us Ashokans proudly claim to possess and be one with the music and the congregation that assembled. Eye contact became the only acceptable method of communication; opposition to the government the only mode of behavior. Something is also to be said about an evening of reggae where everyone was wishing for a joint in their hands, yet no one was disappointed at the lack of one.
The Oxford Dictionary of Music describes Reggae to be a form of music that relates news, social gossip, and political commentary. If one were to describe the Ashokan identity, among other terms, reggae would definitely feature.
Banjaara 2019
Banjaara’s closing event embodied the synergetic vibe that any event which hopes to bring people together should have. This was true of last year’s Soulmate performance as well: something that students remember fondly and dearly to this day! With banners of “The People United Shall Always Be Victorious” , Banjaara 2018 was able to bring together our fledgling community and bring out an unexplored side of the University, after all “the politicians are all corrupt and the businessmen are all greedy, the students need to do something” as the artists expressed. The event showed that Banjaara was capable of giving meaning to life at Rai, Haryana. The unconventionality of the event was a happy breach from Nucleya, or just some other random celebrity performance that has become the norm at fests.
“The Blues had a baby and they named it rock’n roll,” is what we sang along with Soulmate last year. “Arnab is a Judas”, “VHP/ RSS/ BJP is here, sound the alarm”, and some (justifiable) ‘anti national’ phrases directed against the Honourable Prime Minister and Mr. Shah, is what we echoed this time. Banjaara needs to evolve into more unorthodox, sometimes underground, yet always envelope-pushing events like these. It should bring together professors, fellows and students, without any of them feeling embarrassed and disappointed.
We should start thinking about removing outdated competitive events that see minimal participation and nominal attendance and try to shape Banjaara into a weekend of more culture, more music and more art. An event that would not only attract but prompt emulation.
If escape is the reason, let’s make it purposeful. If partying is the intent, lets make it enjoyable. If a fest is what we need, let’s make it one we deserve.
Sparsh Agarwal is the Managing Editor of the Opinions Section for The Edict. He is a 2nd year undergraduate at Ashoka University.
