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Jesus and Mary College organises 'Montage' 2017: Highlights

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Day 1 started with ‘Adaah’- an event organised by Nrityanjali, the Indian Dance Society of JMC, which included the Indian Classical Solo competition and the Group Folk Dance competition. The competition was judged by Radhika Kathal and Hemant Pandey. In the Group folk dance competition, the participants filled the auditorium which tunes and energetic beats from across India. The competition, in which a total of nine teams participated, the first prize was won by Nupur, the folk dance society of Kamala Nehru College. The second and third prizes were won by Nrityakriti of Maitreyi College and Nazaakat of Gargi College, while the singer of the SGTB Khalsa’s team won a special mention for his exceptional performance.
Echo, the western music society of JMC organised ‘Madrigal’ which included western group singing competition where students of the Western Music Society of Lady Shri Ram College bagged the first position followed by Sound Machine of St. Stephen’s College winning the second position and Aria of Hindu College securing the third position. In the event of ‘I like to duet x2’, Sparsh and Alankrita of LSR bagged the first position.
For the event ‘Tap That Treble’, which was the western solo singing competition, Sparsh from LSR won the first prize and the second prize was bagged by David from St. Stephen’s College while the third position was jointly won by Sumer from Venky and Zachariah from Ansal University. ‘Battle of Bands’ was judged by Siby Mathew and Roshan Roy, with a total of seven participating bands and Tantrik Steve of Hansraj College gave the award winning performance.
With the competitive events calling it up a day, the enthusiastic crowd gathered to enjoy the concert by Jasleen Royal. The singer enthralled the audience with popular tracks like Kabira and Iktara along with her popular tracks from the film ‘Dear Zindagi’. Day 2 at Montage at JMC started off slow but soon picked up with multiple events taking place simultaneously. The Nukkad Natak or street play competition and the western group dance and choreography events had the audience enthralled. The street play event saw the participation of ten teams from colleges across the University of Delhi. Anubhuti, the theatre society of Sri Venkateswara College bagged the first prize while Natuve, of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, came second. DramaNomics of the College of Vocational Studies was awarded a consolation prize.
Swaying to the rhythmic moves and portraying the brilliance of artistic bodies, Mudra organised the Choreography and Western Dance Competition. Terpsi Chorean from Hans Raj College bagged the first prize, with Sensation from Kirori Mal College receiving the second prize.
The event of choreography was followed by the Western Dance Competition, presenting a motley of performances received by an applauding audience. Zeal, Maitreyi College’s dance society, Misba of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, and Enliven of Gargi College won the first, second, and third prized respectively. Infusing an element of earful endearance, Tarannum organised the Single and Group Classical Singing Competition. Gargi College’s Indian Music Society, Samranjini emerged as the winner, followed by Alahyaa of Daulat Ram College and Hindu College’s Alankar.
The fest closed with a power packed performance by DJ Kerano, one of the biggest DJ and music producers in the country, where the crowd grooved to the beats, mixing up some amazing tunes such as ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘Yellow’!
Anagha Rakta ([email protected]) Radhika Boruah ([email protected]) Baani Kasyap ([email protected]) Srivedant Kar ([email protected]) Vineeta Rana ([email protected]) Saumya Kalia ([email protected]) Nikhil Kumar ([email protected]) Priyal Mahtta ([email protected])]]>

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DU Annual Fest Season

Multiple competitive events and an EDM night lend energy to Day 2 of Montage, JMC

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The second day of Montage at Jesus and Mary College started off slow but soon picked up with multiple events taking place simultaneously. The Nukkad Natak or street play competition and the western group dance and choreography events had the audience enthralled. The energy was high in the front lawns as well as the auditorium, with the spectators hooting and cheering for their favourite performances.

The street play event saw the participation of ten teams from colleges across the University of Delhi. From drawing the crowd with their boisterous voices and contagious energy, the teams charged up the atmosphere in the fest. Among these, the theatre societies of Sri Venkateswara College and Shaheed Bhagat Singh College emerged victorious. Anubhuti bagged the first prize while Natuve came second. DramaNomics of the College of Vocational Studies was awarded a consolation prize.

Swaying to the rhythmic moves and portraying the brilliance of artistic bodies, Mudra, the western dance society, organised the choreography competition and western dance competition. After a confluence of soulful songs, endearing moves, and heart-warming stories, Terpsi Chorean from Hans Raj College bagged the first prize, and Sensation from Kirori Mal College received the second prize in the choreography event. This was followed by the Western Dance Competition. Zeal, Maitreyi College’s dance society, Misba, of Shri Guru Gobind Singh College of Commerce, and Enliven, of Gargi College, were awarded the first, second, and third positions respectively.

Infusing an element of earful endearance, Tarannum organised the Single and Group Classical Singing Competition. Gargi College’s Indian Music Society, Samranjini emerged as the winner, followed by Alahyaa of Daulat Ram College and Hindu College’s Alankar.

The fest closed with a power packed performance by DJ Kerano, one of the biggest DJs and music producers in the country, where the crowd grooved to the beats, mixing up some amazing tunes such as ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘Yellow’!

Feature Image: Gerush Bahal for DU Beat

Anagha Rakta ([email protected])

Vineeta Rana ([email protected])

Nikhil Kumar ([email protected])

Saumya Kalia ([email protected])

Priyal Mahtta ([email protected])

 

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DU Annual Fest Season

Montage’17 at JMC: Battle of Bands and Jasleen Royal steal the show on Day 1

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The first day at Montage 2017 – the Annual Cultural fest of Jesus and Mary College – began with Sister Rosily T.L. r.j.m, the officiating Principal of the college declaring the fest open which was followed by melodious gospels sung by the students of the college.

 

This was followed by ‘Adaah’- an event organised by Nrityanjali, the Indian Dance Society of JMC, which included the Indian Classical Solo competition and the Group Folk Dance competition. The competition was judged by Radhika Kathal and Hemant Pandey. The Indian Classical Solo saw energetic performances from the participants and Aishwariya and Raghav from Sri Venkateswara College won the first and second prizes, respectively. The third prize was won by Nimisha from Janki Devi Memorial College while Neha from Gargi College won a special prize.

In the Group folk dance competition, the participants filled the auditorium which tunes and energetic beats from across India. The competition, in which a total of nine teams participated, the first prize was won by Nupur, the folk dance society of Kamala Nehru College. The second and third prizes were won by Nrityakriti of Maitreyi College and Nazaakat of Gargi College, while the singer of the SGTB Khalsa’s team won a special mention for his exceptional performance.

Nupur, the folk dance society of Kamala Nehru College bagged the first spot in the Group Folk Dance competition

Echo, the western music society of JMC organised ‘Madrigal’ which included western group singing competition where students of the Western Music Society of Lady Shri Ram College bagged the first position followed by Sound Machine of St. Stephen’s College winning the second position and Aria of Hindu College securing the third position. In the event of ‘I like to duet x2’, Sparsh and Alankrita of LSR bagged the first position. For the event ‘Tap That Treble’, which was the western solo singing competition, Sparsh from LSR won the first prize and the second prize was bagged by David from St. Stephen’s College while the third position was jointly won by Sumer from Venky and Zachariah from Ansal University. ‘Battle of Bands’ was judged by Siby Mathew and Roshan Roy, with a total of seven participating bands and Tantrik Steve of Hansraj College gave the award winning performance.

LSR bagged top spot in the Western A capella 

The English Theatre Competition which was organised by the dramatics society was a patience testing game. The champion prize was bagged by Hindu College whereas the Runners Up was bagged by Shahid Bhagat Singh College. Zoya from DCAC won the best actor award.

With the competitive events calling it up a day, the enthusiastic crowd gathered to enjoy the concert by Jasleen Royal. The singer enthralled the audience with popular tracks like Kabira and Iktara along with her popular tracks from the film ‘Dear Zindagi’.

Featured image credits: Sahil Chauhan

Photography team: 

Prateek Singh ([email protected] )

Alex Arthur  ([email protected])

Sahil Chauhan ([email protected])

Correspondents: 

Anagha Rakta ([email protected])

Radhika Boruah ([email protected])

Baani Kasyap ([email protected])

Srivedant Kar ([email protected])

 

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Top Picks

Penny Hacks: 4 ways a college student can earn some money!

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No one likes asking their parents again and again for extra pocket money (especially when it is followed by your father and mother giving you judging looks). So why not earn a little bit on the side?

Read on to know about some simple ways you can earn money, while attending college!

  • Do a part-time job: There are a lot of options where you can work as a part-time employee and get paid well. Check if your time table allows you to work for four-five hours at a stretch and apply to a few places near your college/home that have the job for you. This is not only just good for the money, but also the experience will teach you a few things about corporate jobs and be a bonus point on your CV.
  • Sell your previous semester books: There is a very good chance that the bookstore you got your last semester books from will accept them and pay you half the price. There are many bookstores in the Kamla Nagar market and the Patel Chest area in North Campus that you can go to for queries.
  • Teach young students: You can home tutor young students and you can either teach them subjects like math, science, English or you can teach creative skills like playing an instrument, painting, creative writing or dancing. Ask your friends and family to help you reach out to some kids aged between 10-16 years and spend two to three days a week with them and you’ll have a fun experience!
  • Walk dogs for your neighbours: Who doesn’t like soft, furry animals? People in your locality who have dogs would probably not have time to take them out on walks and for playtime and would certainly be willing to pay someone to do it for them. If you’re a dog lover and would want a daily 20 minute time with a fluff-ball, then start asking your neighbours already!

Yes, now you can splurge a little too much on junk food, clothes and gadgets!  

Featured image credits: FilmEdge.net

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

 

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DUB Speak

Mental health and the stigma around it

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Depression is more than just feeling sad and anxiety is more than just being stressed – it is the 21st century and some people still don’t understand the difference…

“It’s so depressing!” is a phrase that many people use when they see grey clouds wash over a sunny sky. Most people say it to express a feeling of sadness and it isn’t surprising that depression has become synonymous with feeling low over something like the weather. This is just one of the many myths that surround mental health and all of them create a stigma that prevents people to seek help.

Mental illness is an umbrella term used for a variety of disorders that hamper a person’s well being.Every disorder has different symptoms and each such disorder has to be treated separately. Labels like ‘crazy’, ‘attention-seeker’ and ‘suicidal’ contribute to not just social stigma, but also self-stigma, keeping victims from accepting their condition. Most people who suffer from depression and anxiety don’t realise their condition because friends, family, and teachers ask them to “Cheer up!” or “Take it easy”.

Why does this stigma matter? It matters because if mental illness goes untreated, people turn to alcohol, drugs and self-harm. The stigma also hinders effective recovery from these illnesses and awareness is important for social inclusion and effective treatment. One of the major reasons it is difficult for people with mental illnesses to confront medical help is the negative attitudes of society.

Mental illness can fall upon anyone.But it can be easily and effectively treated with the eradication of these stigmas and hence it is important to encourage mental health awareness. And awareness is necessary to tell people that mental illness is as real as physical illness.

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

Image credits: MedicalDaily

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Arts & Culture

Lack of artistic freedom in Indian Cinema

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Sanjay Leela Bhansali

Sanjay Leela Bhansali was slapped and his set was vandalized by the fringe group Karni Sena, and made the whole nation question if artistic freedom even exists in India…

Based on some floating rumours, members of Karni Sena vandalised the set of upcoming movie Padmavati and attacked crew members and director Sanjay Leela Bhansali at Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur. The reason for the vandalism according to the Karni Sena members is allegly that Bhansali is “distorting historical facts” because apparently Alauldin Khilji and Rani Padmavati have an intimate scene in the movie. This however, was just a rumour and Bhansali and team have gone on record saying that there isn’t such a thing.

It is shocking as Bhansali, who is a National Award Winner and a recipient of the Padma Shri, has to go through the pains of this vandalism because a section felt as if it was their moral duty to stop the “distortion” of the truth. Which brings me to my question: is there always a need for the absolute truth in art?

This is not the first time an incident like this has taken place in Indian cinema – social pressure has jeopardized many movies in the past. A few months back, when Fawad Khan was forced to leave the country and his movie Ae Dil Hai Mushkil was termed “anti-national”. The situation got so bad that the director Karan Johar had to make an apology video because people were boycotting his movie because of their “nationalist” beliefs. Why is Indian politics getting involved with art again and again?

This is also not the first Bhansali movie that has faced a controversy like this. His movie, Goliyon ki Raasleela, Ram-Leela, was scrutinized for using the words raasleela and ramleela in the title. Petitions were filed against the movie by Hindu protesting and the screening was banned in Uttar Pradesh. Kamal Hassan’s film Vishwaroopam faced many controversies initiating a two week ban in Tamil Nadu as well as protests from the Muslim community.

Filmmaker Govind Nihalani says: “The level of intolerance today is much higher. Today, censorship is happening by private groups – everyone wants to see how one has presented a character or story in the name of religion, history, personality, etc.”

Lack of artistic freedom is not just restricted to only cinema. Writers and painters also have their art banned because it is “not suited to the Indian culture.” Whatever Indian culture is, it shouldn’t be taking away someone’s right to express themselves through art.

Image credits: DNA India

 

Anagha Rakta

[email protected]

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DUB News

KYS approaches DCW over selfies ban notice at Miranda House

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selfies ban notice

Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) has approached the Delhi Commission of Women with a memorandum alleging that Miranda House has framed “highly discriminatory and anti-women” rules for the students of SOL.

Earlier in January, an unsigned notice put up at Miranda House made news for apparently “banning” women students of School of Open Learning (SOL) from taking selfies, brushing their hair and modelling, claiming it as wastage of time. Principal of Miranda House, Dr. Pratibha Jolly, later said that the notice was only suggestive in nature.

Recently, the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan, an association of SOL students, has approached authorities on Tuesday, demanding a written apology from the college administration and to stop the discrimination against women students of SOL. The memorandum also demanded that “humiliating treatment against SOL students” should be discontinued and strict action should be taken against staff members if found harassing these students.

An official from the Delhi Commission of Women told The Indian Express, “We have received a representation from students alleging that discriminatory practices being adopted by college and such a misogynistic circular has been issued. We have asked for a point-wise reply from the college on the students’ complaint within seven days.”

Previously, the students of SOL also staged a protest against Miranda House’s college administration for framing “sexist and discriminatory” rules and had submitted a memorandum for the annulment of the notice, effective immediately. While the notice was withdrawn, the college staff resorted to collecting identity cards of the SOL students before every class.

On Friday, pamphlets were being distributed in the Miranda House campus in order to encourage other students to join their movement.  The pamphlet stated that “Miranda House exercises an institutional bias” against the students of SOL. It also said that the selfies-ban notice was published only because of the social profile of the women students of SOL, and demanded an end to this discrimination. The KYS also called the notice an act of “moral policing” and termed it as “misogynistic.”

Image credits: Ifsha Zehra, Miranda House

By Anagha Rakta ([email protected])

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E-Issue

The Rise of Androgyny in India

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While Ranveer Singh stands at the forefront of the cause, there are many and many more who are gradually becoming a part of the androgynous pop culture in India.

Androgyny was brought into the pop culture by the many likes of David Bowie, Prince, Grace Jones, Ruby Rose, Lady Gaga and more. Breaking a lot of gender stereotypes with their style and fashion, these celebrities have made ‘gender-bending’ a relevant term in the recent times.

Recently spotted at the Umang Police Show was Ranveer Singh, wearing kajal. When you live in a world where gender stereotypes are embedded in you from childhood, seeing a mainstream male actor rock something that “belongs” to the fairer sex is a rare sight. But it is not about the kajal. Ranveer Singh is usually seen sporting skirts, anarkali kurtas and nose rings and his bold statements are very subtly and slowly incorporating gender-fluid fashion in India.

And it is not just Ranveer Singh – Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor wore red pumps for his movie Ki and Ka, and even though the movie failed to make an impression, it had good intentions to break the gender stereotypes. Make-up artist Elton J Fernandez, model Harnaam Kaur , are also key in shattering these labels – their statements say that guys can wear make-up and girls can have beards. And most importantly, that it is okay.

Pop culture in India is gradually becoming aware of the need to address the issues of gender stereotypes. Stereotypes are constantly being broken with the internet – web-series like Man’s World, for example, has been extremely instrumental in bringing the issue to the youth.

Gender fluidity is now becoming a part of street wear in India as well. The process is slow and careful, but it is happening. Men are now experimenting with make-up, jewellery, “girly” colours and women are donning tuxedos and buzz cuts. The definitions of femininity and masculinity are changing – men and women are leading parallel lives, and their fashion statements are also becoming evident of that.

Image Credits: buzzfeed.com

Anagha Rakta

[email protected]

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Cultural Festivals

8 things to remember before a Delhi University fest

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February and March are pre-booked in all DU students’ calendars. The excitement of going to star nights, eating great food and having a ball with your closest friends are just some of the reasons why most Delhi University kids flock to the best fests. However, to make sure you have a foolproof fest season, we bring you some important things to remember before the spell of fun starts –

  • Reach the venue well before time: Make sure that you and your friends reach the venue at least half hour before the scheduled time. Even though, the show is most likely to start late, it is always better to secure a decent spot in the crowd. People will start pouring into the venue in huge numbers and the entry to the venue will be closed pretty early because of the huge crowd, so make sure you get a spot in advance to enjoy the show without worries.
  • Check the entry procedure: It is very important to check the college entry procedure online for the particular fest before going. Some colleges are stricter with the entry as compared to others, so make sure you know how to get in. Colleges like Hindu and SRCC have a strict entry procedure because bags are thoroughly checked and passes are required, but carry your college id to all the fests, regardless.
  • Keep cash: Make sure you have enough cash in this time of demonetisation. DU fests usually have stalls set up in the campus and payment would mostly be taken in cash by the small vendors.
  • Take permission: DU fests usually end late so make sure that you have your parents’/hostel warden’s/landlord’s permission beforehand to come back home late so that you don’t miss out on any fun!
  • Carry water: When inside the heavily packed campuses of Delhi University, wading through the crowd for water can be an issue. Carry a small water bottle inside your bag to avoid missing fun things while you’re in that moment of thirst.
  • Dress comfortably: As much as I would like sporting heels for the fest season, I know that it is going to be super uncomfortable. Main events of the fests are usually held in the sports ground, and wearing heels on a grass field is probably a bad idea. Make sure you’re comfortable, warm and snug in your clothing because fests do require you to walk around/stand a lot, in the open.
  • Beware of pickpockets: Crowded areas increase the dangers of getting mugged, so take care of your belongings, because a bad incident can ruin your whole day. Keep checking your wallet and phone from time to time and be alert of the people around you.
  • Preserve the memories: The fest season will be the best time of your college life and preserving the memories for your future, adult self will be worth it. You can buy small trinkets from the various stalls as souvenirs, save the passes and keep it between heavy books or find a photo booth and get a group picture printed of the gang.

Lastly, and most importantly, have fun!

Image Credits: DU Beat

Anagha Rakta
[email protected] 

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DUB News

Notice banning ‘selfies’ and ‘modelling’ at Miranda House

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Miranda House has issued a notice for the students of School of Open Learning stating that clicking selfies, combing hair and ‘modelling’ has been banned from the college corridors and that the students will be suspended for a day if caught indulging in the said activities. Varying reasons have come up for the notice being put up – authorities say clicking selfies is a threat to the reputation of the institute and claim that college property has been harmed in the past because of it.

The notice says: “Some students have been found clicking selfies, combing hair and modelling along the corridors. This is wastage of time. The university does not give permission for all this. If any student is found wasting their time, they will either be suspended from the class or will be asked to leave the university premises.”

The Principal of Miranda House, Dr. Pratibha Jolly, told Hindustan Times that the notice was put up only out of safety concerns. “We encourage our girls to be outspoken. We can’t stop them from doing anything. This was an unsigned advisory put out by SOL and it was only keeping in mind the way students dangerously perch on parapets and hang off poles. They might get hurt,” she said.

The notice is unsigned and was apparently put up in November 2016. A faculty member said that the build-up around the issue is being created now only because there is a hidden political agenda behind the hype.

On the other hand, some say the ban has to do with the college repute. Thinking of selfies as a threat to the status of Miranda House, a college official, who wanted to be anonymous, told The Indian Express, “Students hang from poles and pillars, sometimes they even vandalise property. A stone light near the cafeteria was broken. They put up these photos publicly, and since Miranda House buildings are so easily recognisable, people may think no serious studies take place here.”

Whatever the reason for the ban may be, students at Miranda House – SOL as well as regular ones – are not taking it well. Some SOL students feel that the new rule is a discrimination against them. Hindustan Times reported a student saying, “We anyway don’t have proper facilities. And now such rules being imposed on us. This is discrimination as many of us come from lower middle class families.”

A regular student of Miranda House, Joyee Bhattacharya, told DU Beat, “I feel that academic excellence depends on the willpower of the student to learn and blaming this solely on clicking selfies is a little far fetched. As far as damaging/vandalising the property is concerned, a notice addressing all students of MH and SOL should be put up which speaks about caring for our campus property wholly.”

Anagha Rakta
[email protected]

 

 

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