Xavotsav 2011

India’s Got Talent finalists Underground Authority gets the crowd on its feet with original tracks like We Kill G.I. Joes as well as popular rock and hip-hop covers of hits like Rukmani Rukmani, Urvashi Urvashi, Munni badnaam hui and Aditi

The students’ union room at St Xavier’s College might not be much of a political hub but that’s where all the on-campus action was for the past four months. The purr of multiple laptops, the tread of hundreds of feet and the buzz of a million queries — from finance to graphics, from security to passes — Xavotsav 2011 had arrived.

Divided into nine committees — events, hospitality, security, publication and correspondence, sponsorship, systems, grounds and certificates — the Xavotsav team comprising 700-odd students started out on the roller-coaster ride in October 2010.

“No money is no fun. So, we pretty much went knocking on every door. Thankfully we got great sponsors this year. In fact, people walked in with requests for putting up stalls on campus till the last moment,” smiled Harsh Singh Chauhan, the general secretary of the college union.

Preparations for the three-day annual fest meant drawing up a fool-proof schedule, figuring out logistics and meeting deadlines, all the while keeping an eye on the big ‘A’ … attendance. Maintaining 75 per cent while trying to meet Xavotsav deadlines was no mean feat, the exhausted students admit.

“We are lucky that as office-bearers, the principal excused many of our absences from class because he knew we were working hard for Xavotsav. But it was tough for the junior volunteers to balance classes and duties. Again, our professors were very understanding,” said Shibayan Ganguly, the union’s cultural secretary.

Xaverian Theatrical Society stages Bhanumatir Khel, a satirical take on today’s superficial and corrupt society, during the inaugural function of Xavotsav 2011

A student of Loreto College performs to Mere dholna from Bhool Bhulaiyaa for Shumaar, the eastern dance competition

Organising one of the most happening fests in town didn’t come without its tiffs and tempers. “Sometimes the meeting room would mirror a war zone. But all’s well that ends well,” smiled Jaya Israni, the assistant general secretary and the “official peacekeeper” of the Xavotsav gang. “In fact, our banter and bickering helped us forge a great friendship with our juniors,” she pointed out.

Security was top-most on the organisers’ mind, what with a security breach and break-in a couple of years back. The students hired a private security squad and went over every minute detail of security repeatedly.

“Organising Xavotsav is both exhilarating and nerve-racking,” summed up a tired but satisfied Chauhan.

Singer Torsha Sarkar belted out the first notes for the 11th Chapter of Beyond Barriers, in association with The Telegraph, on January 25. She set the mood with foot-thumping Bollywood numbers like Sheila ki jawaani, Parda parda, Iktara and Sajna ve sajna. Singer Remo Fernandes and his band Microwave Papadums then kept the crowd on its feet. The popular singer served up his trademark medley of Humma humma and Oh meri Munni from Bollywood as well as Goan folk numbers like Maya ya. He even convinced Father Felix Raj, principal of St Xavier’s College, to sing a couple of lines for the students! “Father Felix should cover his ears, because I have to say that some of my best moments of creativity came when I was busy bunking class,” laughed Remo. “But I am grateful to Father and to St Xavier’s for inviting me to Calcutta. You are a lovely audience.”