RP....ILLU.....

I took my last walk through the ILLU arena this morning trying to recollect all the efforts that had gone into making each chatai perfect.The endless adjustements to the curves of the bow and the eyes of the horses...the changes made to make each design more dynamic...it was a Herculean task.I looked at the figure of Draupadi and replayed those bawdy jokes that we had shared when we saw the sketch for the first time.It was a month of sheer opposites which would have been ideal ingredients for a college movie.There were moments of intense disappointments which would fade into the background in a split second to give way to periods of excitement and joy.
When the TSG president announced that we had come second I felt sad...not for myself but for those wonderful second years of mine who had helped to make this event what it was.I must confess that I never enjoyed shouting at them but I had to act as the situation demanded.It is never an easy task starting work for an event such as this, but when those chatais are lit the ecstasy that they generate vaporizes all those acrimonious feelings.I was delighted for the Rangoli team which had created history by winning that particular segment.Battling all odds,defying all expectations( including mine ) they worked day in and day out.A few of the members had plenty of things to prove to me after I had given them a sounding for starting work late...and boy I was only too happy to be caught on the wrong foot.
The endless nights of work...the shouting of invectives at our next door neighbours will all be passe.In more ways than one I will be sad.......and yet I am happy...beacause the defeat of this year will only make my juniors to come back stronger next Diwali....
My dear RKites...every RPian says... "I shall return....." and Ma Kasam...they will...