Hopeless Victory

We were feeling shy and insulted. …We were so happy and surprised that my friends hoisted me, says Sonica Rajkumari, a student of SPA Vijaywada, exuberantly detailing her experience while participating in the NOSPLAN event organized in New Delhi.

(The article is continuation of her previous post: Small but Beautiful)

The event NOSPLAN was of 4 days and it used to start at 9 a.m with breakfast till midnight. On 2nd day of NOSPLAN we had dance competition between colleges at 11p.m. As per schedule we had dilli darshan from 3-7p.m. We had to stay back in college to practice the steps we learned last night. My batch mates were too excited about dilli darshan as they always wanted to see Delhi and its historical places. Anannya had a firm decision of going to Delhi darshan and decided not to dance. Reshma, Anuja and me wanted them to practice. I felt if we cancel dancing we would definitely regret later as every college would be performing and we would not be the part of it, also our college was attending the event first-time. Rayees also wanted to go, his brain was fighting whether to stay back and practice or go to dilli darshan. For him it was the golden chance that comes once in one’s life to explore the capital city Delhi. I tried to persuade them to practice. They were deciding whether to go or not. On the other side students were calling to head towards the bus. As Anannya was the dance partner of Rajeev, who already took her name out of the dance, Rajeev also decided not to dance. At last all decided to go to dilli darshan and it was decided that our college is not going to perform in the dance competition.

Unlike them Reshma, Anuja and me decided not to go for the dilli darshan. Anuja and Reshma were being there for the first time and me though I stay in Delhi but except C.P, market of Karol bagh, District Centre of Janakpuri and where I live I haven’t been anywhere. Now it was clear that we are not dancing.

My all batch mates left and headed towards the bus. Before getting onto the bus Rayees told “leave it ya, come Sonica we will practice, your face has become dull. I am not going.” My face turned to bright again. As Rayees was not going so as Amber, Jack, Ajay and Bhawna also stayed back. Others Ansu, Mithun, and Rajeev also stayed back. Rest went to bus.

We started practicing in a class room. I started teaching steps to Jack in a simple and clear way as he was also dancing for the first time. Rajeev, Ajay and Bhawna also decided to perform. Rajeev practiced on some classical music. Ajay and Bhawna practiced on the Punjabi song ‘jat ho gaya ishq wich dil jogi’. Mithun helped us in fusing the three songs with the classical number in first, followed by a Punjabi song and then our song ‘phir milengey chaltey chaltey’ in his laptop. We practiced till 8 p.m. We didn’t change our clothes, which got wet while practicing as there was no time to go to Nizamuddin and change cloth. From 8 to 10 pm we had dinner so we went to have dinner. I ate only soup and slices I didn’t eat rice otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to dance.

We simply washed our face with facewash and combed hair tidily whereas other colleges were in nice and matching costumes with nice makeup. We were feeling shy and insulted.

Dancing competition started, followed by singing competition. Many colleges performed dance on some filmy and Punjabi track. They actually rocked the stage, everyone was whistling. We got more nervous by seeing all that. I thought without practicing much and costumes, students of the colleges would surely throw vegetables on stage. Thinking all that we told our problem to the host that we practiced only for four hours plus we were in casual daily-wear cloth. She also got surprised hearing that and told us as we were performing first time in NOSPLAN so no problem, performing is the most important then becoming 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Then she put our colleges name at the end of the performance list. I knew we all are going to forget the step on stage. On the other side I was continuously saying to my dance partners and to myself also that just to enjoy on stage, no problem if we forget the steps but don’t be expressionless, a smiley expression will overcome bad dancing.

All colleges’ performance was over now it was our chance. Rajeev’s song was first so he went first. In the starting time all were showing down thumb but as the song progressed all started screaming and applauding it was such a powerful classical music. His song followed by Ajay and Bhawna Punjabi number. All students rose and started dancing. After that Reshma, Rayees, Anuja, Jack, Amber and me danced on ‘hum hain rahi pyar ke phir milengey …’ as usual we all forgot some steps. Still People were continuing singing and dancing. I think only in our performance audience stood up and danced.

Singing competition results were announced first. Our college came 2nd on that. And then dancing competition results, the host started from back. We were expecting our name in 6th, 5th or at least in 4th. As soon as results from back to 4th was announced we started shouting as our college name was not in 4th position. Now we knew that we were in top three. Yup! We were in 3rd position. We were so happy and surprised that my friends hoisted me.

We shouted so much that it took my voice days to come in normal. The whole night and for the next few days this unexpected happening occupied my mind. We were so proud. It was really something unexpected; I mean you can’t even imagine when you already know that you have nothing. It was a happy ending, the same host came and told- ‘you guys, rocked’.

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