When you walk across campus on the 23rd and 24th of February what you see is highly in contrast to what we, the members of the Montage core team, are witness to. As the Montage we envisioned unfolds in front of us, we see 3 months of hard work, dedication and sleepless nights while you see a vibrant and energetic mob of students. These two days will be etched in your memories as the performances that mesmerized you and the DJ and band that empowered you to hysteria. The anxiety, fighting, the new relationships we forged and our Montage family is what will be etched in our memories for time immemorial.
Let's rewind. Let’s rewind to those days of anguish, those sleepless nights, those days when we all looked like train wrecks. No, that's no exaggeration, that was in fact our plight. Let me walk you through it because well, misery loves company.
Stage 1: The Interview
Every Saturday evening when you wonder what it would be like to be a contestant on Roadies, ask us. Our 3 interviewers would put Raghu, Rajeev and Rannvijay to shame. From the moment you step into that little interview room, to the moment your back is turned towards them to leave, all eyes bore into you as if piercing into your very soul. How we walked (read: sprinted) out of that room without a nervous breakdown still astonishes me.
Stage 2: Jab We Met
The moment, woh haseen pal, when we were introduced to our pati, patni and woh for the next 3 months. Ah! Hugging, shrieking, rolling of eyes, snide comments, we had it all. From that day, Montage was the single, most important thing running through all our minds. From the meetings, Montage conversations moved to the dinner tables. It was that day when the 30 of us made a pact that nothing, absolutely nothing can deter us from putting up a fabulous fest.
Stage 3: Apna Sapna Money Money
We loved the days we had a meeting with a sponsor. As much as we were exhilarated on getting money, we loved dressing up for these meetings just as much, if not more. We would beg and cry and plead with companies but to no avail. So wearing our crisp formals was what resuscitated us from the torture we bore every second of every day.
Step 4: Fest sirf teen cheezon se chalta hai ; entertainment, entertainment aur entertainment. Aur molntage entertainment hai !
The essence of any fest is its events. Whether it’s the competitions, the games, the stalls, the food all of it plays an equally important role. The gruelling and dreadful task of organizing and budgeting each of these events was just as painful as it sounds. But we have to live up to the unofficial motto of the fest: 'khao, peeyo, aish karo'. The intense discussions about the guest performer take place during this stage too. How excited we all are to live the dream to have a celebrity on speed dial.
Stage 5: Haseena Maan Jayegi
Signing up for the core team is a package deal: get selected and get a teacher in addition.There is no escaping the hawk-like vigilance from the teachers, every step we take is evaluated and questioned. One wrong move and you are doomed for the remainder of your days.
And finally...
Stage 6: Mauja Hi Mauja
D-Day. This is when we collapse due to sheer exhaustion, when we huddle up and shed tears of joy at a job well done and cry a river because it’s the end of a memorable journey. During those 48 hours, we reap the fruits of hard work and passion. We, the core team, create Montage out of our khoon and paseena. These two days mark the beginning of the end.
