Two Days To Go!

      And now we step into the final week before the fest, the department seems to be buzzing with the festival frenzy. A huge banner on the building proudly heralding the arrival of the Pickwick fest is the first thing that would catch one's eyes as one enter the premises. With lots of responses and major names from the literati coming in, this fest seems to be quite an event.

       A bunch of students or rather different bunches of students are seen busy taking part in various activities, troupes of budding actors with their paraphernalia livening up the atmosphere with chants of, "Facts! Facts! Facts!" or "Toba Tek Singh kahaan hai?" A certain other group reaching their wits end over organisational details, with the word sponsorship becoming the most crucial in their daily vocabulary, and banners of the Pickwick fest written on them spread across the department.

       This is the scene you would find yourself in, if you stepped in the premises of the Department of English in the university at the moment. As the countdown to the fest begins, it is one of those weeks where anything about everything revolves around the grand event that is coming up. People are running around getting all kinds of permission forms signed and discussing their successes and failures in procuring sponsorship's or getting the actors in place for the theater or in balancing their own group activities.

       As the third year and MA final students look forward to their last college fest and first years absorb everything with wide-eyed excitement, the efforts of every student is evident. The organizing team is seen with 10 different forms and is trying to iron out all the last-minute details, running after our office-crew, hoping to get all the logistics in order and getting registrations finalized. This event in its three days course not only celebrates these two literary geniuses also it will bring out the best in the students with every passing event, be informative and enjoyable all at the same time.

       Our concluding day, will be a scholarly affair, which starts with the event “Remembering the masters”, which is a paper reading competition where the students will get a chance to present their research either on Dickens or on Manto in different perspectives, This event judged by Dr Anuradha Ghosh (faculty, Department of English) will test and enhance their paper writing and presentation skills. This event will be followed by an animation film screening done by our students, a brilliant adaptation from The Hard Times. And finally we have our valediction, a formal culmination to the literary fest.

       The Pickwick fest and its preparations are just as conspicuous as the banners and are coming to add three memorable days in our college diaries with a host of events. As we count days before the fest kicks off the atmosphere around the department is buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm. There is a zest in every student to do the best and be the best. And a special mention to our organising committee, who are giving more than their 100% .Well-done guys! With scholarly arrangements, food stalls and competition there is a lot for everyone. A celebration of literature in its entirety…

- Nayema Nasir
M.A. Final