If the JIPMER campus could have a heart beat, that singular spike in the sphygmomanometer reading over the next few days need cause no panic. The quickening pulse only means that it is time for another edition of Spandan, a week-long inter-collegiate festival.
The annual cultural, literary, quizzing and sporting festival, hosted by the JIPMER Students’ Association (JSA), has kept getting bigger by the year, and Spandan 2016 looks to be headed that way.
Spandan 2016 is estimated to attract over 2,000 students from over 50 colleges, which will include participants from a handful of colleges making their debut at the event.
One of the biggest medical college fests, if not the largest such event, in south India gets rolling with Sunday’s ‘Endurance 4.0,’ the marathon for the cause of road safety which is co-hosted by the International Association of Lions Clubs.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for a 5.45 a.m. start at the JIPMER campus. Lt. Governor Kiran Bedi, JIPMER Director S.C. Parija and Madava Radjou, District Governor (324-A3) will be among those waiting at the finish line at Gandhi Thidal to greet the winners. Ms. Bedi will present the prizes to the best distance runners.
The formal opening ceremony of SPANDAN 2016 is scheduled at Lister Square at 7 p.m. on Monday.
The fest comprises an eclectic multitude of cultural, literary, quizzing and sporting events. The events that test the intellect and wit will include debate, quiz, JAM and Potpourri, while a different ball game altogether unfolds on a parallel track featuring basketball, hockey, volleyball and athletics.
The floor is also open for medicos, the doctors of the future, to show that they are as good with the stethoscope and the scalpel as with the paint brush in their hand.
A sequence of fine arts events have been lined such as pot painting, face painting and sketching. Spandan has always had a reputation for parading a strong line up of rock bands.
“We are thrilled to possess a legacy of having featured some musicians much before they burst into the limelight,” said Santhosh, president, JSA.
And, this year too the evenings at the Lister Stage are reserved for the head-banger crowds. ‘Suraj Mani and The Tattva Trip’ play the opening night on Tuesday at the Lister Square.
A unique storytelling performance hosted by Suraj Mani (aka The Singing Sensei); The Tattva Trip is India’s first rock ‘kadhaprasangam’ that features a combo of dialogue, acting and singing in a “transformational musical journey”.
According to the band, The Tattva Trip is a social conversation that comes alive in songs and stories. The Tattva Trip comprises Suraj Mani on vocals and acoustic guitars, Naveen Thomas on lead guitars, Dinkar Nayak on bass and John Melvin on drums and percussion.
Masala Coffee from Kerala is next up on Alaap Night (Wednesday) with their debut performance in the city.
Formed in 2014 in Mumbai by Varun Sunil and with playback singer Sooraj Santhosh as lead vocalist, the band is making waves in the indie music scene.
Bombay Bassment will look to own ‘Tinnitus Night’ (Thursday) with their soundscape of hip-hop, reggae and funk.
Featured in The Indiecision’s list of Most Promising Indie Acts of 2010, Bombay Bassment hasn’t
been notching up multiple awards in the first two years since their formation, including the Best Emerging Band title at the 7th Annual Jack Daniel’s Rock Awards.
The band has also played at the prestigious Glastonbury Festival in June 2016 and it is certainly no mean feat for a band to have shared stage with Snoop Dogg, The Wailers (the Bob Marley tribute band), and the British band Gentleman’s Dub Club.
Vijay Prakash with Leon James’ Band performs on Friday. Vijay Prakash has sung for almost all leading music composers of our times. Many of his recent chartbuster songs are composed by A.R. Rahman---he was one of the lead singers of the “Jai Ho” song from the Oscar and Grammy award winning blockbuster “Slumdog Millionaire”.
