Whenever there’s a function in our family, each relative comes and graces the occasion with their presence. Brothers and sisters meet each other after a long time, talk to each other, and make fun of each other. A vibe will be felt around the hall.
Sangamam gave that kind of feel to every GCTian. Everyone felt excited that the function had returned once again. Many GCT alumni also came, which made the Sangamam a real fest.
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It all started on February 26. Am I sounding right? Partially, yes. I’m talking about the traditional oval of our GCT. The oval design for this Sangamam was very cold; it gave us chills whenever we saw it. The oval beautifully portrayed the theme of our Sangamam, “Seasons.”
The Sangamam officially started on February 27. It was kick-started by our respected Dr. Anbazhagan Vijay Sir’s felicitation speech. His speech covered each and every bit of sweat of the students, who are involved in organizing and working to make this event a grand success. The Chief Guest of the event, Ms. Kovai Santhamani, was presented with the creative works and books authored by our students. A special highlight of Day 1 was the release of the magazines of TMFA, LDS, and SJC. Most notably, the Aperture newsletter of GCT made its grand return after a two-year hiatus, reclaiming its place as the official voice of the campus. In addition, she officially released the books written by our GCT students, marking a truly special and memorable moment in their lives.
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After the installation ceremony marked by the grand opening of the Sangamam, the event started with our evergreen, "Pattimandram." As usual, Pattimandram was enjoyed by every professors, other staff members and the students. One thing to mention here, for Gen Z who are using their social media every day, is that the topic, speakers, and the judge made them sit and think. Each and every moment of the Pattimandram was literally a blast. The topic, the rise of social media, makes life happy or sad, struck everyone’s heart like a thunderbolt. Various aspects were covered by our esteemed faculties and energetic students, which made Sangamam a grand success.
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Next in the noon of day 1, group dancers filled the arena with the students, not only with presence but also with celebration. The energetic dancers made every student’s dopamine increase, and all started enjoying the dance. Dance always has a very special corner, which is one of the art forms that will engage the audience, which makes one dance with no stress and constraints. The event will not be an event if there’s no “Nadagam” (drama). The auditorium got filled with emotions when dramatists engaged the stage with their acting skills. Everyone felt laughter, anger, sorrow, etc., which resonated with the seasons. To describe it in a word, "marvelous" the drama was. When Kollywood had hit the ground with Its jackhammer, Hollywood arrived. Through their creative and dramatic storytelling, audiences had no choice but to applaud. This reception from audiences made clear that good storytelling is the key for drama, not big cameos. When we speak about drama, there’s another form that conveys those emotions only through the light. “Oli Nadagam” is a special form of drama where all felt awestruck when artists performed their actions. It felt like aliens had come to the ground and performed. To describe the drama as a whole of this Sangamam in one line — “A visual treat and a roller coaster of emotions.”
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The special art form, which marks the significant team effort, was performed by specially talented student artists. I’m talking about “Rithva Chitira.” What an art form. Combination and coordination, which are necessary for this form, were clearly evident. Everyone in the hall sat on the edge of their seat to see this artform. When they started performing their art, the silence disappeared; I mean, the applause was so high that it blasted soundly like an artillery bomb. Then came the eliminators who had set the stage on fire with their fiery moves that didn’t leave audience to take their fingers down from their mouths. Whistles echoed in each and every corner of the hall. The audiences came to their action mode when they saw student artists coming to the stage carrying instruments. That is none other than the Tamil Nadu’s finest art form, “Parai.” The sound from the party made audience jump from their chairs and they soon found their hands and legs weren’t in their control. Their movements were controlled by the beats of the parai. When the performance got over, the auditorium felt the blow of the parai all around. Nothing matched this energy of audience. With the end of the parade, day 1 came to an end. Also, this marked and set the standards for day 2.
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The day 2 started even more vibrantly. The show started with one of the oldest art forms, “Vizhupaatu.” It usually tells a deep story in a musical tone. Just like every year, Sangamam ‘26 pushed its limits and set the tone for Day 2. If there’s a chance that the lifeless cardboard could get life, then that could happen only through “Nizharpaavai aatam.” The artist’s strong and soulful voice filled the lifeless cardboard with life and a fruitful story. These art forms left the audience in the arena with silence, the story flow and their narrations made them feel mesmerized. When day 1 ended cheerfully, day 2 started sensibly.
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Next, an unfiltered talents from unique participants was shown. Unominuto gave us a show, where variety of participants showcased their different varieties of skills, which made the gangsters in the room feel admired. Each and every show marked the variety of Tamil culture’s art forms and its real values. Then, Sangamam got ready to enter action mode when “Silambattam” artists entered the field like a lion. All eyes were locked on the sticks the artists holded. When the artists started to swing the sticks, the audience witnessed a great fight block, which matched the movie’s fight scenes. With different kinds of instruments, artists made the audience cheer throughout the performance. When the audience were engaged in a deep action block, then came a shift to an emotional block. “Veethi Nadagam,” another drama art form, had a simple setup, but their actions and script were out of the world. Their actions and emotions deeply penetrated into everyone’s art.
As action and emotion blocks got over, then came the music block. MuFX came up and entertained everyone for nearly 2 hours. It merely felt like a professional orchestra. Songs were of different genres, which pulled the audiences into the music world. From retro songs to modern Kuthu songs, everyone became their fans after the show. Thus, a magnificent musical craft was presented by the team MuFX.
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GCTians once again proved that they’re also very strong in mythological storytelling with their “Karithramas” team. This show marked a long story of the Mahabharata, presented from the view of Draupadi, who is a symbol of “strength, intelligence, and beauty.” This historic mythological story got a new dimension by its story flow that showcased the women’s pain in their hearts. Every artist added a fire to the story with their fiery eyes and their excellent expressions. This show gave a cinematic feel to the audience. On day 1, women energized the auditorium with their parai; just like that, men were getting ready to spread the fire. When they kept their legs on the stage, the audience stood from their chairs. When the sounds of parai hit the audience’s ears, their hands and legs weren’t in their control; rather, in the control of the sounds of parai. The auditorium that was previously filled with vibrant feelings turned into an energetic arena. When the beat rose up, the audience were getting a high power that boosted their moves. With the end of Parai, celebrations came to an end. Prize distributions followed after the parade,where winners of various events were crowned with certificates and applause.
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Then, the emotions by art forms officially got over, but the real emotions could be seen and sensed when the final-year students shared their love and their success. In this fine moment, the droplets of sweat turned to droplets of tears. Yes, they were soon going out of this palace. Months of hard work turned into minutes of mesmerization. The Sangamam stage belonged to those who came up with the courage and conquered the crown with their talents and patience. Sangamam ’26 officially ended on the fine evening of February 28.
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The event may have ended, but the memories will be cherished for life, each and every moment. Through this article, I extend my wishes for everyone’s future.
Credits:
Patron: Dr. K. Manonmani, Principal of GCT
Staff In-charge: Dr. M. Kalpana
Editor in Chief: Mathimalar V (IT 23-27)
Article prepared by: Mithilesh M B (EEE 24-28)
