22 August 2009 saw the Hindu Student Society of Rhodes University celebrate its 10th annual cultural show at the Settlers Monument in Grahamstown. They decided to showcase the theme under the banner of the Bollywood IIFA awards.
The hype surrounding the event was relatively big as compared with previous years and with this been it's 10th year things were rumoured to be of great standards and boasting the likes of the Ashwin Trikamjee, the head of the South African Maha Sabha, as the guest of honour.
Tickets were priced at 60 bucks, which is rather reasonable as it included the show, a meal of rice, dhall, potato curry and vermicilli, oros juice and water, tea and coffee during interval and a free pass to the after party, which was also held at the Monument. However, to the average student budget and in recent times with the recession, 60 bucks isn't all that easy to come along (after that escapade I was left with no funds for a bus ticket home, and had to render a call to the dearest dad for some financial aid in getting back home at the end of term).
You passed through a tunnel and then entered the main entrance hall which had tried to create an IIFA feel. The meals were served on either side of the hall and guests enjoyed their meals while standing and walking around meeting up and having conversations with others (there were no seating arrangements provided for the meal). Despite the great hype about the event however, there was a rather poor turn out in comparison with the previous year. A theory to this was the fact that it was the start of Ramadaan, and a large number of the audience is usually the Muslim students of Rhodes. It was also stated by executive members of the HSS that at least an average of a hundred people who had bought tickets had not shown up.
The opening act was an invocation dance by Rhodes first year student Neloshini Naicker. Thereafter the first half of the show were a range of medleys by groups from around the Eastern Cape. In keeping with the theme of IIFA awards were given to various HSS members throughout the evening for various quirky things such as the 'I wish I was an Indian' award the 'Smurf' award for the shortest member.
Most people were not too impressed by the first half of the show. It didn't have a 'wow' factor. And the mc's 'Ash' and 'Dash' really tried too hard, the conversations, jokes and witty remarks all sounded scripted. The show did pick up after the interval though, but the mc's still required more work. The second half of the show woke the audience up with the traditional 'First Year Dance', done every year by the first year HSS students. Chipo Hamukoma did a fusion Indian dance, there was a unique yet beautiful mix of Bollywood and classical dancing by the Gitanjili dance group of Port Elizabeth, and an interesting Mapansula dance amongst other note worthy performances.
Still people's opinions were split about the event. Some found it average, others thought it to be quite entertaining. But to all that had attented last years show, there was mutual consensus that it was better just because it was shorter!
The much anticipated after party however didn't really seem to take off. There must have been a maximum of about 15-20 people on the dance floor at any given time, and before the clock struck one I thought it better to head for home. Apparently the hall was emptied by two...
So all in all, it was a cool show and anything beats res food. But, was it worth my bus ticket, hmm...
