RYLA part 7

The next event was entitled “Art Session – Mind Blog” where each team was asked to separate into two groups of three or four. Then we were given three topics (peace, nature and global warming) and asked to choose one and make a painting or poster based on it. They provided us with colours, brushes, pencils, magazines (for collage) and almost everything one might need for painting. My group chose nature. We made a poster that was decent enough. I dare say no one did really well, but no one did something real bad either. So this was, I believe, harder to judge. At the end of the allotted 45 minutes, 8 pictures were submitted (two from each team). The name of the judge was Mr. Prasenjit Sengupta. His verdict was again not revealed immediately. We were asked to submit the colours . I dare say the number of colour boxes submitted were not equal to the number originally distributed (which is proof of how much colour the people had used. The paintings were colourful enough, so it wasn’t hard to understand).

A fifteen minute tea break followed and then we were back inside the hall at 5:15 for a meditation session. I do not have much to say about it. But to be fair, I must mention a few things. The session was conducted by a delegate from the “Prajapita Brahmakumari Group”. She talked about the necessity of meditation, self realization etc (we got a brilliant lecture on self realization the next day). She followed up her lecture with a demonstration of meditation, by playing a slow tune and asking us to close our eyes and concentrate. That was about it. I woke up at 6 o’clock for the hour long refresh break.

7 o’clock was time for some fun. We were asked to present a “skit”, which is an extempore drama of around 5 to 8 minutes. The general topic was “social and environmental issues”. My team chose cleanliness as our theme. We did a fair enough drama (considering we had 5 minutes to plan it out) about a couple of people carelessly littering the streets and another couple coming to tell them off and reforming them at the end of the argument. The three other teams did their skits on smoking, drugs and polio. The skit was followed by something I could sit back and enjoy. It was a dance competition and the only event where I wasn’t participating (honestly, I am against making a fool of myself). The dances were entertaining to the last degree, but the competition was followed by some lithe steps from the judge, and then the Commandant (with the lady Commandant) joined the dance floor. He also played the mouth organ for us. I can safely call it a party. People danced and sang and chattered till 9:15, which was dinner time. There was a Chinese menu this time, with noodles, fried rice and Manchurian (chicken and vegetable) followed by a dessert of gulaab jamun. The rest of the night was quite similar to the previous one, with the routine diary writing etc. The next day would reveal the names of the winners. I couldn’t help feeling excited as I went to bed.