Most people celebrate Holi by applying gulal and pouring buckets of coloured water on each other. But students of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) celebrate this vibrant festival with a dramatic twist.
On Saturday night, the eve of the festival, the university will host Chaat Sammelan — their annual cultural meet. “The sammelan starts around 8pm. A baraat procession starts from Tapti hostel to Jhelum hostel. A groom is chosen and then made to sit on a donkey or horse or even a camel at times.
The president of Tapti hostel is appointed the father of the groom. The chosen groom is then given the title of Chaat Samrat,” says Faiz Ashrafi, a student of JNU. Ashrafi will play the role of bride’s tau (paternal uncle) in the sammelan. Before the competition starts, participants take a pledge in the name of the ‘Chaat Maharaja’ that they will remain a chaat throughout their lives.
Earlier, the sammelan was held inside Jhelum hostel, but now, it takes place at the lawns. “The most ‘chaat’ person wins this event. A chaat person usually means someone who can bore people. But here, we refer to a person, who can entertain people intellectually. Vulgarity or sexist comments are not allowed in this sammelan,” informs Ashrafi.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, the sammelan was held inside Jhelum hostel, but now, it takes place at the lawns. “The most ‘chaat’ person wins this event. A chaat person usually means someone who can bore people. But here, we refer to a person, who can entertain people intellectually. Vulgarity or sexist comments are not allowed in this sammelan,” informs Ashrafi.
{{/usCountry}}Besides JNU students, the alumni also participate in the sammelan, though they are not a part of the competition. One such performer is Shahzad Ibrahim, popularly known as Mamu on campus. “I started this sammelan in early 90s and I go there to perform every year. Last year, I was dressed in red bandages and this year, I will be dressed as a dhongi baba (quack saint),” says Ibrahim, who now runs a dhaba on campus. “Mamu is the star chaat here. He is just unique and every year, comes dressed in one whacky outfit or the other. No one can be a bigger chaat than Mamu and no one is allowed to judge him, as he is a veteran. Mamu has won the maximum number of sammelans,” says a student of JNU, who didn’t want to be named. “The festival is a part of JNU tradition and is great fun. Decade-old stories of chaat sammelans are still doing the rounds,” says Sushant, a PhD student at JNU.
The winner gets whacky prizes. Sometimes, they get a box of ghujiya prepared at Mamu ka dhaba and sometimes, a box with an old shoe in it!