Jashan-e-Abha:Noor, 2023

Date: 2nd November, 2023

Venue: Lady Shri Ram College for Women

The college campus was brimming with excitement and joy after the long-awaited event, Noor’23
was organised by NSS-LSR on 2nd November, 2023. The theme for this year’s annual mela was
'Jashan-e-Abha' – where light takes centre stage and the spirit of festivity shines brighter than
ever. The theme came alive after witnessing the vibrancy of every individual on campus being
invested in reviving the spirit of celebration. The opening ceremony of the event started with the
ribbon cutting and lamp lighting ceremony performed by the principal Dr. Suman Sharma, which
was soon followed by a symphonious instrumental performance by Saaz, the instrumental
society. The spectators soon geared up for the fun dance performance of the bright minds of
‘Chehel’, a volunteer-run community project focused on the education and development of
underprivileged children. The display of their art articulately conveyed the importance of taking a
step back from the mundanity of life and unleashing the festive spirit. The members of the Dance
society graced the event with their mesmerising classical dance performance by displaying their
fusion of Kathak, Bharatanatyam, and Mohiniyattam. Adding to the cultural spirit, Dhwani, the
Indian Music Society of LSR, presented a melodious performance through the fusion of various
compositions. The programme officer of NSS, Dr. Jonaki B. Ghosh delivered the vote of thanks
and congratulated the NSS team for organising the event in such a short span of time through
their consistent efforts and dedication. The ceremony soon came to a closure which marked the
official opening of the mela.

A myriad of stalls buzzing with people stretched across the back lawns to the admin gazebo,
offering bundles of joy and laughter. Various development projects of NSS had put up different
stalls selling crochet tote bags, mouth-watering delicacies, aesthetic earrings, vibrant coloured
diyas, fun games, and much more. To bring the festive mood alive, people were seen visiting the
mehendi art and hair-braiding stalls in large numbers. The students could be seen working
tirelessly to entertain their customers and raising funds for their respective projects.

Jagriti Mishra, the Student Union President, joyously expressed, “I am super excited and it is so
good to see people coming dressed up and it is very de-stressing. I love that NSS people have set
up their stalls. I hope they are able to raise a lot of funds.”

The event also provided a space for local vendors and start-ups to engage the crowd and support
their respective businesses. A few college societies and cells, like Hive, Reach, and the Northeast
cell, mesmerised everyone with the presentation of their art and flavours. While Hive left its
customers spellbound with their customised stickers, bookmarks, and paintings, the Northeast cell
satisfied the taste buds of every individual with their special ‘Aloo Muri’ and ‘Shingju’. Reach
attempted to revive the art of letter-writing by personally delivering the letters written by students
to their friends. Amidst the hustle and bustle of shopping and savouring different cuisines, the
students danced their hearts out to popular Punjabi and Bollywood tunes of the DJ in their
dazzling outfits, thus, bringing the event into its full swing.

Every individual who was determined to ensure the success of the event was either working for a
cause or creating a positive impact in the social sphere, hence, resonating with the motto of NSS,
“Not me, But you”.

The NSS Union released a joint statement saying, “This shall go down as a core college memory
for us. We hope everyone had a lovely time at Noor!”

Report By: Alisha Agarwal, Correspondent,3rd year,Department of English

Edited By: Anoushka Sinha, Sub-editor, 2nd year,Department of English