Spree '09 - Spectator Speak
The day was the 10th of April 09, and the location was BITS Pilani, Goa Campus. More than six hundred sportsmen and action hungry fans had congregated, and the stage was set for a dazzling display of strength, willpower and presence of mind. The BITS Goa campus had transformed from a premiere technical institution to a coliseum- a coliseum about to witness the clashing of sportsmen willing to sweat it out in the unforgiving goa summer against each other. The occasion was, of course, SPREE 09.
The four days dedicated to Spree, 10- 13 April, were uncommon and special for every bitsian- exams (which are, I must say, very commonplace for a bitsian) were forgotten, submission deadlines were ignored and a highly charged atmosphere invaded the campus. A collective zeal snatched everybody away and made diehard fans out of the most uninterested and reticent people. The Student’s Activity Centre, commonly called the SAC, the epicenter of all the activity and the action, saw roaring crowds cheering for their respective teams. One and all were swept away by the show- the show of sportsmanship.
Spree had something for everyone- right from the ‘high class’ chess to the ‘rough- tough’ basketball, from ‘funky’ futsal to the highly intense volleyball. Though the games themselves were an exciting spectacle with enough turns and close calls to keep you dangling to the edge of your seats, it was the enthusiasm, aggression and skill, which had the demanding crowds hooked. The intense and high powered action, if anything else, kept them gasping for more. Especially the games like volleyball, basketball and football proved to be major crowd pullers. The high octane action, the turning of tables within moments, the defensive team trying to switch to offensive mode and the offensive team launching attacks against a determined defense all had their expected effect, and the games were an instant ‘sell- out’. Even the games like chess and carrom had their share of a hugely supportive and appreciative audience. The thoughtful and compelling move or the skillful flick of a wrist to hole a coin received erudite applause. Table tennis saw the spectators trying to keep pace with the tiny white ball, as it confounded the players with impossible- looking spins and speeds touching a blazing hundred kmph. Tennis gave the spectators an amazing show of agility and swiftness, as the players returned serves given at the far ends of the courts. Badminton matched Tennis in aggression and excitement.
As if the sporting events were not enough, Spree featured a number of workshops and special events. The most notable among them were the mallakhamb and the kalarippayat, two arts that have been developed in India since centuries. Professional performers revived these art forms and presented them in a most breathtaking manner to an appreciative crowd in front of the SAC. The Mallakhamb troupe curved their lithe bodies and displayed great balance to form artistic formations on the pole, or the khamb. Their performance was followed by a group of women doing rope tricks, intertwining and twirling their bodies with the ropes. The performance looked so natural that the pole and the ropes simply felt like extensions of the performer’s bodies themselves. Such was the ease with which they were performing- an ease which stemmed from years of tough practice. The kalarippayat performance was a frenzy of action, with the performers moving with breathtaking dexterity, integration and focus. Kalarippayat is a martial art practiced in south India and is widely considered to be the oldest organized fighting system in existence.
Keeping BITS Pilani’s tradition of striving for a social cause alive, the well maintained and manicured central lawns and the surrounding road came alive with a bustling crowd for the open marathon, the proceedings for which would be contributed to the development of sport facilities in underprivileged schools. The run had professional middle distance runners taking part. However, in the spirit of pure sport, even the casual runners were seen giving their best and pushing themselves to their limits to complete the race in the shortest time possible.
The four days of spree passed in a hurly- burly of action, and before anybody noticed the last ceremony, the ending ceremony was already upon us. It marked the culmination of another hugely successful sport fest- a success which was made possible only due to the never tiring support of the clubs like the DORA, DOSM, DEPP, DOJMA and of course the coordination committee. Festivals, by basic nature, are logistical nightmares. But, the student run departments and committees managed the task of conducting the festival wonderfully, and Spree ran like Swiss clockwork.
The closing ceremony was held in the auditorium. The auditorium, which is the largest for any Indian educational institute, is an integral part of any Bitsian’s life, and contributes to many a memorable moments cherished by all Bitsians. The USP of the ceremony was the show put up by the Mime club, named the ‘Spreelympics’. They made sure that Spree ended on a high note.
End on a high note it did, and left in its place tangible memories of the spirit of the euphora. Though various athletes and sportsmen from around 20 colleges took away the prizes commending theit dedication to their respective sports, everyone will tell you that the ultimate winner was sport- nothing less than ‘pure sport’.