Creative Writing at Riviera ‘10
by editorial on Jan.29, 2010, under Announcements
Creative Writing at Riviera will this year be held in two branches: Writer’s Guild and Poesy’s Domain.
Poesy’s Domain this year is being judged by an eminent personality in the field of Indian Poetry, Dr. Murali Sivaramakrishnan.
Dr. Murali is a poet, writer, painter and critic – a specialist in Indian aesthetics and literary theory. He has numerous literary publications to his name, and has been acclaimed internationally for his works.
Dr. Murali will also be holding a Poetry and Writing Appreciation session after the conclusion of the events at the venue, from 3-5 pm. All participants and anyone else interested are welcome to attend.
Literary events
by editorial on Jan.29, 2010, under Announcements
Lits being among the most anticipated events in any cultural fest, the English Literary Association endeavors to deliver yet again at Riviera ‘10.
So, pick up your pens, shake the cobwebs off your creative mind, and clear your throats. And behold, the impressive line-up of events brought to you by the ELA.
Think not of us as a random involve,
Everywhere you won’t get a mystery to solve.
Make yourselves a part of the detective sect,
Use the video clues which will nail the suspect.
That’s exactly what Holmes Alone is about,
YOU question people in the circle of doubt!
Or host your own Radio show with an attitude unique,
Get the most handsome prizes and reach the peak.
Ever thought about actions being louder than words?
Yes, it goes true when you win Dumb Charades!
Unleash the creativity inside,use thy proverbial ‘sword’,
Whip your thoughts into a swirl,are you the hidden bard?
It’s the Writer’s Guild where your genius comes out,
Or, be a Poet and verse up your thoughts.
Let your imagination take off advanced,
Advertise electric diapers or miracle-bands,
Headaches relieved and memory enhanced,
The highest bid of prizes is here in your hand!
Spin a Yarn about anything you please,
Bluff the crowd with your humour and expertise.
Or talk factual for Just A Minute,
If you fumble, you will be deemed unfit.
Sharpen your Vocab to answer correctly,
There’s a sea of similarities to misguide you directly.
Another is a sea which sinks your ship corrosive,
Convince the captain to save YOU exclusive!
‘Yes’, ‘No’ or, ‘Maybe’-guess the personality fastest.
Your rapport-meter with your mate should be hottest.
Play intensive scrabble with rules all new,
Try Scramble and Unscramble, its meant for every one of you.
Cut your way through a labyrinth of clues,
In this online game of “Krypts”, light your mental fuse.
Your time is short, the hourglass empties its sands,
Work fast, for your fate rests in your hands!
For further details on our events, re-enter the Riviera website. Hope to find you all there!
Hurricane Bells Chime.
by editorial on Jan.28, 2010, under Announcements
Hurricane Bells, an American soft-rock band famous for their OST in the movie Twilight-New Moon, played in VIT on 26th January. The proceedings of the day were kicked off by Point Blank, a Rock ‘n’ Roll band from VIT. They played original compositions, starting off with a popular number ‘Overdose’ and going on to play ‘Hope Eternal’ and ‘Attitude’. Being well-known within the campus, the crowds sang along and enjoyed the music. Point Blank was followed by Touchwood, another VIT band famous in the region for their fresh and unique music. Touchwood also played catchy original compositions like ‘Don’t Let Me Down’ and ‘Sailing’, with the crowd joining in, amused by the jokes cracked on stage by the lead vocalist. After a rather long sound check (due to persistent feedback), Hurricane Bells began their hour-long performance. The melodic songs were well appreciated by the crowd, and the liberal use of the whammy bar for the guitar solos got the crowd going. When Steve Schiltz, the guitarist, played the opening notes of the hit song “Monsters” (featuring in Twilight – New Moon), the crowds became ecstatic. The drummer possessed an unconventional drum kit which didn’t consist of toms, and used brushsticks. Breaking the stereotype of the so-called “rock star attitudes”, the members of Hurricane Bells were warm, friendly and down-to-earth, interacting easily with the VIT students and giving away autographs to everyone who asked. The students of VIT loved the performances, singing and swaying to the music, and went home happy after having an awesome Republic Day!
T-Shirts – A tradition.
by editorial on Jan.24, 2010, under Announcements
T-Shirts , all kinds and varieties are widely accepted and used comfort wear. Where then did the tradition of have in T-Shirts for fests orginate? Well , T-Shirts are the unisex casual college wear standard, hence they are probably ideal for sale as souvenirs for any event. They are free publicity for the event and a means for people to flaunt their alma mater.
The T-Shirt designing this time has been a really tedious process. After an arduous struggle with n number of designs being rejected , the team finally came up with the current offerings.
Firstly , the usual Round neck T in a cool green colour for the rather orthodox soul. A flashy equaliser design in front with a pair of speakers lighting up the back. The other being a plain white for the more laid back and relaxed look. The hand prints in front give a rather appealing look to it .
Next up is a petulant purple V-neck for the girls. These limted edition Ts are a hot seller among the girls and from recent reports even among the guys. Hey, its just another day in a metros life.
The new comers this year are the full sleeve Ts which seem to be a huge hit especially around this time of the year. The dull grey colour with the flamboyant designs on it seem to be allegorical with the climate and the effect of Riviera.
To top it all rather literally comes the pullover. Again a sign of the cold weather conditions but with a sense of exuberance to it. Another smash hit amongst the students and apparently even among our faculty.
So, thats all folks , a brief preview of what is on sale for our more fashionable of audiences. So go out there and get yourself some cool clothing before its all over , cause we know who’ll be in line first.
The Editorial Team.
60 seconds to fame – auditions
by editorial on Jan.24, 2010, under Announcements
60 Seconds to Fame
The results of this event could possibly break the hearts of those particular people, who slogged their entire college lives to be in the limelight to get the ‘we so worship you’ looks.
In this event the participants are asked to showcase their talents and to do so within 60 seconds!
VITians never cease to surprise us with their marvellous talents. The highlights of the event were Beethoven’s Fur Elise on an electric guitar, hip-hop, ballet and semi-classical dances; recitation of the fairytale ‘Cinderella’ with voice modulation representing the different characters in the story and the mimicking of famous Bollywood actors… the Nana Patekar imitation was an instant classic and had the audience roaring with laughter. The beautiful renditions of popular songs like Aadat, Kal Ho Na Ho, I Will Always Love You etc would have the original singers give them standing ovations.
Some had us begging for an encore while there were the usual suspects had us wishing it was 60 milliseconds instead.
The audience enjoyed the show immensely and it wasn’t just people who had nothing to do with the free time they had who turned up(Just for the records, free time is a very rare phenomenon in VIT, with classes on weekends also….yeah, lets not talk about it).
So, if you’re ever in dire need of fame, you know exactly what to do! Here’s hoping we see all of you at the event finals.
The Editorial Team
Headbangers – The prelude.
by editorial on Jan.24, 2010, under Announcements
Over the many centuries that mankind has existed, philosophers, thinkers, poets and scientists have tried to figure out what it is that makes music so powerful, captivating etc (Insert here 500 other adjectives of your choice). We at the editorial, aren’t even going to make that effort. We just sit back, relax and enjoy all the beauty that music has to offer. Which is exactly what everyone else did on Musical Night, on Saturday, the 24th of January at Greeno, which was organized as a preview event for the main Headbangers’ Ball event on the 1st of February as a part of Riviera ’10. The abundance of the Maiden, Lamb of God and Megadeth T-shirts clearly set the tone for the evening to follow. The sound check of The Deviants was indication enough for the entire crowd to get up on their feet. A congregation of metalheads was formed within a few seconds of that and once the band actually started playing there was nothing to stop the crowd from going all out. For a first time performance, The Deviants were mighty confident and the crowd that had assembled at Greeno that day, proved to be the perfect audience for them. When the mood had begun to turn a distinctive hue of black, Downpour stepped in armed with their acoustic guitars and violin. Their original compositions were laced with a rare kind of innocence—the violin blending in melancholy and nostalgia with equal fervour. Coming in right after a dominantly metal band must have been quite a challenge, but the audience was equally responsive and welcoming. The Metal Brigade now assumed their positions in full force for the performance by Warlock. The highly dramatic and passionate lead vocalist powered by immeasurable energy was the impetus that set the crowds ablaze. Madness and fury was unleashed on the guitars and the drums as the audience headbanged as if it was their religion. An encore requested by the audience only reconfirmed their faith in the band. Chinese Punk sounds as confounding as calculus doesn’t it? So, we were given quite an education in it by Mike, one of our many talented Chinese students. Immaculate riffs on the guitar with a voice to match, Mike enthralled the audience with his rendition of a popular Chinese track. An unfortunate technical snag prevented the last band from performing.
But if this was intended as a mere preview event for the finals of Headbangers’ Ball, boy do we have something spectacular waiting for us then. And the immensely talented bands from VIT are going to prove to be very worthy competitors. With Lounge Piranha headlining the very impressive line-up of bands from all over the country, in the words of the great US President Ronald Reagan, “You ain’t seen nothing yet!”
The Editorial Team
The Control Room – A New Look
by editorial on Jan.19, 2010, under Announcements
Over the past few days anyone walking into the control room would have been greeted by the smell of fresh paint and a group of inspired individuals labouring over it’s walls. Now at first look you might think, why?
The fine arts club persevered not only to create a masterpiece but also an exuberant work atmosphere for all those striving to make Riviera ‘10 a benchmark for future cultural events in the university. Well they have succeeded! What they have created is pure inspiration, a complete redifinition of uber. The vibrant, flamboyant and bold use of colour is now a visual treat for every one of us working here.
One of the highlights of this endeavour was our organisers getting in touch with their artistic side by picking up brushes and getting ready to add a stroke here and there. Obviously, all of this under the watchful eyes of our TFAC members.
So, thank you people for making work here a more enjoyable experience. Take a bow you guys!! You’ve definitely earned it!!
The Editorial Team
Style Check Auditions
by editorial on Jan.19, 2010, under Event Details
There are people who strut and people who watch people who strut, and if you one of either, then you were probably at the Style Check Auditions at Anna Auditorium on the 7th of January, 5.00 pm onwards. The auditorium was packed, literally spilling over with anticipation and population, and one could even taste the excitement in the hall, heightened by the pulsating music. Participants, showcased in pairs, were judged on fashion sense, confidence and physique. And as was expected, each pair was greeted with loud whoops and screams from either half of the auditorium.
So yes, it was an evening of high heels, aviator sunglasses and hair gel. Every participant was given a number, and they walked the ramp/stage in pairs, and then groups of ten returned for a final walk around the stage. Visions were spotted, and there was equal measure of comedy and moments of inadequacy for lesser mortals like us. Black and semi-formal dominated the dress code – the girls chose to play it safe and slimming in dresses and leggings with high, high heels while the boys donned open-collar formal shirts, some venturing into waistcoats and cravats, some slinging coats across their shoulders. Special mention at this point, to one contestant who walked the stage wearing formal Indian, who stunned us all with his originality and we are going to stop because we have to be politically correct.
As an observant member of the audience, one had to crane over rows and rows of heads to spot the stage – word about the much-postponed event had clearly gotten around, and there were friends, supporters, the odd foe wishing for downfall, and random spectators there for the good view, on either side, Again, the boys made an excursion of it, hanging over railings, sitting in odd positions, nearly falling over, but we assume they’d resolved to not to miss this – what else would explain the rather skewed population ratio in the hall? And of course it was an enjoyable evening,
Many made a day of it. If you were there you would’ve had fun too. So yes, while some of you have refused to attend this event owing to its apparent redundancy, here’s time for your reality check: You’ve missed a real treat. If you don’t want to repeat the same mistake twice, be there on the 1st of February 2010 to witness the grand spectacle that will be the Style Check Finals.
Yours fashionably, (ahem ahem)
The Editorial Team
Auditions–Dance
by editorial on Jan.12, 2010, under Announcements, Event Details
There was a time that required girls to be graceful and be proficient in all the arts—dancing, singing etc. That time is long, long gone – Thankfully. Its comforting to know that girls like us can survive in this world with two left feet and amnesia.
Anyway, the point of all this is the Riviera 2010 Frisk Factor auditions which were held on November 4, 2009 in Anna Auditorium. The gamut of talent that was on display was quite spectacular by any standards. The diversity of dance forms covered ranged from the ever popular Hip-Hop to Indian Classical dance forms like Bharatnatyam. The event was scheduled to start at 5 but by 4:30 it was nearly impossible to find an empty seat in the auditorium. What could have easily amounted to pandemonium was quite efficiently handled by the organizers (Although the excitement could hardly be restrained!).
Boom Boom Pow by the Black Eyed Peas, Flo Rida’s Right Round, and Twist from Love Aaj Kal were quite obviously the participants’ favourites—with the audience viewing quite a few versions of the same song. There were also those who chose to experiment, and quite successfully at that, with Indian Classical Dance forms.
Looking at things from our perspective although, and while we may appear to be quite sadistic, it’s not the brilliant performances that we carry home with us. It’s the royal mess-ups that make the difference. And in this regard too, we were not at all disappointed. 
Well we are sure the judges performed their duties with utmost sincerity and impartiality which just leaves us with bated breath for the Frisk Factor finale on the 1st of February.
Also for all you budding talents out there, a Tango Workshop is being conducted during Riviera. And for those who think that they can’t dance, come and watch the authors of this post at the aforementioned workshop and feel really good about yourselves. Till next time,
Yours truly.
Editorial Team
Welcome to Riviera
by editorial on Jan.06, 2010, under Announcements
They taught me in Management class last semester that the first impression is quite often the only one we get. So, last year when I entered into the hallowed halls of VIT University, I remember looking at the brochure announcing proudly the annual Inter-College Cultural Festival called – “Riviera”. I wondered perplexedly how a college in a tiny town called Vellore deep in the heart of Tamil Nadu, could manage to not only organize and accommodate the thousands of participants that it so emphatically claimed to have, but manage to get hold of international participants and conduct the awesome Pro-Shows that seemed to be such an integral part of the festival. I dismissed it as one of those things that people put up on their brochure, but secretly clamored to see the impossible become possible.
By the end of last December my first impression of Riviera was being proved to be horribly wrong. The Control Room was abuzz with feverish activity all the time—a giant beehive of thousands of minds working simultaneously to make Riviera 2009 (and the expectations attached to it) a reality. During those four days between the 30th of January and 2nd of February it was about as real as it could get. The entire campus was enveloped with this strange unearthly aura—the kind that is rare, almost impossible and one you’re unwilling to let go of… Whether it was the Pro-Show featuring the irrepressible Vishal & Shekhar who, with their unstoppable energy, sent the crowds into a dizzying whirlwind of celebration and euphoria, or the glamour of the fashion show complete with nearly professional models and designers, escaping the charms of Riviera 2009 was proving to be rather futile. Added to this, the variety of events ranging from hardcore debating, creative writing, quizzing, dramatics, the music events, dance and the incredibly innovative events like Holmes Alone, Dumb Charades, Bluffmaster, yada yada yada, all contributed in their own way to making Riviera 2009 unforgettable for me and everyone else. And just like that it was over…leaving behind a long trail of VITIANs who wished everyday could be Riviera.
But like all of us know, there is ALWAYS a next time. And it’s finally time. So here we are once again proudly announcing the arrival of “Riviera 2010”! Now, you might want to know what it is that will make this Riviera completely overshadow the last one. So here’s a hint. It involves Shaan, MotherJane, Anushka Manchandani, T20 Cricket, Radio Jockeying and Paintballing. Did I happen to mention the tango and theatre workshops, the marathon, the DOTA, the insane gamut of informal events and of course the usual floodgates of other events? Well, there it is! 
I don’t suppose a single smiley quite encapsulates the enthusiasm... And I am pretty sure the organizers, being the sticklers that they are for always having a blast, might just throw a couple of more events and surprises along the way.
January 30th doesn’t seem all that far away anymore now. It’s only a matter of time before I can feel the entire university reverberating and echoing the same sense of excitement I feel right now. And I have a sneaking feeling that it’s only going outdo my expectations.
So, echoing a certain Mr. Barney Stinson’s memorable words this time Riviera’s “going to be Legen….wait for it….Dary!”
Annesha Sil
Editoral Team
Riviera ‘10