The Deccan Odyssey: A Spectacular 50-Year Journey of Festember

The 50th edition of Festember started on an optimistic note with our director, Ms G. Aghila, Mr Gurumurthy Kalyanaram from the founding batch of Festember and our chief guest, Mr S. Selvakumar, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (L&O), Trichy City gracing us with their presence in the Inauguration Ceremony held on Day Zero. They took us on a beautiful trip down memory lane, instilling in us nostalgic memories of what Festember used to be, what it has grown and evolved to become in these past 50 years, and the height it could reach in the years to come. The day ended with a spirited performance by our very own Dance and Music Troupe, which thus set into motion the pace and the extravagance for the days to come. 

Day one saw the precedents of all competitions being set, with the Literature clusters starting off their mind-blowing quizzes at the break of dawn. The Music cluster and Dance cluster saw participants battling on the stage, which was undoubtedly an exhilarating affair to witness. The Arts enthusiasts were seen painting masterpieces on walls around campus, while the photography ones framed those colours and moments forever in time. The dramatics cluster participants diffused a sweet fragrance of conjured stories with flair while the gaming folks tried their hardest to hold fort and conquer kingdoms in their virtual reality. 

The day ended on the highest note with a spectacular head-banging EDM NIGHT hosted by the one and only DJ Holy C. 

However, the show never stops, at least not for the organizers who started preparing for the more eventful Day 2 as soon as the Sun had set on Day 1. 

Day 2 not only restarted with the competitions that had been paused the day before but also came alive with new events, like the Major’s Golden Jubilee Quiz. The workshops across 3 days that included Tanjore painting, perfume and jewelry making had our whole and undivided attention. 

Guest lectures by celebrated personalities the likes of Gouri Kishan, Mari Selvaraj, Wysa’s CEO and the cast of Vettiyan rewarded the students with gems of advice and stories of experience. The Lost Fireflies ultimately brought the day to a soothing end with their riveting performance for Fusion nite. 

The penultimate day arrived with high hopes from all the participants who worked tremendously hard to prove their merit. The Mr. and Ms. Festember were crowned, and all the winners from grand competitions like choreonite and gigahertz were announced during the valediction. 

The whole circuit from barn to CEESAT ground was buzzing with people who were enjoying the ambience and reveling in the food stalls set up. The campus, which was

now painted in beautiful colours and the satisfaction of all the teams who had made the Golden edition of Festember possible was eminent in the air. 

And just like that, the 50th edition of the biggest festival of the south, The Deccan Odyssey, truly a fest to remember, came to a spectacular end with a phenomenal performance by Karthik, which left everyone swaying in eclectic emotions. 

As the Sun dawned on one’s OLT, and rose on another’s first 

The sky celebrated their merger, turning ichor that night.