The oldest Indian Institute of Technology, IIT-Kharagpur has decked up in a unique way to adore the mesmerising memories from the rich cultural celebration of Illumination during Dipawali, with the launch of ever fascinating virtual magazine -“ILLUMINATION”(2019-2020) edition, amidst the pandemic frozen hour.
The virtual magazine has left the netizen in awe by stirring the innovativeness in their mind’s eyes. Facebook has been set on fire, after witnessing the virtual launch of IIT Kharagpur’s ILLUMINATION, published by Technology Students’ Gymkhana, IIT Kharagpur.
IIT Kharagpur’s students have refrained themselves from bursting crackers and have induldged in celebrating Green-Deepavali for several decades. Every year, students celebrate this festival by taking up the project Illumination through which they light up the entire campus with thousands of diyas and perfect rangolis. However, the unfortunate situation of global pandemic has refrained them to decorate the campus for ‘the festival of lights.’
Speaking to News Sense, Rajnandni Sharma, the Journal Secretary, Gymkhana, IIT Kharagpur said, “Diwali is for everyone, Illu is for us. So I wanted Illumination to be documented, because, I believe,that only we celebrate organic and eco-friendly Diwali in the entire nation. There is not a single light lit up in IIT campus except the Diyas.”
Presently, ILLUMINATION has churned to be an indispensable part of IIT Kharagpur. Since, 1981, Kharagpur, has decided to craft their own way of unique diwali celebration and illumination is a culmination of the same. Thousands of glittering diyas stand out in the darkness and form scenes from indian epics, issues of national and contemporary importance, artistic rendition of deities and monuments. The “ILLUMINATION” is affluently designed lavish magazine, which portrays the distinctive blend of unqiue culture cherished in IIT Kharagpur.
The “ILLUMINATION” magazine is the brain child of Rajnandni Sharma, Second year UG of Industrial and Systems Engineering at IIT Kharagpur. She came up with the mind boggling idea to capture the epic decoration of diyas and rangoli, in the magazine to celebrate and hold back the artistic creation of the prestigious IIT, for years.
“ILLUMINATION Magazine is my idea. The celebration of ILUMINATION, is done every year. The entire 4000 community students unite to create marvelous artist creations using diyas on mat, which take months. Unfortunately, these creations have never been documented. Hence, the creations are lost in times, because none will remember the artistic exposures from 5 years back. Thus I pitched the idea of the magazine.” said Sharma.
ILLUMINATION, not only showcases, unique themes attired in earthen lamps but also portrays eye lulling arts of rangoli designed by different halls of students culminating in an exciting compition, The magazine, highlights these themes crafted out of diyas and rangolis, to relish the aura of the institution.
In the view of global pandemic, printing the magazine is improbable, so university is delineating the magazine digitally . This weave the spark of hope within the students, that the magazine will usher, much happiness, positivity and hope for every individuals reminiscing the beautiful days of illumination. This magazine in turn will inspire other IIT’s and institutes to take up such initiatives to celebrate the festival of lights.
