Minimum Viable Ragam

I originally planned to write this article a week before Ragam '26 and was told not to by two juniors that I care about (Prithvi and Arjith). They suggested: let the event go on as planned, then do what you deem fit. Felt like a valid argument, and yeah, of course I had to give priority to their side, they've been losing a lot of sleep trying to conduct Ragam.

Idea of RAGAM

Why do we conduct Ragam? It's an age-old question and I think there's no better answer than the R'14 video.

I have nothing much to add to the video, but am I the only one to notice that as years go by, he is becoming "He who must not be named" from the teaser that had to be taken down for R'25, to explicitly not saying the name of Rajan in this year's promo videos, no mention of him during the inaugural event, his statue that disappeared... These are all evident acts by Team Ragam and the admin to erase Rajan out of Ragam.

The Leverage.

In an academic year, the final years are tasked with conducting Ragam. The conduction of Ragam is so deeply prioritized that anything and anyone who stands in its way is dealt with and of course, it's essential that one's own gang should be the only one conducting it.

What do we have to sacrifice to conduct this Ragam?

This year, shortly before Ragam, a curfew notification came into effect. And every single student I met kept saying, "Let's just hold on till Ragam is done, then let's go for a strike" because if we didn't, the admin was going to cancel Ragam. They've done it before, and they will do it again.

Ragam which started off as a remembrance of the resistance of Rajan, his bloodshed for the right to free speech, his undying spirit of questioning those in power especially at a time of fascism has now turned into a fest that can only be conducted by bowing down to the supreme authority of the admin?

Maybe it's better to disassociate Ragam from Rajan, as it no longer is a celebration of free speech, dissent, and standing up for one's ideas, nor does it use art to speak for the downtrodden. It has become a fest that normalizes "Permission Culture" driven by greed and lust for power. I've observed several instances that validate my statements, in addition to the ones I've mentioned above.

The Fight Back

As the title suggests, to fight back, it's essential to put the best minds on campus to work on figuring out what Minimum Viable Ragam should be.

In the coming years, the admin will further try to erase Rajan out of existence and tighten its grip on student lives. Ragam should be a symbol of hope and a tool for students to fight back not what it is right now: a negotiating tool for the admin to exert its power and make students bend to its will.

As of now, the admin does have the power to cancel Ragam, as they have power over almost everything on campus. In short, here's what Minimum Viable Ragam means:

A Ragam where all the home team members get to perform their art forms in front of the entire student body organized with minimal to zero cost, without seeking permission. There's nothing more beautiful than using art as dissent for Ragam.

We might not be able to make it a competition or provide prizes. For venues, open spaces can be utilized. We might not be able to invite students from other colleges, either as participants or as audience. The events can still happen though:

• Mime, Drama, Movie Spoof, Oppana, Kolkali, Duff Mutt, Vattappattu — All dramatics and Kalolsavam events can be conducted in the Audi, Main Building, Creative Zone, or any suitable space. Portable light and sound can be used.
• Rajan Memorial Light Music Competition, Swararaga, and any other music events can be coordinated by an MC and conducted at a suitable venue with padworks that showcase Rajan's imagery.
• IINK Events — Can be conducted in the amphitheatre, more or less like Kaapikootam. A projector can be arranged and movies with socio-political significance can be screened. Inviting external guests may not be possible, but online interactions will be good enough. The same goes for Take One.
• Street Play — Has the luxury to perform almost anywhere on campus. (I envy this.)
• Fashion Show, Dance (thematic and non-thematic) — Can be conducted at any of the basketball courts with a bit more investment in light and sound.
• DebSoc can conduct debates on geopolitical or current issues — within and outside campus.

(I might have missed some other events that can be similarly planned in a scaled-down manner.)

There won't be pro-shows. There won't be games like sumo wrestling or go-kart anything that's there purely as a revenue-generating scheme. There won't be tech workshops either; they don't really play any significant role in Ragam apart from being a source of income and a means to increase footfall.

Art, pottery, origami, and similar craft workshops can be conducted by students internally in classrooms if department permissions can be arranged, or in hostel common rooms, parking spaces, verandas, the archie courtyards, or anywhere you don't need permission to be.

When threatened by the admin that Ragam will be cancelled, the SGB representatives and students should be able to look the admin in the eye and say: "Do your worst we are conducting Ragam with or without your permission."

And yes, this version of Ragam will not have the glamour we're used to. It won't satisfy the majority of students on campus, nor help them take the much-needed escape from their high-intensity, high-pressure academic lives. But it is necessary to make sure the administration understands that students are not merely powerless puppets they can do with as they please. It is essential that we take away the admin's power to cancel Ragam or Tathva.

I don't know if anyone else feels the way I do. Maybe you don't. Maybe you think what we have right now is good enough. Or maybe you didn't even make it this far and got bored halfway. But if you do think this is the way to go, you can reach out to me pick my brain if you need help pulling something like this off.

Wrap

To wrap up, I'll quote a scene from the movie "Priyan Ottathil Aanu." The character says:

"In the lemon spoon race, it's not the first person to reach the finish line that wins, it's the one who finishes with the lemon still on the spoon."

Every year, conducting Ragam just for the sake of conducting it is not what matters. The lemon on the spoon is not the pro-shows. It's not the glamour. It's the spirit of resistance.

And in the world we live in today, we need it more than ever.

Staying apolitical, staying ignorant, it won't save you. It will only delay your doom by a little. Stand up for what's right. Stand up to those who try to take away your freedom. And stand up, shoulder to shoulder, with the ones you love and care about.