PC: Joel V Abraham

It’s that time of the year again, Bharatham 2026, the trademark multi-day intra-college arts festival of our very own, where students get to showcase their talents in a variety of events ranging from arts, literature, and culture to dance, music, and theatre. A vibrant display of passion with a slice of friendly competition, a three day long test of energy, chaos, creativity, and memories stitched together by hundreds of students across batches.

For first years Bharatham was their real glimpse into “college fest culture”, the stage lights, the cheering crowds, the gateway towards having a dozen unforgettable experiences. For seniors and captains however, Bharatham meant something else entirely, endless planning, sleepless nights, last minute crises, and the responsibility of making everything work. This article brings together both sides of Bharatham 2026, the expectations with which the freshers walked in, and the reality that the seniors lived behind the scenes.

Day one of Bharatham 2026 began with excitement in the air and anticipation riding high, and for many first years several of those expectations were met. For freshers stepping into their first major college cultural event, Bharatham felt like a refreshing change of pace from routine academic life. One student described the fest as a “much needed shift from all the studying” adding that it made them feel “much closer to the institution as well as its students” a sentiment shared by more than a handful of the first years, for whom the opening day of Bharatham became not just about the events and performances, but about feeling welcomed into the larger campus community.

If the first day of Bharatham 2026 was about discovery, the second day was about anticipation. Freshers walked in with expectations set by the previous evening, especially after standout moments like the Battle of Bands. As one student described it, the performance was “flawless”, and for many, it set the bar for what the rest of the fest could be. Several first year students who had initially planned to leave early found themselves staying back for more events, simply because day one had been that “mind-blowingly good”. 

Some even came in with preconceived notions shaped by school experiences, expecting Bharatham to mirror the scale of annual day celebrations, but with more freedom, more fun, and the stronger sense of connection with peers. Expectations also grew in terms of scale. Students hoped for smoother schedules, better coordination, and a more immersive campus-wide experience. A demanding request, but as the crowd became more emotionally invested so did their expectations.

What began as curiosity on day one and excitement on day two had turned into hope for a grande finale by day three. Freshers expected the final day to bring together the best of Bharatham, however, the final day also revealed the contrast between what was hoped for and what was experienced. While many felt the fest had gone smoothly overall, there were expectations of better communication regarding schedules and venues, as well as hopes for events that spanned the entire day rather than beginning only in the afternoon. Still, even amidst moments of disappointment, the first years were seen putting a positive spin on things, as one fresher put it, “Bharatham is just the tip of the iceberg, the actual memories are yet$ to be made”. 

Underlying this optimism was an appreciation for the effort behind the scenes, where the story was different altogether, one of long planning hours, logistical challenges, and students working tirelessly to make the fest happen. To the audience, especially our freshmen, Bharatham may seem like the perfect fusion of culture and creativity that truly captures the gist of an arts fest, but to the leaders of the five houses and their dedicated members, Bharatham resembles more of a battlefield that puts these fighters to test in more ways than one.

 This year’s Bharatham saw the House of Vikings as the victors, with Rajputs as the runners-up and Aryans, finally breaking their five-year hiatus and claiming third. As the reigning champions of Onam and Christmas the previous year, Vikings felt their own compulsion to capture the Bharatham Cup as well. Despite accumulating over 130 negative points, the co-captains of the Vikings House, Aadeetha and Vivaina remained confident. “Victory never felt out of reach.”, they recall.

 For the Aryans House, securing a position this year was something they hadn’t expected at all. Their transition from the comfortable sidelines to the winning podium was indeed an unexpected one. The Mughals House, despite their dedication, had not managed to find themselves in the ranks this year. “We had definitely expected to win this year, and we almost had it until the negative points made their mark.”, House Captain Aman reflected.

Though most of the planning had started well before the inauguration of the arts fest, during Christmas time, many leaders were forced to resort to last minute fixes to deal with the issues as they came up. Major difficulties faced by student participants included the registration process and clash of events. Vishal, the co-captain of the Spartans House recalls how he had to get a student from their event at gallery hall, then straight to the fourth floor at K.E. Block. Houses had even adopted Point of Contacts to ensure students were able to get to their venues on time and avoid any mishaps during the registrations. Despite the numerous obstacles that had come up throughout the events, leaders and members remember their favorite parts of Bharatham, ranging from being part of the crew to the actual performances. 

Though the effort put into each event was evident, a performance that had captured the viewers attention was the Thematic Dance, and rightfully so. The participants had rented studios to stay at and booked choreographers to train them for the event, ensuring their best possible performance for the crowd. And the Mughals stole the show that day, with their Thematic dance performance securing first overall amongst the Houses, and later moving on to win second in the inter-college competition as well. 

Towards the end of Bharatham, as the score board fluctuated and finally gained a steady flow, the winners of Bharatham 2026 were announced. The leaders and members of various Houses felt everything from joy and pride to disappointment and regret. However it is important to remember that Bharatham is a vivid expression of art and community, carried out for the sole purpose of inspiring students and unleashing their potential. Spartans co-captain Vishal put it simply, “Winning doesn’t matter unless you’re satisfied, and we were satisfied with our work.” Whether your choice of House ended up on the podium or on the sidelines, what sticks with you in the end are the memories you created, whether it be working late nights on deco works, or practice sessions at the studio, or just watching the performances and taking it all alongside your friends.

Still recovering from the heat of Bharatham, the Houses have already set their sights on the upcoming year. Will the Rajputs live up to their glory? Will Vikings defend their title? Or will Aryans, Mughals or Spartans steal the show completely? Well, we can only wait to see what the Houses have planned for the years following.