Banjaara 6.0 Turns Ashoka Campus into a Cultural Wonderland

Banjaara, Ashoka University’s flagship cultural festival, is more than just a two-day extravaganza – it is a feeling, a movement, and a celebration of the nomadic spirit that seeks expression through art, music, and community. With each passing year, Banjaara has grown not only in size but also in soul, becoming a space where stories are shared, voices are amplified, and creativity knows no bounds. It stands as a testament to the unfiltered, raw energy of student life – a stage where passion and collaboration come together in the most magical ways.

This year, Banjaara returned as Banjaara 6.0 with a powerful and poetic theme: Rangsaaj. Rooted in the idea that colour is not merely visual but emotional and cultural, Rangsaaj celebrated the spectrum of identities, voices, and experiences that make up the world we live in. It represented the harmony of contradictions – loud and quiet, vibrant and muted, structured and free. Just as a ‘banjaara’, or wanderer, collects experiences from every land they traverse, Rangsaaj symbolised the collection of colours – each telling a story, each leaving a mark. The theme heightened the essence of the fest, reminding us that true beauty lies in embracing the many shades of who we are, individually and collectively.

In bringing this theme to life, we introduced Raahi, Banjaara’s first official mascot. Raahi is a striking bird adorned in the vivid hues of Rangsaaj, representing freedom, movement, and belonging. More than a mascot, Raahi became the heart of Banjaara – an emblem of exploration, rootedness, and the joy of journeying through different cultures and expressions. Students connected with Raahi instantly, engaging with the character in pre-fest events like the mascot reveal, flash mobs, social media challenges, and even the release of our original Banjaara anthem. Through Raahi, the theme of Rangsaaj didn’t just remain conceptual – it took flight across campus, leaving trails of joy wherever it went.

Behind this vibrant celebration stood a powerhouse team of 130+ students from different departments, clubs, and societies. United by the shared goal of creating something unforgettable, we coordinated every aspect of the fest – from outreach and programming to hospitality, logistics, and design. The results of this collective effort were staggering: over 700 external participants from 41 reputed institutions across the country – including Hansraj College, NSUT, SVC, MAIMS, Delhi Metropolitan Education, Masters’ Union, IIIT Sonipat, and more – came together on Ashoka’s campus to experience Banjaara 6.0.

This edition featured 12 inter-university competitions, the most hosted by any student-led fest at Ashoka to date. These spanned performing arts, visual arts, literary arts, and strategy & innovation and were made possible through collaborations with multiple Ashokan clubs and societies. Events like Synergy, our flagship dance competition, saw participation from over 16 teams and brought electric energy to the stage. Other highlights included art installations, slam poetry sessions, business simulations, and a fashion show – all judged by esteemed professionals and alumni.

In addition to competitions, Banjaara transformed the campus into a buzzing fairground of flavours and experiences through over 30 external stalls. From OniSaab‘s bold fashion statements and Baskin Robbins’ scoops of joy to Belgian Waffles, Burgrill, The Tea Planet, and independent pop-ups like Tenzen Tattoos and Kaizen Art – each stall added its own colour to the canvas of Banjaara. These partnerships not only offered delicious bites and engaging interactions but also played a vital role in making the fest financially and experientially sustainable.

The evenings were reserved for dazzling headline performances. On Day 1, popular comedian Ravi Gupta lit up the stage with laughter, drawing a crowd of over 400 attendees. Day 2 closed with a high-octane concert by indie band Naalayak, whose electrifying presence left the audience singing and swaying under the stars. Despite the scale of these events, our operations team ensured flawless execution – with strict access control, efficient exit protocols, and smooth coordination that ensured all external guests exited campus within 10 minutes of the concert conclusion.

In the end, Banjaara 6.0 wasn’t just about the numbers, the footfall, or the applause – it was about the sense of belonging it created. From the splashes of ‘gulaal’ at ‘Rangutsav’, to the music echoing through our mess stalls, to the collaborative spirit of students working late nights over chai and checklists, every part of Banjaara was born from a place of passion.

This fest was a reminder of what student initiative can look like when fuelled by vision, values, and a whole lot of heart. As Raahi soars on, carrying the colours of Rangsaaj, Banjaara 6.0 leaves behind a legacy of collaboration, courage, and celebration.