Model with a moustache

It was in the Year 2004, I saw a circular announcing the dates for the Aurora’04, the Annual Cultural Fest. It had many events, I just ignored them as I was more interested in Organization committee. A few days later, I went out with my Software Engineering Classmates for the Annual Gwalior Mela, it’s a fate organized by MP Govt. in Gwalior once a year around February. We thought of going for a ride on the Giant wheel. Suddenly the girls in our group asked me if I am participating in the Fashion Show, which was one of the most looked forward and awaited event in the Aurora’04. Well I straight away said ‘No’. The reason was I had never participated in any Fashion Show or rather any show on stage which require my presence for considerably long time. May be I didn’t had enough confidence . Moreover I had no plans of chopping my Moustache. They started convincing me giving several examples and to avoid further discussion I had no choice other than saying ‘Yes’ to them. Who wants to stick to that ‘Yes’ the next day. It was just to keep enjoying the Mela and to avoid the discussion about me participating in the show. The next day, I went to the institute as I did usually. Whole day I was brain washed, so as to convince me to participate in the Fashion Show. In the evening, I was standing in the queue in front of the selection committee for the Fashion Show. No, I didn’t come as others were pressurizing me. Rather I thought of going for that because of my Initial Pledge and the arguments of those girls acted just as a catalyst to it . In my initial days of college, I pledged to try everything, be it organizing the Fests, participating in the events, taking new responsibilities. But my fear of stage use to overshadow my ambitions. Not becoming too much philosophical i will come back to the Selection for the Fashion Show. I was asked to walk in front of 100 people including the onlookers. A bit nervous and quite a lot conscious I just started without looking at the crowd. “It was good but you need to work a lot for the show. You are selected.” were the comments of the Event Secretary.

Next day onwards, I was regular at the practice sessions. And I was asked to walk in specific patterns with different partners. After a few days I was able to overcome my stage fear as I became some more confident. We practiced till late evenings, and somehow I had the energy to practice continuously even when everyone else was too tired to walk/practice. May be I was walking for my Pledge and not just to participate.

Finally the day came; I had to walk twice as per the sequence decided in the Formals and also in the Ethnic Wear. The day has come when I was about to walk down the ramp for considerable time and as a participant in the biggest event of the Fest.

I was sitting backstage, a bit nervous. “Manjit, you are next” said the event organizer. I was in the queue and had to start walking with a girl named Samriti. I concentrated on the event and tried leaving my nervousness far behind. And finally, there was the Model walking down the ramp with a moustache. Everyone supported me as well, I know they must be smiling from inside when they saw my moustaches. The second time was just normal and I walked without any fear.