The death of P. Rajan who was a compelling writer and musician in 1976 under the circumstances of emergency rule, left his batchmates at the then Calicut Regional Engineering College devastated. In his memory, the following year saw the inception of an All-Kerala music festival that was soon discontinued. From its ashes rose Ragam, reinstituted at the behest of the zealots of culture and arts in 1987. Over the years, it has grown into an inter-college festival attracting musical maestros, dedicated artists, agile dancers and dramatics enthusiasts. Ragam today is synonymous with being a sought after cultural fest with throngs of active participants drawn from all over the country into this unique cultural extravaganza.
The three day fest is a witness to various events ranging from spectacular musical galas and art exhibitions to mind-boggling literary events. This symposium is also a platform for one of the best inter-collegiate dance competitions, with various expert dance teams rocking the dance floor, and sending the crowd into euphoria. Ragam has also been a stage to the world of glitz and glamour through Couture Boulevard, the fashion show competition. Models dressed in various attires, flaunt their ramp walking skills and compete to achieve a glory of its own kind.
The bonanza of events have always managed to retain an essence of being dynamic.
Ragam has always taken a strong element and built itself around it. The themes chosen each year has been central to creating its trademark ambience of festivity. From resurrecting superheroes on campus grounds and embodying the phrase “Don your capes” to generating radical ‘Desi’ vibes, the event has managed to explore many shades on the spectrum of creative innovation. Ragam’17 is in the works of setting sail with its Gaming theme bringing alive the likes of popular video game characters across the span of NITC’s grounds.
An intricate eye for detail has been a defining factor and this sets it apart from other cultural fests in the country. Whether it’s the décor or the events, a sense of perfection prevails and this is why the crowd always keep coming back for more.
Proshows are a highlight, with a rock solid record of guaranteed entertainment. From Bollywood bigshots like Farhan Akhtar and Pritam to international EDM artists like Ben Gold and Diego Miranda, this cultural carnival has been a host to it all. In addition to bringing even more zest to the fest, proshows have been pivotal in defining Ragam nightlife.
Apart from the noise and colours, Ragam is the unification of individuals with a burning passion for art, literature, dance and music. It assures memories that one would always cherish for a life time.