From not knowing each other to being able to be truly completely yourself around a bunch of strangers,
the 2024 Gavel awrudu brought me close to a bunch I love spending time with and who became a lot
more than just a group of people who know each other.
I remember how the lokkas tried so hard to get even a few words out of us during the first Organizing
Committee (OC) meeting to brainstorm ideas. How we transitioned from that to not being able to stop
talking when around each other is something I’m still trying to figure out. None of us had an idea how to
pull an event like this in less than a week but the great procrastinators in us managed to execute it in just
two days, they (world leaders, great thinkers) say that humans are built in a way that their maximum
efficiency is shown when under pressure; said no one but the gavel OC. Note that each and every self-praise from here onwards is purely based on nothing but sarcasm.
The boost to try our best to pull off the event to the best of our abilities first came from the response we
got to our PR videos. I believe a lot may not know but the brain behind the innovative, refreshing
concepts was spearheaded by none other than our very own Kawyasha, in better words I’d say the
woman the myth the legend. With such a positive response, we knew we couldn’t afford to let the final
event fall flat, cause actions not matching the words are so over rated and outdated. We somehow
managed to find the decorations, make the decorations and get everything in line but the poddas dance
was the one that I feel all of us dreaded the most about. We went on stage with empty minds but thanks
to our very own dancing queen Dinusha we managed to do at least a few steps.
We started the event at 10.30am with the blessings of the scorching hot sun on our way. The event
turned out to be as vibrant as our crew lokkas (Nisali akka, Kemindi akka, Pawanya akka; flattery is the
way to the heart, so grant me your consent) smiles, followed by Boiling the milk at the auspicious time
(kiri ithireema) and a table full of sweetmeats. You name it we had it, thanks to our lokkas. A long line of
awrudu games added laughter and joy to our day, including the much-anticipated Awrudu Kumara and
Kumariya competitions!
Avurudu with Gavel 2024 is personally very close to my heart. As someone who often finds it hard to
truly enjoy the company of others, amidst the chaos, I found joy, love, care, and great companionship
with them. As our very own Madam President Akka remarked Gavel is not always about being a great
speaker or an evaluator its more about the bonds we create and the friends we choose to keep closer to
our hearts. Cause at the end of the day it’s not about what you did in this world but about how you
made the people around you feel, seen and heard.
If I was to say one thing about awrudu with gavel it is that you can test your best potential when
surrounded by great people with kind hearts which includes the unwavering support we get from each
and every member of gavel and most certainly our lokkas!