Kumar Bahukhandi
Raipur, JAZZ-2026: Students of Pragati College display their handmade idols of Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna during the third day of the annual cultural festival. College Administrator Jyoti Thakur and faculty members visited the classrooms, appreciated the students’ creativity and encouraged their artistic efforts. The competition was supervised by Assistant Professor of Science Dr Manpreet Kaur Gurudatta-Photo:channel24india.com
Third-day celebrations witness enthusiastic participation in idol-making competition as students transform imagination, artistic skills and cultural inspiration into remarkable handmade creations
Key Highlights
- Students display artistic excellence by creating handmade idols of Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna during the third day of JAZZ-2026.
- Annual cultural and creative festival encourages students from different academic streams to explore their talents beyond textbooks.
- Assistant Professor of Science Dr Manpreet Kaur Gurudatta supervises the idol-making competition.
- Administrator Jyoti Thakur and faculty members visit classrooms, appreciate the students’ craftsmanship and encourage their creative efforts.
- Judges face the challenging task of selecting the finest creations as students demonstrate impressive imagination, patience and attention to detail.
- Pragati College continues to emphasise academic excellence alongside extracurricular activities and personality development.
Young Artists Transform Classrooms into Centres of Creativity
Raipur: Creativity, devotion and youthful imagination came together in a remarkable display of artistic expression as students of Pragati College, Raipur, showcased their handmade idols of Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna on the third day of the institution’s annual cultural and creative festival, JAZZ-2026. The idol-making competition transformed classrooms into lively centres of artistic activity, where students enthusiastically demonstrated their craftsmanship, patience and innovative thinking while giving shape to their imagination.
The competition, organised as part of the college’s annual extracurricular activities, provided students from different academic streams with an opportunity to explore their creative potential beyond conventional classroom learning.
The participants displayed considerable enthusiasm as they worked on their creations, paying attention to the expressions, forms and decorative elements associated with the revered deities.
While some students focused on portraying the divine strength and grace of Goddess Durga, others attempted to capture the serenity, charm and spiritual significance of Lord Krishna through their handmade idols.
Students of Pragati College showcase their creativity and artistic craftsmanship through beautifully handcrafted idols and decorative arrangements depicting Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna during the third day of JAZZ-2026. The enthusiastic participants displayed their creations as part of the annual cultural festival, which encourages artistic expression, cultural awareness and extracurricular excellence among students-Photo:channel24india.com
The competition reflected not merely artistic ability but also the students’ understanding of India’s rich cultural traditions and their willingness to express those traditions through creative work.
When Artistic Excellence Makes Judging a Difficult Task
One of the most interesting aspects of the annual competition is the challenge faced by judges while evaluating the creations.
The artistic standards displayed by students can be so closely matched that distinguishing one creation from another becomes a demanding exercise.
Selecting the best idol involves more than simply appreciating its outward appearance. Creativity, originality, craftsmanship, presentation and the effort invested by the participants are important considerations in the judging process.
There are occasions when the quality of the creations makes it difficult even for experienced judges to decide which deserves the highest recognition.
Such close competition reflects the depth of talent among students and demonstrates why creative activities deserve an important place in higher education.
The college recognises outstanding creations through awards, encouraging students to improve their artistic abilities and participate confidently in future competitions.
However, the larger objective of the exercise extends beyond winning prizes. It is to develop imagination, perseverance, concentration, teamwork and the confidence to present one’s work before others.
Dr Manpreet Kaur Gurudatta Supervises the Creative Competition
Assistant Professor of Science Dr Manpreet Kaur Gurudatta served as the overall supervisor of the idol-making competition, overseeing the organisation of the activity and encouraging students to participate enthusiastically.
Under her supervision, students from different streams received an opportunity to demonstrate their artistic skills and explore their creative abilities.
The competition offered an engaging platform where students could translate their ideas into physical creations, combining observation, imagination and manual skills.
Such activities are particularly valuable because they encourage students to develop patience and problem-solving abilities while working towards a specific creative objective.
An idol that appears simple at first glance may require considerable planning, repeated adjustments and careful attention to detail before the desired form is achieved.
Through this process, students learn that artistic excellence, like academic achievement, demands discipline, dedication and sustained effort.
Administrator Jyoti Thakur and Faculty Members Encourage Participants
The creative enthusiasm of the students received further encouragement when College Administrator Jyoti Thakur, accompanied by faculty members, visited the classrooms where the idol-making activities were being conducted.
Among those visiting the classrooms were Dr Praveen Kumar Yadav from the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Assistant Professor Kumar Bahukhandi and Sanjiv Kumar Verma.
During their visit, they observed the handmade creations, interacted with the participating students and appreciated the imagination and effort reflected in their work.
The faculty members encouraged the students to continue developing their creative interests alongside their academic pursuits.
Their presence also highlighted the importance of institutional encouragement in nurturing talent.
For students, appreciation from teachers and administrators can serve as a powerful motivation, particularly when they are attempting something beyond their regular academic responsibilities.
The classroom visits reflected the college’s approach of treating extracurricular activities as an integral part of education rather than merely occasional recreational events.
Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna Inspire Artistic Expression
The choice of Goddess Durga and Lord Krishna as subjects added a distinctive cultural and spiritual dimension to the competition.
Goddess Durga, traditionally associated with strength, courage and the triumph of good over evil, offers artists an opportunity to portray power, dignity and divine grace.
Lord Krishna, whose image is deeply embedded in India’s religious, philosophical and artistic traditions, represents another rich source of creative inspiration.
By attempting to recreate these revered figures, students engaged with traditional Indian imagery while developing their own artistic interpretations.
The exercise also demonstrated how educational institutions can connect younger generations with cultural heritage through meaningful participation rather than theoretical instruction alone.
The students’ creations reflected the idea that art can become a bridge between tradition and contemporary imagination.
Beyond Textbooks: Pragati College’s Commitment to Holistic Education
Pragati College has consistently emphasised the importance of academic achievement while encouraging students to participate in cultural, literary, artistic and other extracurricular activities.
The institution’s commitment to achieving excellent academic results, including its aspiration towards 100 per cent success, is complemented by initiatives designed to promote the all-round development of students.
Education cannot be measured solely through examination marks or academic qualifications. It must also prepare young people to think independently, communicate effectively, appreciate cultural diversity and discover their individual strengths.
Activities such as idol-making contribute to this broader educational objective by encouraging students to exercise imagination and demonstrate skills that may otherwise remain unnoticed.
A student who excels in science may also possess exceptional artistic abilities. Similarly, a student pursuing commerce, humanities or journalism may discover a talent for sculpture, design or other forms of creative expression.
Providing opportunities for such discoveries is among the important responsibilities of a higher educational institution.
JAZZ-2026: A Platform for Talent, Confidence and Self-Expression
The annual JAZZ festival has emerged as an important platform for students of Pragati College to demonstrate abilities beyond their prescribed academic curriculum.
Through competitions involving art, literature, communication, cultural expression and other creative disciplines, the festival seeks to encourage active participation across different streams and academic levels.
The third day’s idol-making competition added another meaningful dimension to the celebrations by bringing together creativity, devotion and artistic craftsmanship.
Participation in such events helps students overcome hesitation, develop confidence and appreciate the achievements of their peers.
It also creates opportunities for students and teachers to interact in an atmosphere different from the routine classroom environment.
Importantly, competitions of this nature encourage a healthy spirit of achievement while teaching participants to respect the efforts of others.
Winning an award may bring immediate recognition, but the experience of creating something independently can leave a more lasting impression on a student’s personality.
Every Creation Deserves Appreciation
The enthusiasm witnessed during the third day of JAZZ-2026 reinforced an important educational message: talent flourishes when institutions provide students with opportunities, encouragement and the freedom to experiment.
While judges ultimately have the responsibility of identifying the most outstanding creations, the value of the competition cannot be confined to the announcement of winners.
Every completed idol represents an investment of time, concentration, imagination and determination.
The willingness to participate, the courage to experiment and the satisfaction of completing a creative assignment are themselves significant achievements.
For Pragati College, the competition was another opportunity to reaffirm its commitment to combining academic discipline with creativity, cultural awareness and personality development.
As JAZZ-2026 continues to provide students with opportunities to display their talents, the third day’s celebrations have demonstrated that education becomes more meaningful when knowledge is accompanied by imagination, and creativity is encouraged with the same enthusiasm as academic excellence.
