From Idea to Execution: Behind the Scenes of IIT Bombay’s Mood Indigo
Introduction
IIT Bombay’s Mood Indigo, often referred to as Mood I, is not just another college festival; it is one of the largest and most anticipated cultural festivals in Asia. Over the years, it has become an iconic event, drawing students, professionals, and music enthusiasts from across the globe. With a blend of cultural, technical, and artistic performances, the event creates an atmosphere that encourages creativity, collaboration, and passion. However, behind the grandeur and seamless execution of this festival lies an immense amount of planning, coordination, and dedication by a team of student organizers, volunteers, and faculty members. In this blog, we will take a behind-the-scenes look at the journey of Mood Indigo from an idea to execution, exploring the meticulous planning and hard work that goes into making the event a success each year.
The Origin of Mood Indigo
The history of Mood Indigo dates back to 1971 when the first edition of the festival was held at IIT Bombay. Originally, it was conceived as a small cultural gathering to bring students together and provide a platform for showcasing their creative talents. However, as IIT Bombay continued to grow and attract a diverse student body from different parts of the country, the festival also began to evolve in scale and significance. Today, Mood Indigo has transformed into a 4-day event that draws an audience of over 70,000 participants, making it one of the most celebrated college festivals in India.
The initial idea behind the festival was simple: a celebration of creativity, culture, and talent. Over time, however, the festival expanded its scope to include performances from renowned artists, competitive events in diverse fields, and a platform for discussions on social issues and technology. Despite its enormous success, the essence of Mood Indigo remains grounded in the vision of fostering collaboration and creativity.
The Core Team: The Heart of Mood Indigo
The backbone of any large-scale event like Mood Indigo is its team. The organizing team, primarily composed of IIT Bombay students, works tirelessly months in advance to ensure the festival’s success. The team is divided into various departments, each responsible for specific aspects of the festival. These include:
1. Core Organizing Team
This team is responsible for overseeing the festival’s entire operation. They make crucial decisions, manage the budget, liaise with sponsors and artists, and ensure that everything runs smoothly. The core team is made up of student leaders who take on responsibilities in management, operations, public relations, and finance. They are the key decision-makers and problem-solvers, working relentlessly to ensure that the festival reflects the spirit of IIT Bombay.
2. Cultural Events Team
The cultural events team plays a pivotal role in curating the variety of performances and competitions that take place during Mood Indigo. They reach out to artists, musicians, and performers from across India and the world, ensuring that the festival features a diverse range of acts, from classical dance performances to rock bands and EDM artists. This team works closely with the hospitality and logistics departments to coordinate artist accommodations, transportation, and technical requirements.
3. Logistics and Infrastructure Team
Managing a large festival like Mood Indigo requires significant coordination in terms of infrastructure, venues, and logistics. The logistics team ensures that the campus is properly set up, stages are built, lighting and sound systems are in place, and transportation is arranged. They also manage the security of the event, ensuring that thousands of attendees can move around the campus without any issues. This team handles the nitty-gritty details, from setting up food stalls to arranging for necessary amenities.
4. Sponsorship and Finance Team
A major part of organizing a large-scale event like Mood Indigo is securing sponsorships to cover the expenses. The sponsorship and finance team works hard to attract sponsors, forge partnerships, and manage the festival’s budget. From negotiating with corporate sponsors to managing ticket sales and merchandise, this team ensures that the festival is financially sustainable.
5. Public Relations and Marketing Team
Mood Indigo attracts an audience from all over the country, and the public relations and marketing team plays a crucial role in ensuring that the festival's message reaches the masses. They are responsible for handling social media, creating promotional campaigns, engaging with the media, and ensuring that Mood Indigo remains visible in the public eye. Their efforts also include outreach programs and collaboration with influencers to build buzz around the event.
6. Volunteer Team
No large-scale event can function without the support of volunteers, and Mood Indigo is no exception. The volunteer team is responsible for managing on-ground activities during the festival. They assist with crowd management, help in event registration, direct attendees to various event venues, and provide logistical support during performances. Volunteers are also involved in pre-event preparation, like setting up stages and managing ticketing.
Months of Preparation: The Planning Process
The planning for Mood Indigo begins months before the actual festival kicks off. The entire team starts working well in advance, with some departments beginning their work as early as six months before the event. The planning process involves several key stages:
1. Theme Selection
Every year, Mood Indigo adopts a unique theme that reflects a particular aspect of culture, art, or social issues. The theme is carefully chosen by the organizing committee and is central to the entire festival’s branding. It influences the choice of performances, competitions, and decorations. The team often conducts brainstorming sessions and consultations with artists to arrive at a theme that resonates with the current social climate and the spirit of the festival.
2. Artist Engagement
One of the most exciting aspects of Mood Indigo is the lineup of artists who perform during the festival. The cultural events team spends months scouting for the best talent, reaching out to artists, and finalizing contracts. The team invites both famous celebrities and emerging artists, offering a diverse range of performances, from Bollywood concerts to indie music and international collaborations. The process involves discussions around logistics, performance expectations, and technical requirements.
3. Budgeting and Sponsorship
Mood Indigo, being a massive festival, requires substantial funding. Once the team has a rough idea of the events and logistics required, the finance team works on drafting a budget. The budget covers a wide range of expenses, including artist fees, infrastructure setup, transportation, marketing, and merchandise. At the same time, the sponsorship team reaches out to potential sponsors, securing partnerships with companies and organizations that align with the festival’s values.
4. Event Design and Scheduling
Once the theme is decided and artists are booked, the organizing team begins designing the event schedule. This includes organizing competitions, workshops, and exhibitions across the festival’s four-day duration. The event schedule is meticulously crafted to ensure that there is never a dull moment, with something happening at every hour of the day.
5. Logistics and Infrastructure Setup
With the logistical details sorted, the team begins the physical setup of the campus. Stages are constructed, food stalls are set up, and sound and light systems are installed. Special attention is given to the comfort of attendees, with facilities for seating, sanitation, and accessibility. This phase is crucial to ensure smooth operations during the festival days.
The Festival Days: Execution and Coordination
As the festival approaches, the organizing team shifts into high gear, ensuring that all operations run smoothly. The execution phase begins, with final preparations taking place in the days leading up to Mood Indigo’s opening. The atmosphere on campus becomes electric as the festival kicks off.
1. Opening Ceremony
Mood Indigo traditionally starts with a grand opening ceremony that introduces the theme of the year and sets the tone for the event. The opening ceremony often features a mix of performances, speeches, and the much-awaited announcement of the festival’s official events. This is followed by an intense lineup of activities that keep attendees engaged for the next four days.
2. Real-time Coordination
During the festival, the core team and volunteers coordinate in real-time to manage the crowds, ensure smooth transitions between events, and handle any unexpected issues that arise. With thousands of students in attendance, real-time coordination is crucial for managing large crowds and making sure that the festival proceeds without any disruptions.
3. Artist Management
Throughout the festival, the cultural team coordinates with artists to ensure their needs are met, from sound checks to green room arrangements. A dedicated artist management team ensures that performers have everything they need, making sure their performances go smoothly.
4. Feedback and Reflection
After the festival ends, the organizing team reflects on the success of the event and gathers feedback from participants and volunteers. This feedback helps the team improve future editions of Mood Indigo, making it bigger and better with every year.
Conclusion
The journey of organizing IIT Bombay’s Mood Indigo is one of creativity, hard work, and meticulous planning. From its inception as a small college event to becoming one of Asia’s largest cultural festivals, Mood Indigo continues to be a beacon of student creativity and collaboration. Behind every concert, competition, and workshop lies an army of dedicated student organizers, volunteers, and faculty who bring the festival to life. For the participants, Mood Indigo is an unforgettable experience—a celebration of music, culture, art, and above all, the collective spirit of a diverse student community working towards a common goal.