You must’ve seen a green human-sized frog waddling around campus. There are mascots…and then there is Puddles. He is the face of Malhar, the unofficial celebrity of every corridor, the self-appointed ruler of the foyer, and quite literally the busiest frog in Mumbai.
Some say that Puddles was born from the rain that hit Malhar a little too hard. Ever wondered what a normal day in the life of Mumbai’s most famous frog looks like?
Spoiler alert: It isn’t normal at all.
Puddles wakes up before the campus awakens. By the time the students pull themselves out of their homes and walk into the campus half-sleepy, Puddles is already out and about, roaming in the corridors like an enthusiastic supervisor. No one really knows where Puddles comes from. Some say a secret mascot room, while others say it's the M-Office under the Hogwarts Staircase. Others say Puddles just comes around when it's Malhar season. When it rains, rumour has it that he simply rises out of a puddle somewhere on campus like the world’s most committed frog.
Either way, once spotted, he is impossible to ignore.
The morning usually starts with serious and important frog business—inspecting decorations, interrupting committee meetings, aggressively waving at anyone who accidentally makes eye contact with him, and his favourite—photobombing everybody’s pictures. Puddles believes every corridor deserves energy, and every individual on campus must interact with a six-foot frog.
Puddles thrives on attention.
A quiet corner? Unacceptable. A crowd gathering somewhere? Perfect. And within minutes, Puddles starts dancing in the middle of the foyer like his house rent depends on it.
Afternoons are when the real chaos begins. With the foyer almost full, Puddles has a blast out there. No staircase is free. No performance or rehearsal goes uninterrupted. No pictures are free from the possibility of a giant green frog suddenly appearing in the background.
At any given moment, Puddles is probably joining random dance circles, recording PR videos of himself, and probably even sneaking into event venues.
Somehow, Puddles knows everybody.
The workforce members? Best friends. The crowd gathered in the foyer? His biggest supporters.
However, being Puddles is not all glamour. Being the face of Malhar is a serious job. Every year, he must maintain campus morale, entertain the sleep-deprived volunteers, and ensure that nobody takes themselves too seriously. It is quite an exhausting job for a single frog. Yet, Puddles shows up year after year to fulfill his duty.
Rain or no rain.
Event delays or technical issues.
Soundcheck chaos or rehearsal mishaps.
Puddles is always there, carrying out his duties with dedication.
On the days of Malhar, when the campus lights up in the evening, and crowds gather around the stage in the Quad, Puddles is there—waddling around through the madness like a physical embodiment of Malhar.
This is his natural habitat after all.
The frog moves through the crowd like a self-proclaimed celebrity, with at least 20 cameras pointed at him. Some mascots may just pose for pictures, but Puddles? He performs.
Eventually, though, the night slowly comes to an end. The performances end, the stage lights are turned off, the corridors slowly empty out, and the campus grows quiet again. And Puddles disappears.
But not for long. Because somewhere along the walls of St. Xavier's College, the chaotic, loud, and energetic spirit animal of Malhar still exists.
And when another edition of Malhar arrives, Puddles returns once again, ready to terrorize the foyer, steal the spotlight, and remind everybody why there exists no Malhar season without Puddles.
But for now, we hope that the next time you spot a six-foot frog waddling around, you stop for a moment and wave, and remember—behind every unforgettable moment in Malhar, there is Puddles, probably causing chaos somewhere.