“Maybe that is what history is, just moments so beautiful that they become everything.”
The Song of Achilles, Madeline Miller
Behind the curtains, the thunderous concerts, the events that keep us on the edge of our seats, and the victories that become stories for ages to come, lie the 3 lounges: Literary Arts, Fine Arts, and Decor and Merchandise. Ask any volunteer what their favourite memory is from these teams, and the answer would rarely be an event; it’s the lounges.
“The lounge feels like home in the chaos of Malhar.” - Akanksha Singh, OG FA
If you’ve ever wandered near the Hogwarts staircase 3 weeks before Malhar while the Lounge was still being made, you’ve probably seen what organised chaos looks like. Volunteers huddled beside the staircase and, for a few magical days, made the place feel like Hogwarts itself, with the laughter that echoes the hallways, and the gossip that is whispered into ears as if the words would open AliBaba’s gold cave.
There’s something nostalgic about making art together, sitting under those stairs. It reminds you of your school Arts and Crafts periods, where everyone ended up with paint on their hands, of drawing competitions where newspapers were spread on the floor, and of afternoons spent colouring outside the lines because perfection was never the point.
“The most memorable part of the making of the Lounge is the constant arguments about which exact shade of purple the sky should be, whether the volunteer can paint the mushrooms he drew or not, and proudly announcing that you made this part of this decor piece or backdrop. Painting like it's our therapy.” - Riya Vora, OG FA
The FA Lounge begins with a floor that is far too clean, but not for too long. Soon, there are newspapers laid across every surface available, paint palettes are shared without asking, brushes disappear and reappear, and somehow everybody ends up being covered in paint. Nobody minds painting something for the third time, or even the fifth time, because every imperfect brushstroke is a funny story to be laughed at later.
As for DnM, what once started as work for the stalls to be set up in the foyer from June to August, slowly turns into work for the Lounges—crochet needles lying everywhere, painted t-shirts hanging around places left to dry, and someone going through the Instagram DMs of the people who ordered some customized merchandise.
“To me, the Lounge isn’t a place; it is a feeling. Something that comes alive once a year in Malhar is a space of warmth, laughter, energy, and colour. And to see the faces of every person visibly light up during the time they spend in the Lounge is what drives me to give my best to make the experience worthwhile for those who come here.” - Rhea D’souza, OG DnM
The LA Lounge begins with ideas scribbled on a piece of paper found in the office during an internship (literally). Someone suggests a theme, someone brings out a speaker to play music from a shared playlist, and someone pulls out references from childhood books or movies that everyone thought they had outgrown until someone said it out loud.
“If you are a part of the team that works there, you will know that the place is absolute magic. Time slows down, bonds deepen, and every laugh seems brighter than the last. Keep in mind, these are a bunch of people who are not as talented with paints as they are with words. We still put our all into it, and bit by bit, it comes together. It becomes a symbol of the love, effort, and passion that we all put into this fest.” - Shaoni Chowdhury, OG LA.
For a few weeks, the space under the stairs becomes a headquarters for the three departments. Cardboard castles wait to be assembled, lights and lamps that refuse to co-operate are cursed several times, and someone is measuring the chart paper for the fourth time because somehow “measure twice” became “measure four times.” Somewhere between the chaos, friendships begin to form—not the ones that begin with “Hi, my name is …, and I’m from the course…”, but the kind that quietly grows because you spent the evening together packing up the leftover paint. Someone remembers your coffee order, while someone notices you’re tired and wordlessly offers you a snack. Before long, you are finishing each other’s tasks without being asked.
The friendships formed during Lounge work are never rushed. They are built layer by layer, much like the decor itself. Every shared cup of coffee, every shared playlist, and every “Can you help me with this?” turns into an invisible string tying everybody together. Hours disappear beneath those stairs, someone brings in their 4th ice cream of the day, or their 3rd cup of coffee for the day, and you never realise when the clock strikes 6 p.m.
And then, almost overnight, the campus changes. Newspapers gone, paintings painted, and everything packed—the space under the Hogwarts stairs isn’t a workstation anymore. The LR 20s, which were silent, are now filled with visitors aweing the decor made by the volunteers. People walk into the Lounges, admiring every quote and carefully painted decor, never knowing how many conversations went into creating them.
“The Lounge for me is about the smaller moments. Sneaking off into the corner to have a quick lunch, watching people enjoy the games with their friends at the stalls, leaving their mark on Malhar in little ways using the elements in the Lounge. But finally, it has to be the end of Malhar. OGs on the stage, vols on the floor, one last heart-to-heart before we have to take our hard work down and say goodbye to Malhar for good. I'm not gonna lie, I cried last year. And this year, being on the opposite end? I'm probably gonna end up bawling.” - Asmi Bhatia, OG LA
For the audience, the Lounges are where strangers become friends and where memories are made. But for the volunteers, the Lounges are where the memories of Malhar began.
Perhaps that is why they feel so special during Malhar—they hold weeks of effort, memories, hundreds of pictures taken beneath the stairs, tiny victories, late-evening visits to the canteen for a cup of Anna’s chai, and the late-night problem-solving conversations.
Because when Malhar ends, the decor comes down, the LR 20s go quiet again, and the Hogwarts staircase becomes just a staircase again. But the memories that were made during those weeks stay exactly where they belong—with the people who built the magic together.