DAY BY day Katrina Kaif's fame graph is soaring higher after she was voted as the youth icon of the year, and the most beautiful actress in the Asian region. This Valentine's Day she was selected as Damdami Mai by students of Hindu College, Delhi University.
As per a popular tradition organised in the University, students pray to their chosen Bollywood actress and offer oblations. For this activity, they also have a dedicated tree popularly known as the “Virgin Tree” in the campus. The tree is decorated with balloons, flowers, and soft toys, etc.
The tradition of Damdami Mai has been part of this college's urban legend for years. However, as to when and why it began, there is no particular history background. It is a bit puzzling how the college authorities permit this ceremony to perform at a college campus where a good number of students belong to tradition and orthodox families.
“I do like to celebrate Valentine's Day, but attending this ritual is still an embarrassment for me” said one student.
“We have no option as the senior students forced us to join this ritual and college authorities have been mutely watching all these years,” said another student.
“We have no idea what our students are doing in free hours, we are here to teach them and not to control their personal lives,” retorted one professor angrily.
This ritual of worshiping involves a priest who comes with necessary prayer materials, which includes the traditional lamps, and flowers, etc. It is interesting to know that this priest does not belong to any temple but a college student who is nominated to play the role. Since the last three years, a final year student performs all ceremonies but this time the winner of the Mr. Fresher contest gets to be a priest, and dress up for the part.
A teeka of red chilli powder is applied on the foreheads of all the students who are present in the ceremony. On the ‘Virgin Tree’ they hang the picture of actor Katrina Kaif as their selected goddess for this year, then students take procession across the campus with priest carrying prayer materials in thali.
Slogans such as ‘Damdami Mai ki Jai’ are chanted to the beat of the drums to invoke the Goddess. Students also contribute funds for the ritual. It is interesting to note that last years' Damdami Mai includes actresses such as Mallika Sherawat, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, and Anara Gupta amongst others.
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