See It. Spot It. Sustain It - Urban Sustainability Hunt

Duration: 60–90 minutes

Participants: Individuals or Teams (3–5 students)
Location: College Campus and Immediate Surroundings
Submission: Photograph a completed task with a brief caption (maximum 20 words) and final write up to be submitted. 

Rules

• Stay within the designated campus boundaries.
• Do not disturb plants, animals, or property.
• Members of the group must be in the photograph.
• Do not stage unsafe photographs.
• Take only photographs—do not remove or damage anything.
• Be respectful of people and seek permission before photographing individuals.
• Bonus points are awarded for creativity and thoughtful captions.

 

Tasks

No.	Mission	Evidence Required
1	Find something on campus made from recycled material.	Photo + explain how you identified it.
2	Spot a place where rainwater naturally collects or drains.	Photo + suggest one improvement.
3	Find a tree providing shade to students.	Photo + estimate why urban trees matter.
4	Locate three different plant species on campus.	One photo collage.
5	Find a reusable item replacing a disposable one.	Photo.
6	Spot a bicycle or sustainable mode of transport (Ebike).	Photo.
7	Find an energy-saving feature (LED lights, natural lighting, solar panel, etc.).	Photo.
8	Locate a water conservation practice.	Photo.
9	Find the cleanest corner on campus.	Photo + why it remains clean.
10	Spot an area where litter tends to accumulate.	Photo + one realistic solution.
11	Find something that could be reused instead of thrown away.	Photo + reuse idea.
12	Find an example of biodiversity (bird, butterfly, squirrel, insect, etc.).	Photo without disturbing it.
13	Locate a dustbin used correctly.	Photo.
14	Find a wall, notice board or poster promoting environmental awareness.	Photo.
15	Take a team selfie performing one eco-friendly action (switching off lights, filling reusable bottle, watering plants, etc.).	Photo
16.	Interview a Change-Maker – Record a 30 second video of a student or staff member answering: ‘What’s one sustainable habit you practice?’	Video
17.	Capture a bird in flight… group members seen in the photo	Photo
18.	Five different shades of green in one photograph	Photo
19.	Take the most creative sustainability – themed team photo	Photo
20.	Capture a reflection of nature in glass or water	Photo
21.	Evidence that students are already practicing sustainability	Photo / Video

Reflection (Compulsory)

Each team should conclude their submission by answering the following in 100–150 words:

What was one sustainability issue on campus that surprised you, and what practical step could students take to improve it?

THE RASA DESIGN CHALLENGE: FROM EMOTION TO EXPERIENCE

The Rasa Design Challenge

Topic: Aesthetic Principles: Rasa, Bhava, Alankara and their Application to Visual and Narrative Design

Duration: 60–90 minutes
Class Type: Interactive Group Activity
Group Size: 3–4 students per group 

Activity Title: From Emotion to Experience

Students become Creative Directors hired to redesign an ordinary story so that the audience experiences a specific Rasa.

Their challenge is not to change the story—but to change how it feels.

 

Step 1 – The Rasa Lottery (10 minutes)

Each group randomly receives one Rasa.

Examples:

Shringara (Love)

Hasya (Humour)

Karuna (Compassion)

Raudra (Anger)

Veera (Heroism)

Bhayanaka (Fear)

Bibhatsa (Disgust)

Adbhuta (Wonder)

Shanta (Peace)

No two groups receive the same Rasa.

 

Step 2 – The Common Story (5 minutes)

Every group receives the exact same story.

Example:

"A student misses the last train home."

OR

"A child finds an old diary."

OR

"Someone receives an unexpected phone call."

The story remains unchanged.

Only the emotional experience changes.

 

Step 3 – Build the Emotional Blueprint (20 minutes)

Each group fills the following chart.

Element	Group Response
Assigned Rasa
Dominant Bhava
Supporting Bhavas
Target Audience Emotion
Visual Style
Colour Palette
Lighting
Camera Angles
Background Music
Dialogue Style
Costume
Setting

Students discover that every design decision contributes to emotional impact.

 

Step 4 – Add Alankara (15 minutes)

Groups now enrich the narrative using at least three Alankaras.

Possible examples:

Upama (Simile): "The rain fell like tears."

 Rupaka (Metaphor) "The station became a prison."

Anuprasa (Alliteration) "Silent streets swallowed sounds."

Atishayokti (Hyperbole) "He waited for a thousand years."

Personification: "The lonely bench welcomed him."

Students decide where these literary devices naturally fit within dialogue, narration or visuals.

 

Step 5 – Design the Scene (20 minutes)

Groups create ONE of the following:

Option A

Movie Poster

Include

·       Title

·       Tagline

·       Colour scheme

·       Character expressions

·       Background

·       Typography

 

Option B

Storyboard

Draw six simple frames.

Each frame shows

·       Camera angle

·       Character emotion

·       Colour

·       Mood

 

Option C

Instagram Carousel

Create six slides explaining

·       Story

·       Emotion

·       Visual language

·       Final audience feeling

 

Step 6 – Silent Gallery Walk

·       Every group displays its work.

·       Students silently walk around.

·       Each visitor writes directly on a feedback sheet.

They answer:

·       Which Rasa do you experience first?

·       Which visual element creates that emotion?

·       Which Alankara is most effective?

 

Final Twist - After everyone has guessed the Rasas,

Each group reveals

·       their assigned Rasa

·       chosen Bhava

·       Alankaras used

If classmates correctly identify the intended emotion, the design succeeds.

 

Reflection Discussion

Students answer:

·       Which design element influenced your emotions the most?

·       Could the same story produce different emotions?

·       Which Rasa was easiest to create visually?

·       Which was hardest?

·       How do films manipulate Rasa using colour and music?

·       How do advertisements use Bhava without telling long stories?

 

FOR STUDENTS REFERENCE

 

1. The Nine Rasas (Navarasa)

Rasa (Aesthetic Emotion)	Meaning	Example
Shringara	Love, Beauty, Romance	A romantic reunion or celebration of beauty
Hasya	Humour, Joy	A funny misunderstanding or comic scene
Karuna	Compassion, Sadness	Loss, sacrifice, or emotional farewell
Raudra	Anger, Fury	A protest, confrontation, or injustice
Veera	Courage, Heroism	Saving someone or standing up for truth
Bhayanaka	Fear, Terror	A suspenseful or horror scene
Bibhatsa	Disgust	Pollution, corruption, or unethical behaviour
Adbhuta	Wonder, Amazement	A magical discovery or scientific breakthrough
Shanta	Peace, Tranquillity	Meditation, nature, or harmony

 

2. Common Bhavas (Emotions Expressed by Characters)

These are the emotions shown by the characters that help create the Rasa.

Bhava	Meaning
Rati	Love, Affection
Hasa	Laughter
Shoka	Sorrow
Krodha	Anger
Utsaha	Enthusiasm, Courage
Bhaya	Fear
Jugupsa	Disgust
Vismaya	Surprise, Wonder
Shama	Calmness, Serenity

 

3. Common Alankaras (Figures of Speech)

Alankara	Meaning	Example
Upama (Simile)	Comparison using "like" or "as"	"Her smile was like the sun."
Rupaka (Metaphor)	Direct comparison	"Time is a thief."
Anuprasa (Alliteration)	Repetition of the same sound	"Wild winds whispered."
Yamaka	Repetition of the same word with different meanings	Wordplay using repeated words
Atishayokti (Hyperbole)	Deliberate exaggeration	"I've told you a thousand times."
Utpreksha	Imaginative comparison or possibility	"The clouds seemed eager to embrace the hills."
Personification	Giving human qualities to non-human things	"The wind danced through the trees."
Shlesha (Pun)	A word with two or more meanings	A humorous or clever double meaning

 

 

FOR EDUCATORS

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the activity, students will be able to:

·       Differentiate between Rasa, Bhava, and Alankara

·       Understand how emotions are intentionally created in visual and narrative media

·       Apply Indian aesthetic principles to contemporary storytelling

·       Critically evaluate design choices in films, advertisements, social media content, comics and posters

 

Why This Activity Works for Media Students

Instead of memorizing definitions, students experience how Indian aesthetic theory functions as a design framework. They discover that changing colour, composition, typography, lighting, dialogue, pacing, and symbolism can transform the same narrative into entirely different emotional experiences. This mirrors the work of filmmakers, advertisers, graphic designers, animators, and digital storytellers, demonstrating how the classical concepts of Rasa, Bhava, and Alankara remain highly relevant in contemporary visual communication and narrative design.

RASA, BHAVA, ALANKARA - IKS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA - NEP

 

Imagine you are watching a movie.

The actor cries, the background music becomes soft, and it starts raining. You begin to feel emotional.

How did that happen?

Bhava

Bhava is the emotion shown by the character.

It is what the actor expresses through facial expressions, body language, voice, and actions.

Example: A child cries after losing a pet. The child's sadness is the Bhava.

 

Rasa

Rasa is the emotion felt by the audience after watching the scene.

The filmmaker wants you to experience a particular feeling.

Example: After watching the crying child, you also feel sympathy and sadness. This feeling is the Karuna Rasa.

Remember:
Bhava = What the character expresses
Rasa = What the audience experiences

 

Alankara

Alankara means "ornament" or "decoration" in language.

It makes a story, dialogue, or description more interesting, beautiful, and impactful.

Example:
Instead of saying:

"It was raining."

You could say:

"The sky cried along with the child."

This is Personification, an Alankara, because the sky is given a human emotion.

 

Another example:

"She smiled like the morning sun."

This is Upama (Simile) because it compares a smile to the sun using the word "like."

 

 

A Complete Example

Story

A student fails an important exam.

Bhava - The student looks disappointed, cries, and sits quietly.

Rasa - The audience feels sympathy for the student.

Rasa: Karuna (Compassion/Sadness)

Alankara - Instead of saying: "He was very sad."

Say: "His dreams shattered like glass." (Upama – Simile)

or

"Hope quietly walked out of the room." (Personification)

These expressions make the story more powerful and emotional.

 

Easy Formula to Remember

Concept	Simple Meaning	Question to Ask
Bhava	Emotion shown by the character	What is the character feeling?
Rasa	Emotion felt by the audience	What should the audience feel?
Alankara	A creative way of expressing the idea	How can I make the story more beautiful and memorable?

 

 

Bhava is expressed by the character, Rasa is experienced by the audience, and Alankara makes the story beautiful and impactful.