Party @ Confident Cascade in Pix, Vids & Words

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Never again will I make fun of the colorful shoes of one of my colleagues. I wore a pair of fluorescent-orange sneakers (in keeping with an ad-hoc protocol) to office as we were slated to leave for a party after lunch that necessitated some outdoor activities. Most people had donned attires that were in stark contrast to their usual austere selves. Welcome change!

When we finally reached Confident Cascade (off Bannerghatta Rd) after a less-than an-hour's trip from office, we realized many of the recreational sources were themed around children. Anyway, there was enough to keep us adults occupied. A friend and I probed the turf and discovered camels, rabbits, ducks and lambs. There was a swimming pool, fountains, multipurpose hall, indoor games and ample fields amongst others that promised a whale of a time ahead.

The star-attraction of the party (Yuyutsa Paintball) proved to be a dampener of sorts. Paintball is an event simulating a battlefield. There are two sides, the objective of each being to capture the enemy's flag and bring it back to the base without being shot by paintballs-small balls colored edible oil that are shot through a specially crafted gun. The balls were supposed to explode and spill the color on hitting the target, thereby eliminating him/her from the contest.

Eight teams were formed and each team was supposed to come up with a war cry (to what end, I'll never know). Ours sounded like canine cacophony, the type you get to hear when a pack of stray dogs is suddenly stoned by imps! The other teams borrowed war cries that sounded more like political slogans or punchlines from slick advertisements. Luckily enough, the cries were never needed, otherwise our vocal chords would be in shreds!

Ours was one of the first two teams to participate. Unfortunately, the gears were a hindrance. The masks clogged vision, the guns were too heavy and functioned erratically, the battlefield was too large, the wind swayed our bullets and we were often clueless about the fate of a mate/enemy. I guess all the uncertainties added to the fun! One particularly adorable lady looked like an oversized mutant bunny that had taken up arms without a cause!

The paintballs often failed to explode & consequently the warriors often refused to die. The shooter cried hoarse, but generally to no avail. Chaos and friendly arguments ensued until someone would arbitrate and quell the dispute.

I survived the first round. In fact, my entire team remained stainless! It was only during the second round that I attained martyrdom when an unmarked !@#$& opponent's bullet splashed paint on my side (near the ribs), a region unprotected by the jacket. Ouch, it hurt! I was lucky, some people had to suffer the ignominy of getting the oil inside the mouth. It literally left a bad taste. Someone was rumored to have bled because of a hit, highly plausible. I left the battlefield without a dispute, but not before donating my surplus bullets to a guy who had yet to fall. We lost the second round and that waned my interest.

The onlookers (other teams waiting for their turns) were hooting, shouting, screaming, egging and misdirecting those on the battlefield. Many who lost interest, left. Their respective places were readily occupied by zealous members from other teams willing to offer their services as 'contract killers,' and such hit men were in great demand as original members were in short supply. Such hippie styled killers floated around from team to team with gay abandon!

The hiring and firing couldn't retain my interest for long & I left (my honor still intact). Had some snacks to suppress my mounting hunger pangs. It was nearing evening by then and before long all the die-hard warriors had returned. Indoor games now kicked in and I played the most profound war game of all (Chess) against Racha. The duel was evenly poised until Racha's pawn promotion to a queen was enough to screw my king. Another game was begged for, but I politely declined.

The dance floor was getting ready in the meantime and as usual Shalini was its prima donna. She had already managed to have 3 dress-changes by then! How does she manage to pull off this incredible feat each time we go to a party? Beats me! Anyway, she was her usual zestful self and coaxed the others to join her on the floor. Some finally acquiesced to her constant persuasions.

Dinner was finally served and I dug in with the zeal of a starved lion. Loved the mutton, but the ice cream tasted more of ice.

It was finally time to leave. One slightly tipsy chap was discovered to have gone limp at his limbs and had to be supported by others. The cabs and shuttles were soon pressed into service, though not before there was utter pandemonium on how to group the people. This has become standard practice and I'm sure some amount of pre-planning would help greatly reduce the confusion. Anyway, some guys showed great aplomb in setting things in order.

Reached home safe and sound. So what's my verdict on the entire experience? Well, it wasn't the best party we've had, but it was certainly more than enough to break the monotony that had begun to set in at work. We deserved the respite and got it in full measure.

Here's looking forward to the next one!