Spreadsheets & Sarees: Confessions of a Carnival Treasurer

Rtn. Mohini Sriram, Event Secretary

Welcome, dear reader, to the Treasurer’s Report — minus the math, plus a whole lot of mayhem.

No numbers. No pie charts. Just pure gossip, glamour, and glorious spreadsheet wizardry behind Golden Sparrow, the most dazzling carnival this side of the equator.

Let’s peel back the glitter and take a peek at how we turned modest moolah into full-blown magic!

INCOME: Aiming High, Landing Gracefully (and Glamorously)

Registrations:

We started with bold dreams. “We’ll hit thousands!” we declared.

“Should we hire bouncers?” someone gasped.

Spoiler alert: we did.

Reality? The registrations trickled in with elegance, just like a well-dressed auntie arriving fashionably late to a wedding. But oh, what a perfect crowd it was! They danced, they laughed, they lived their best carnival lives — and not one bouncer had to bounce.

And Then… The Men Came:

Yes, we opened up registration to Male Rotarians — at a premium, of course. They entered cautiously, eyes wide, as if they’d accidentally walked into a Zumba class in a silk dhoti.

But hats off to them! These brave souls faced a tsunami of sarees, survived the selfie stampede, and left with a new appreciation for how women really party.

Stall Sales – 100% Accuracy, 0% Chaos:

Budgeted: 35.

Actual: 35.

Because when women say “35 stalls,” we don’t mean 34.5 or 36-ish. We mean thirty-five.

Precision is power, and power wore heels that day.

Sponsors – The Real MVPs:

We prayed. We manifested. We WhatsApped at odd hours. And voilà — sponsors showed up like magic.

Apparently, charm, persistence, and mild emotional blackmail do work.

EXPENSES: Where Dreams Go to Spend (Responsibly)

Venue:

Ah, the venue. Air-conditioned bliss. Spacious elegance. A place cool enough to preserve not just our makeup but also our sanity.

Sure, it wasn’t cheap — but darling, have you ever tried to dance in a humid hall in chiffon? Some things are worth every rupee.

Catering:

Full plates. Fuller hearts. And prices that we negotiated like seasoned sabzi-walis at a Sunday market.

Queen moves only.

Entertainment:

Under budget. Overachieved.

Better than Netflix — and you could sing along!

Because we were the entertainment:

Fashion walks, soul-stirring songs, antakshari smackdowns, and a flash mob so contagious, the snacks almost danced too.

Golden Sparrow Badges – The Unplanned Star:

Surprise! Turns out, nothing makes you feel like a national hero quite like pinning a bird-shaped badge on your chest. It was the Oscar moment we didn’t know we needed.

The Final Curtain Call:

We bedazzled within budget.

We impressed the sponsors.

We fed hundreds.

We danced, we sang, we probably lost 14 bobby pins each.

And through it all, we balanced the books like the boss ladies we are. Yes, there were plot twists. Yes, some items came with bonus glitter. But who says budgeting can’t be a drama with a happy ending?

This wasn’t just an event — it was proof. Proof that when women lead with heart, hustle, humour, and a well-locked Excel sheet, anything is possible.

Here’s to the women who shine on stage, off stage, and yes — even in the spreadsheets.

Golden Sparrow wasn’t just a celebration. It was a flex.