CHENNAI: With suspenseful music in the background, the teams huddled next to each other. Whispering furiously, they nodded and scribbled the answer on a sheet of paper. Surrounded by pictures of the Nawabs of Arcot at Amir Mahal, the Amir Mahal Quiz was held at Royapettah on Saturday.
The quiz was hosted by the Dewan to the Prince of Arcot, Nawabzada Mohammed Asif Ali, who is also a quizmaster. The Amir Mahal Quiz has been held for over 15 years now. “I enjoy preparing quizzes and learning. It’s a way to spread knowledge in a fun way. While preparing them, I make sure the quizzes are not too hard,” he said, adding that the occasion was also a chance to network and meet people from different backgrounds, faiths and sectors. The chief guest for the event was Consul General to the US, Robert G Burgess.
The quiz had eight rounds, with oral, audio, video and live music segments. Participants competed in groups of ten, with each round having ten questions on music, dance and cinema, with a bit of world history and geography.
The quiz also upped the stakes, with participants being able to underline their answers for double the points or draw a box around it for triple points. However, if their answers were incorrect, one or two points were deducted respectively.
This kept the atmosphere tense as people nervously went over the answers in their mind. However, a team close to this reporter was overheard saying, “Put a square, an underline, everything. I’m 100 per cent sure of the answers.”
“This is the second year I’m taking part in this quiz. It’s always been a delight to come for. There’s a friendly atmosphere while being competitive, and you can see the sportsmanship — how the other teams cheered for us when we won,” said Vidhi Bhanushali, a student at KM Music Conservatory.