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The fests before the tests!

A PANORAMA Students of The Indian School enacting the play"Mela" at Siri Fort auditorium

With the half yearly examinations a distance away and the year just about to close for a new beginning, many a school across Delhi are in celebration mood. The Indian School at Sadiq Nagar , put forth a grand show for their Annual Day celebrations the other day. As a part of the fiesta, the students had performed `Mela', an adaptation of `Idgah', a short story by Munshi Premchand. Held at the Siri Fort auditorium, the massive stage was decorated with props that had been painstakingly prepared by the school children and teachers for each scene. With more than eight hundred students participating in the musical on stage, the magnificence of the past came alive onstage. The spirit behind Premchand's `Idgah', a story of sacrifice and respect for elders, was brought to fore as the perfect message for the young participants. The talented children gave stellar performances before the glaring arc lights and expectant audiences, which had been polished by over a month of hard work and toil. Present on the occasion as the Chief Guest, S. Reghunathan, Chief Secretary, NCT, commended the students for their meticulous preparation and impeccable performances as also for their academic achievements. With a tremendous increase in pressure on school children, he also stressed on the need to make education a fun process even as he criticised the needless competition and tension that schools thrust upon the young minds in a bid to improve the school results.

The evening also saw the school Principal Poonam Chopra presenting the Annual School Report, which was followed by the prize distribution for academics and sports. Also, the Cambridge School, Noida, organised Image 2005, a two-day long inter-school festival. The central theme of the festival was "Saga of the Raga" and proving true to the title, it held a series of music competitions.

Participants taking part in Image 2005 organised by the Cambridge School, Noida

The festival was inaugurated by the renowned thumri, Savita Devi. The programme began with a welcome speech and the lighting of the auspicious lamp along with chanting of shlokas. Savita Devi, addressing the students, appreciated the efforts of the young students and saw tremendous possibilities in each one of the performers. She stressed on the importance of guru in every field including music. "Every category of music has its own language. For instance, thumri is the language of emotions," she said. The versatile singer mesmerised those present on the inaugural ceremony by crooning a few lines of thumri, "Saanz dhali ghar aao nandlala... "

On the final day the Chairman of the Central Board of Secondary Education, Ashok Ganguly, did the honours as the Chief Guest.

About 1,400 participants from over 30 schools participated in various competitions celebrating melodic creativity. The competitions included Nritya Tarang, Sangeetmay Jeevan, Fusion, Music Composition, compusangeet.com, Inter School Idol besides others.

Students of Don Bosco School at a concert to celebrate its silver jubilee

Nritya Tarang, a folk dance competition, impressed the audience as many a regional Indian culture found place through song and dance sequences. The dance items ranged from Lavani of Maharashtra to the tribal dance of Nagaland. Among the winners of Nritya Tarang were Cambridge School, Noida (1st prize), Cambridge School, Greater Noida (2nd prize) and Amity International, Noida (3rd Prize).

The School authorities said they have a constructive reason to choose music as the central theme of the fest as they believe that music has the ability to create sensitivity in people. As kids of this age are in their formative stages, it is the perfect time to develop in them all the qualities of a good citizen and one of them is responsibility towards society, which can come by developing their Emotional Quotient (Sensitivity).

Don Bosco School also celebrated their Silver Jubilee recently. Children presented colourful cultural programme including an English play. Students adorning colourful dresses singing songs mesmerised the audience with their singing calibre. Subash Chopra, Member of Parliament from Delhi was present as the chief guest there.

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