ANNUAL DAY, 2011- a report

Students across classes 1-11 assembled a resplendant pageant of art, music, dance and drama in culmination of the year-long journey of discovery. No effort was spared and the result spoke for itself. Tableaux dotted the School's front lawns. They recreated settings in which the diverse cultures and religions found themselves upon the great route which was man's earliest success at connecting the distant ends of the world. Pretty props with snap plays and dance or song at the individual tableaux greatly enthused the arriving parents as they entered the School compound. The skating rink became the venue of of an outdoor orchestra. The School band in strength, played a medley of pieces from the silk route. Enchanting Arabic tunes especially captivated the passing listeners who stopped to sit and savour. Infact chairs had to be introduced in the rink to convenience numerous parents who continued to stand for long enraptured by the heady melody! Then followed the hour-long presentation of a dance-drama, 'The Travels of Marco Polo'. The tale of the great medieval explorer across the continents surmounting enormous hardship came alive in costume, drama and dance. Important events from the tale strung were strung together with dances from the numerous and diverse places that Marco crossed as he made his way. Uzbek, Italian Ballroom, Chinese-fan, Sumatran-dance of a thousand hands, the Mohinattam, Kathakali and others were performed with profuse alacrity. The Chief Guest on 11 December was Mr. Vineet Joshi, Chairman, CBSE. He encouraged the children to learn to surmount themselves rather than compete with others around them. He also described how the CCE programme attempts to overcome the gaps of the older system. The chief guest on 10 December was His Excellency, Shri M.C. Bhandare, Governor of Orissa. Shri Bhandare reiterated how knowledge is indeed power as is enshrined in the School logo. He also described how the best friends he has, to date, were the friends he made at school and college. He insisted that the children must not spare any opportunity to make the maximum friends whilst at school. Mr. Ugo Astuto, Deputy Chief of Mission, embassy of Italy was Guest of Honour on 10 December. He said he was delighted to have been invited to a celebration of the silk route whose origin was his home-country. A special surprise was the final bow on a school stage by class 12 as they ready to leave their beloved School. Much as they tried, the pangs of an imminent departure seemed to tantalise. The faces were sombre despite seemingly valiant attempts to offer their smiles! The proceedings were offered a vote of thanks by Vice-Principal ma'am as a resounding ovation feted the performers and their facilitators, namely our dear teachers. The evening came to a close with the crowds proceeding to sample cuisine from the celebrated route in the food stalls set up on the occasion.