Students salute the past, go down pages of history

Regal games

Rani Lakshmi Bai, Tipu Sultan, Begum Hazrat Mahal, Shivaji — we know them from our history books as individuals known for their bravery, leadership and contributions to the country’s struggle for Independence and self-rule.

But at Indradhanush, they were the names of participating school teams. The junior section (Classes II to V) of Lakshmipat Singhania Academy (LSA) hosted the inter-school fest on the school grounds on August 8.

The fest, this year, took participants down pages of history to various kingdoms and tales of kings through creative events.

The corridor display boards had charts on famous Indian rulers from different periods, their landmark architecture and the innovations of some rulers. Classrooms turned into battlefields and chairs turned into thrones, complete with goldenfoil decorations.

The rules of this fest were different. Each participating school fielded two teams of two members each. The students were then reshuffled and regrouped into 14 new teams through a lottery.

The inauguration ceremony had students from the host school presenting a fusion dance that blended tradition and modernity. Indian Museum curator Sayan Bhattacharya, who was the chief guest, advised the students to have clarity in their thoughts.

The participating schools were The Akshar School, Birla High School, Mukundapur, Jyotirmoy Public School, Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar and others.

Every event encouraged research on the part of the participants.

In Maharana Ki Sawari, the teams had to create chariots, that typically carried kings, with bamboo and chairs.

A student, playing the king, was then carried around by his teammates in the chariot. The team members were also provided with crowns.

Gupton Ke Raaz saw the participants coding and decoding secret messages and commands. Students made ancient currencies for Sone Ki Khhaan. Singhaasan Ki Dhun was a mock battlefield in the form of a modern-day musical chair.

Team Rani Lakshmibai (a partnership between LSA and The BSS School) came first. Tipu Sultan (Birla High School, Mukundapur, and South Point School) came second, while Ahiliyabai (The Calcutta Emmanuel School and Sri Sri Academy)followed third.

“Every year the junior school teachers design innovative themes for Indradhanush. The fest is designed to help students connect to the country’s rich heritage and culture,” said the directorof LSA.

The patriots

Patriotic songs and inspiring speeches enlivened the Independence Day celebrations at Delhi Public School (Joka), South Kolkata.

The celebration began with the hoisting of the Tricolour by director Bela Agarwal and principal Writuparna Chatterjee. The students sang the national anthem, along with their teachers and staff members of the school.

The school choir sang patriotic songs such as Vatan yaad rahega, Ekla cholo re, Ratna dhanya pushpita and We are India, alive India.

The principal gave a speech on the true meaning and significanceof freedom.

She told the students that they must enjoy rights offered by the Indian Constitution without exploiting them. She also lauded the students who scored well in the National Science Olympiad.

The achievers were called on stage and felicitated.

Students presented patriotic poems, such as Swadhinotar Maane by Bhawaniprasad Majumdar.

The highlight of the cultural programme was a dance performance to O desh mere. Dressed in white, young performers exuded confidence and grace as they conveyed a strong message of unity and integrity.

"We witnessed the enthusiastic participation of our students in the Independence Day celebration. Such events are an integral part of our school culture as they help foster immense pride and love for our country among the students. It allows us to educate our students regarding their responsibilities as citizens and strive harder to bring in positive change in the society and nation," saidthe principal.

United & free

Various facets of an Independent India came out through myriad events at Svatantryam: An Untold Saga, a senior school fest organised by Birla Bharati fromAugust 8 to 10.

Face-painting, storytelling, waste art and music — students brought out the essence of freedom through the creative platforms. They ended up learning about the nation’s history.

The fest, which started in 2021, had students from Classes IX to XII of 16 schools signing up this year. They were Asian International School, Mahadevi Birla Shishu Vihar, B.D.M. International, Shri Shikshayatan School, Mahadevi Birla World Academy and others.

The chief guest was Debanjan Chakrabarti, director (East and Northeast) British Council. The guest of honour was artiste-educator Senjuti Mukhopadhyay.

Philanthropic group Kolkata We Care also launched a Food ATM, Zero Hunger Kolkata, in association with Interact Club of Birla Bharati, Rotary Club of Calcutta Avyanna and eatery Sanjha Chulha on the occasion.

The fest began with Drishya Kavya, the “curtain call” event where the participating schools chose themes of freedom and unity to depict on stage.

Chitrakala was the photography competition and in Lok Kala, students displayed their creativity by painting on earthen pots.

Waste Craft saw them repurposing waste to create home decor.

Mukham Chitrayana was the face-painting event and Nritya Sangam had participants staging two Indian dance forms, a classical or semi-classical and a folk.

Abhyuday was the first event of Day II, where students presented a business model catering to modern society. Takshnam required them to carve fruits and vegetables to depict symbols of national importance.

The creative writing event, Alfaaz, was held for all three languages — Bengali, Hindi and English. Saviskara had students displaying their talent in two minutes and Vastra Moda was the fashion show on the Indian influence on global runways. Sur-Tarang opened Day III with participants staging a range of Indian classical compositions. The last event, Vivaad, was a debate held over two rounds (prelims and finals).

“What started as an online fest in 2020 has grown into a full-blown fest since 2021. Svatantryam: An Untold Saga is a fest with a difference. It explores not only freedom from British fetters but also the emancipation of the soul. Students here push for powerful social changes that have a lasting impact,” said principal Apala Datta.

Krishna act

Teachers and students of St Augustine’s Day School for Girls celebrated Janmashtami on August 22.

The celebration was marked by a special assembly, where students of Nursery to Class VII shared anecdotes on Lord Krishna, the story of His birth in Mathura and how the event brought hope to people for generations.

Students also recited poems in Hindi and Bengali and danced to showcase the essence of the festival. They performed Bollywood songs such as O palan hare and Jo hain albela. There were performances highlighting the friendship between Krishna and Radha.

To add to the fun quotient, the Nursery tots walked the ramp dressed as little Krishnas. Class VII took part in an exciting Dahi Handi activity where children broke earthen pots with their eyes shielded. Around 12 children took part in the activity. They were selected by the teachers and had to rehearse some days in advance for the final act.

“I feel delighted to share our school's zeal on this occasion. Through different activities and a special assembly, we wanted our students to experience and value their culture," said principal Jhuma Biswas.

“The students learnt the importance of strength, love and humanity and how all religions are equal. The values they learnt today willmake them future-ready,”said school coordinator Babita Chakraborty.

Ode to freedom fighters

Sri Ram Narayan Singh Memorial High School in Rajdanga celebrated Independence Day with flag-hoisting and a cultural programme on August 15.

The event began with principal Puja Mehra hoisting the Tricolour and saluting the freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives for the nation

.

The student council members and the school band presented a parade.

Head boy Anubhav Hela and head girl Saloni Gupta, both from Class XII, traced India’s journey from colonial rule to becoming a proud and independent nation, through a presentation.

Students sang patriotic songs and presented dance performances on the theme of freedom.

The principal said it is the citizen's responsibility to keep the Tricolour flying high by following the principles of justice, equality and fraternity. The event ended with the national anthem. The school also arranged for refreshments for studentsand teachers.

"Independence Day in our school includes a parade, flag-hoisting, and patriotic songs and dance performances. They promote and preserve the nation's cultural heritage, making it a day of festivity and national pride," said the principal.