The clock was ticking away inching towards the moment when our dance performance was to start. Suddenly we noticed that the hands of some were not lined with aalta, as they should have been for all of us dancers in the group. As a last-minute measure, I got hold of a red board marker and did the needful. And I daresay no one in the audience could make out the difference.
Several such moments of drama transpired backstage as our school, Kendriya Vidyalaya 1, celebrated 75 years of Independence through a 90-minute programme in school.
Commanding officer of the Indian Coast Guard, Calcutta, Avijit Dasgupta, who is also the school managing committee chairman, was to be escorted in to the beat of the drum by the Colour Party, comprising of scouts and guides from the school. The boys were a tad tense. But once they put up a synchronised march they were relieved. “We were confident about appearing before civilians but our chief guest was from a military background. That made us strive for perfection. Thankfully everything went well,” said Prathiman Mandal, the leader of the Colour Party.
After the flag-hoisting and the singing of the National Anthem, our principal Sudhanya Karan welcomed everyone with a sobering truth. “We have to be more responsible and accountable. Then only can all of us enjoy the fruits of freedom.”
The cultural programme commenced with classical dance to the beat of the song Bharat anokha raag hai, followed by a speech in Hindi by Anandini Sharma, a Class XI student.
Secondary students, from classes VI to VIII, presented a Bengali group song and an energetic Assamese folk dance item. Little stars from the primary section presented lively action moves to a patriotic song. “It’s fun to dress up and click pictures with friends and teachers,” said Aishika Mahanta of Class III.
Senior secondary students then took over, with Class XI student Stuti Soumya reciting a poem in Hindi. A couple of group presentations followed. The audience clapped to the beat as Mohona Barua of Class IX and others sang Satrangi rangon sa. The final dance item, to the Tagore song Mon mor megher sangi, by Adrina Biswas of Class XII and other students, was in keeping with the rainy season.
Then followed a skit, Dandi Yatra, with narration in English and dialogues mostly in Hindi, staged by humanities students, depicting key moments leading up to the Salt Agitation of 1930.
An envoy of the Congress met Viceroy Lord Irwin, seeking an appointment for Gandhiji. Once Gandhiji presented a charter of demands, Irwin rejected them. The next moment a march took place on stage to signal the start of the Salt Agitation.
A sight that caught the audience’s eye was a girl playing the character of Mahatma Gandhi. That too with a head full of hair. Drishti Saha had rehearsed till Friday with a cap on to display a bald pate but by Monday, when the show took place, her cap was gone. According to her, it had got torn while being taken off. “It used to itch when I kept the cap on,” she confessed, adding that she felt proud to play the father of the nation, even if it was for a few minutes. Aindrila Dutta, who played the role of Lord Irwin, said: “Initially I felt like a Hollywood star but as I kept reading my lines, somehow the character felt more and more cruel.”
The event concluded with the felicitation of our CBSE Class X topper Juliette Mahanto, who secured 99 per cent, and our Class XII topper Sayantika Chakraborty for 97 per cent in science.
Commandant Dasgupta ended his speech with a harsh truth about a soldier’s life. “All the parents here are fortunate that they’re able to attend their child’s event. I could never see my daughter perform in school as I was unable to leave my post,” he said.
The author is a Class XII student of KV 1