School Day Celebrations and old memories ...

Today I went for Esther’s school day! Not that Esther was participating or I was too keen, but I realized that Esther wanted to be there, she wanted to see her ‘School Day’ ....

I am sure school management must be having solid reasons to conduct school day at 9:30 am on a working day. But for working parents its not convenient (read possible) to attend their Child’s  School Annual Day .Last year we could not go for the same reason, this year since i have taken a break from work, i thought of taking Esther for the same. We decided to go little late that is reach there by 10:30 so that most of the speeches (Minister & Principal) are over and when we reached there it was it was perfect timing , all speeches were over and they were about start giving away the proficiency prizes and best Outgoing student of the year ...... We went to the balcony and i had mixed feeling when i looked at the stage, the hall and the crowd.

Flashback - memories of my school days and Annual day .... In our time Annual day used to happen during evenings usually on a Saturday (so that parents can attend and students get a holiday after the celebration :)), it was meant to be for the parents of the students , parents used to come in their best , the hall used to be packed with parents, senior students were suppose to be the ushers, toward the end of the hall was where students would get to sit or stand once all the guests were in, Students who had to collect the prizes would have been already in a line as per the list of announcement, no parents would come with camera and most of them will remain seated till the program got over ....

The cultural program will start with a prayer song(accompanied by dance) few songs I remember ‘Aami Giridhorey Mondirey Naachi re’ or “Jaya jaya hai Bhagwati , Sur bharti, tav charonav pranamamah’ basically something very Indian, then there would be group songs (mostly patriotic), dances (again classical or Indian, like Bhangra, Gidda, Bihu, ghoomar, bamboo dance, robindro sangeet, sometimes classical like bharatnatayam, kathak , full fledge skits – like Kabuliwala , Musical performances – Guitar, drums, Mandolin,Tabla, Congo, Bongo, Harmonium – all done by students ... Not much technology involved, all live, no lip sync or playing tracks , no Flimi songs or dance ..and so much of effort used to go in practicing – efforts of teachers and students  -- After the school day the next day in school we would here the back stage fight stories, or stories of seniors who did not behave appropriately – well i guess for the out going students that was one day to freak out – (both in positive /negative sense ) and hats off to teachers who knew that they have to be ready to expect the unexpected ..... Those were the days ...  :)

Well times have changed  and guess so has the program list and taste of people – Today the cultural program started again with a Prayer song – but it was a Filmi Song , then there was a solo performance which was again a Flimi song (tracks) then there was dance by kindergarten students again on a filmi song, next was a solo performance again a track, then for a change there was the school Rock band they played ‘Rasputin’ instrumental and 2 other songs which i could not make out :) and then Aerobics and dance routine which was again on Flimi song :) and then a mime show (luckily no filmi music) and a skit depicting today’s problem of parents putting pressure of their children to perform and not spending time to understand their children .... ... hmmm  .... I looked at Esther , she was happy to see all the performances and i asked her , ‘So will you participate next year ?’ – She made a sad smiley face :( saying but teachers don’t ask for interested students in class 3 ... I smiled at her and said , maybe when you are in class 4 they might ask :). I still remember how good I felt when Danny (Bro) in class 6 or 7  performed Solo Mandolin ‘Kisi ki muskurahaton pe ho nisar Kisi ka dard mil sake to le udhaar, Kisi ke waaste ho tere dil mein pyaar,Jeena isi ka naam hai’ yes it was a filmi song but  it was different , audience screamed ‘Once more,once more’ ....  I still remember the fun I had practicing and performing for skits and dance at different stages of school life – I hope Esther will get to enjoy that in coming years .... :)