Preksha 2022-2023
The arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic… music, dance, painting, and theater are all keys that unlock profound human understanding and accomplishment.
– William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education
The morning of 6th January 2023, had a very different vibe for the primary division of NPS Koramangala. The rustling of silk pavadas and elegant kurta pyjamas, and the tinkling sounds of bangles and anklets filled the corridors as the students scurried to their designated venues. Their faces were glistening with excitement and anticipation as the D-day of PREKSHA-2023 had finally arrived and all their effort and days of practice was about to bear fruit.
The much-awaited annual event of the Primary division; PREKSHA 2023; the musical extravaganza, was held in two sessions:
As is the tradition, both the sessions began with a mellifluous singing of “Guru Ashtakam”- composed by Adi Shankaracharya to invoke the blessings of the almighty.
The first session for Grades 1-3 started with a bang as an alien crash landed on the Earth demanding to be taken on a tour to different parts of India. The songs and dance performances by the students of Grades 1-3 during this session kept the audience enthralled. It was indeed a treat to hear the perfectly synchronized rendition of songs in different Indian languages by the little ones. Audience clapped and sang along with popular hits like Feliz Navidad, Rangeelo Maro Dholana, Duma Dum Mast Kalandhar and Chasing the Sun.
Apart from melodious rendition of these songs, the highlight of this session were the energetic dance performances on various sports like hockey, kabbadi, and pehlwani (wrestling) by Grade 1, inspiring dance on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Grade 2 and a dance drama based on the life of Samrat Ashoka by Grade 3. In the second session, Grades 4-5 students took the audience along with them across the country, in ‘Vande Bharat Express’. The underlying theme across the primary section being exploration of rich and vibrant culture and traditions of India, students brought this out with their songs and dances. The songs; Azheghe Azheghe in Tamil, Lokada Kalaiji in Kannada, Namami Brahmaputra in Assamese, Amara Shobhai Raja in Bengali along with some popular English numbers, were greatly applauded and appreciated by the parents. The audience also thoroughly enjoyed the new avatar of Rabindranath Tagor’s poem ‘Where the Mind is Without Fear’ as it was sung by the students on the tune composed by their own music teacher, Mr. Jaison.
The little tabla masters from Grades 3-5 had the audience mesmerized as their little fingers played complex compositions like Nagada, Folk beats, Traditional composition: Kaida in teen taal, and Bhajan Theka Beats, dexterously and effortlessly. It was interesting to watch the audience become a part of the recital and give a synchronized clap to the beat of tabla.
The powerful dance performances on ‘Mahishasur Mardini’, ‘Aiygiri Nandini’, ‘Dhunuchi dance’ and ‘Cheraw Dance’(Bamboo dance) had the audience spellbound and asking for more.
The showstopper for the day proved to be ‘The School of Rockers’, the inhouse band comprising little rockstars from Grades 3 to 5. The auditorium reverberated with thunderous applause as they performed ‘Feeling Good’ and ‘Champions’ in their own unique style.
The event ended with the auditorium reverberating to over three hundred students singing in unison for the finale.
The day was an unforgettable experience for the primary students and gave them loads of cherishable moments. In the words of Former USA President, Barack Obama:
Music ‘brings us together, helping us reflect upon who we are, where we have come from, and what lies ahead.’ The arts and music transcend ‘languages, cultures, and borders’ … and helps ‘exchange ideas and styles and share in the artistic vibrancy born from diverse experiences and traditions.’
