Peace & Harmony Rule the Day

Happiness comes in the smallest of sizes, as was seen at the Pre-Primary Annual Day 2017 held on the 9 th of December. It was a day filled with happiness, creativity and team spirit as parents, grandparents and well- wishers urged the young ones on with thunderous applause and silent prayers!

The LKG annual day, held in the forenoon, called upon Mr. Bobby Joseph, Old Boy and Professor of Community Health at St. John’s Medical College, to be the Chief Guest while the Guest of Honour was Mrs. Kalpana Joseph and the President for the occasion was Rev. Fr Hedwig da Costa SJ, former principal of SJBHS. The post noon session was for the UKG students. Mr. Vinay Mruthyunjaya, chartered accountant and former Vice President of SJBHS’s PTA, was the Chief Guest while the Guest of Honour was Mrs. Mruthyunjaya and the President for the occasion was Rev. Fr Anthony Joseph SJ.

Both programmea began with the customary prayer, an invocation dance and lighting of the lamp. Rev. Fr Robert Rodrigues SJ, Administrator of the Primary Section, delivered the welcome address and encouraged the gathering to spread the message of harmonious dwelling. He said, “the fragrance of flowers will be carried only in the direction of the wind but it is the goodness of the person that can flow in all directions.”

The address by the Chief Guest Mr. Bobby Joseph laid emphasis on the growing problems of obesity and poor vision in the neo-generations. He asked the parents to spend at least an hour with their children in parks and open spaces to counteract these problems. Mr. Mruthyunjaya, highlighted the achievements of SJBHS and the blessing of growing in such an environment.

The Presidential address by both Fr Hedwig and Fr Anthony Joseph focused on the ‘sandwiched generation’ trying to juggle time between their parents and their kids while making ends meet. Parents are primary educators, subconsciously inducing their values into Gen Next. Hence, the necessity for the right attitude towards the poor, marginalized, the rejected and the downtrodden. Peace and harmony can be got only through secular thought, patient understanding and fair judgements.

The theme of peace and harmony was interwoven into the dances, songs and skits of the cultural extravaganza that followed. Flashes of vivid colour, the beat of catchy music and the pulse of foot tapping rhythm resonated through the SJBHS auditorium as days of hard work by both students and their mentors was up for display. The tableaux of the ‘nativity’ of Jesus through song, dance and drama brought to mind the depiction of the first Christmas as the month of December heralds the festival of serenity, peace, harmony and good cheer.