The Valediction Ceremony
by Shila Shrestha, 11 years old
We performed at the Shuvatara School thanks to the kind invitation of Rani Kakshapati ma’am who is very kind and loving. We practiced a lot. We had chosen to play “My Heart Will Go On” and “Mangal Dhoon” for the 200 peoples at the Shuvatara School most of whom passed the final exams SEE, their parents and their teachers. Our performance was set at about 1:00 pm and 20 July 2019, Saturday.
On the day of our performance we practiced in the morning, thinking a lot about what Dhana sir, our music teacher, had told us. We had lunch and then we got ready to go to Shuvatara School. We changed our dresses then all three of us made buns of our hair. Bhagwati ma’am said we looked very nice in our new hairstyle.
Baby Zoya also came with us. We carried
our things and then we waited for the Shuvatara School bus as Lamatar is far
away and our driver is on leave today. Rani ma’am and the teachers of Shuvatara
had arranged for us to get there and back so kindly. It was very sunny. Pallav
sir and Vidheha walked and walked. They returned and took us to a TV shop and
then to the NCell center where it was cool and there was nice water to drink.
The Shuvatara School bus came and there were lots of people already in the bus. We reached the school and Saraswati Music Hall was different today! There were lots of chairs. The hall was very well decorated. The stage was very beautiful! I liked that. We were very lucky to be here and I felt thankful. We sat there waiting. I carried Zoya and Pallav sir took photos and Sabina ma’am also took photos. I wanted to have lots of photos and save this special memory.
The hall had filled. The Mayor was there
and the Ward Chairman as well as school principals. There were many instruments
and singers in the choir. There were flutes, drums, keyboards and guitars on
stage. The children of Shuvatara sang Gayatri Mantra, the school anthem and the
national anthem. We sat back to enjoy the wonderful. The Shuvatara School song
was beautiful. I liked that song. Now it was our time to play. Rani ma’am gave
us the “Special Guest” badge same as the Mayor and the Ward Chairman and I felt
so special. The badge was given to only a few people and we were among them.
She could have given those badges to a very big and important persons of
Shuvatara School, but she gave them to us and we are not big people. I felt
very happy because that was greatest gift anyone has given to me.
We walked on stage. There were wires from the music system on the way. We had to be careful. The stage had many lights. Some were white and bright. There were lights that turned yellow, red, blue. There were also dancing lights that were spots and spirals and different shapes. That music hall looked very big and colorful. On the backdrop was huge poster saying Shuvatara School, Valediction Program. The 22nd batch of the school was passing out with the best SEE marks ever.
I turned towards the audience. The roof of the whole hall were glittering paper and shiny material. The chairs were filled. Rani Ma’am in a beautiful sari, the Mayor, the Ward Chairman, Pallav sir and Bhagwati ma’am, the students, their parents, there were many people before us. The microphones were set for us. Setting the microphones took a lot of time though. But I did not feel scared or nervous. I think our performances in many places had prepared us well. I felt very happy and comfortable.
Abha ma’am also helped us, making sure the seating was good and we were comfortable because she was near us. We said our names then we said thank you to Rani ma’am and others who were present. All the people clapped. Anita didi, I and Vidheha were ready to play “My Heart Will Go On.” We played the song and it sounded nice to me. We did not make any mistakes. I think all of us felt good!
Then Vidheha had to play the “Ukali
Orali” by Chadani Shah. Dhana sir had said it was a difficult song to play and
Vidheha had only had one week to practice it. But she played that song very
beautifully. We would play the “Mangal Dhoon” later. We said thank you to
everyone and came back to our seats. There was a Newari dance, the movement was
so graceful! We had learned Newari dancing “Lika Wala” and others two years ago
that was performed also at Patan Durbar Square. I was reminded of our dance.
Then there were English songs by the
Shuvatara School Band. There were keyboard, guitar and drum players. One didi
sang, she was so pretty and her voice so clear. It was time to give away certificates
now. The school captain announced, “Anita, Shila and Vidheha will play the
Mangal Dhoon.” We went up on stage again. We played very long because there
were lots of people that had to be awarded. Rani ma’am called the Pallav sir
and he too had to give awards and certificates to those who had completed their
SEE. Then we were done.
The hall emptied. Zoya and all of us were hungry. We went to the dining hall. There were donuts of three kinds, three types of cake, three types of sandwiches, spicy potatoes, chicken patties, drinks of five different types. I was very thirsty so I drank coke. The snacks were very yummy. We met Rani ma’am as she was ready to go home. We said bye bye to her. Baby Zoya also waved bye bye to Rani ma’am.
We took some photos again and went to the same bus we had come here on. We talked about our performance. Soon the bus was full of people and it left. Back at school, we put our flutes and files away and we thought of the fun we had at Shuvatara School.
