INDEPENDENCE DAY IN KALIMPONG
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Naman Gurang, FY MAMC
Picture Credit: KTV
How I remember 15th August is very different from what I experience now. Kalimpong, a small town in the state of West Bengal, you will be surprised by how this beautiful day is celebrated by the people of Kalimpong with pride and gusto setting an example of how it's done. It is a two to three days festival as we believe that one day is not enough to celebrate our freedom from the shackles of the colonizers who ruled us for 200 years.
Preparations for these 2-3 days begin as early as January when the school bands start preparing for their drill so that they can win the prestigious competition where more than 24 schools compete against each other. Practice sessions begin months before the event because of the day's grandeur! It requires spending a lot of time in the sun, consuming excessive practice, and unavoidably tanning. Students used to have zero periods after school to refine their skills and imitate the vigor and haste of the nation's armed forces troops. In addition to the marching band, each school had a band playing the flute, percussion, drums, and bagpipes.
Everyone took great delight in shouting at the top of their lungs while marching to the beat of their own school band. While their juniors cheer for them passionately and look forward to doing the same in the future. This year the school band members of Kumudini Homes will be felicitated along with Padmashree Kazi Singh, an eminent Madal player. The school band of Kumudini Homes had recently represented India at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland, the world's second-largest annual show featuring military bands, display teams, and musicians. It was the only school band in the history of the Basel Tattoo.
Preparations for these 2-3 days begin as early as January when the school bands start preparing for their drill so that they can win the prestigious competition where more than 24 schools compete against each other. Practice sessions begin months before the event because of the day's grandeur! It requires spending a lot of time in the sun, consuming excessive practice, and unavoidably tanning. Students used to have zero periods after school to refine their skills and imitate the vigor and haste of the nation's armed forces troops. In addition to the marching band, each school had a band playing the flute, percussion, drums, and bagpipes.
Everyone took great delight in shouting at the top of their lungs while marching to the beat of their own school band. While their juniors cheer for them passionately and look forward to doing the same in the future. This year the school band members of Kumudini Homes will be felicitated along with Padmashree Kazi Singh, an eminent Madal player. The school band of Kumudini Homes had recently represented India at the Basel Tattoo in Switzerland, the world's second-largest annual show featuring military bands, display teams, and musicians. It was the only school band in the history of the Basel Tattoo.
Numerous photographers swarm the town area to capture the essence of what is regarded as the most important annual festival on the calendar because of the occasion's significance. The streets filled with flags, family, friends, balloons, bubbles, children holding ice cream in one hand and fingers of their parents in the other, cotton candies, and food carts selling delicious foods.
A total of 24 schools took part in this year's parade. They presented the salute on the Mela Ground in Kalimpong. Kalimpong Municipality Chairman Rabi Pradhan graced the occasion as the chief guest and took the salute. What Dussehra is to some places and Diwali to others, the Independence Day celebration is for Kalimpong.
On this day, not even nature's ugliest elements could prevent people from gathering at the Mela ground. Because of their enthusiasm, many even arrive at the location before sunrise. We have never experienced a dry August 15 because rain is always an unwelcome guest. The stands, otherwise empty, are filled with a jumble of colorful umbrellas and raincoats. As one got closer, the vivid scene was distorted. Then, it became a constant fight to hold the umbrella without getting wet while watching the show and ensuring you weren't blocking the view of the person sitting behind you. As I go through memory lane, the event starts with the soulful voice of the late Lata Mangeshkar with her song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo’ buzzing all over the town on loudspeakers.
The only day when traffic was prohibited from the ordinarily busy Main Road. People in their best dresses flocked to the town from Kalimpong and the surrounding districts. Wearing a school uniform was a source of pride and decency for kids. It was a day when students from different schools showcased their most excellent band performances, dance, and marching past performances.
On a day like that, one could not let anything go wrong while wearing neatly pleated school pants or skirts, an ironed white shirt, and white socks. We were all covered in sludge when we arrived at the Mela Ground, where the judges were seated. Nobody could respond appropriately since, as luck would have it, it constantly rained on Independence Day. The evening is marked for the football tournament finals as the town used to be enveloped in fog in the evenings (most of the years), but the football game continued. Based on the cheers and yells, one could only guess which way the ball would travel around the enormous field. The joys of the team supporters filled the air with music specific to that day, whether they were banging the school drums, clapping with different techniques, waving the school flags, or using plastic bottles as drums.
Since 1947 celebrations here have only been more significant every passing year, and it never disappoints. It is lovely to see how, on this day, people of all caste, creeds, religions, gender, and community come together to celebrate the oneness of the biggest democracy in the world. It is said that Delhi and Kalimpong are the two iconic places where 15th august is celebrated on this scale.
A total of 24 schools took part in this year's parade. They presented the salute on the Mela Ground in Kalimpong. Kalimpong Municipality Chairman Rabi Pradhan graced the occasion as the chief guest and took the salute. What Dussehra is to some places and Diwali to others, the Independence Day celebration is for Kalimpong.
On this day, not even nature's ugliest elements could prevent people from gathering at the Mela ground. Because of their enthusiasm, many even arrive at the location before sunrise. We have never experienced a dry August 15 because rain is always an unwelcome guest. The stands, otherwise empty, are filled with a jumble of colorful umbrellas and raincoats. As one got closer, the vivid scene was distorted. Then, it became a constant fight to hold the umbrella without getting wet while watching the show and ensuring you weren't blocking the view of the person sitting behind you. As I go through memory lane, the event starts with the soulful voice of the late Lata Mangeshkar with her song ‘Ae Mere Watan Ke Logo’ buzzing all over the town on loudspeakers.
The only day when traffic was prohibited from the ordinarily busy Main Road. People in their best dresses flocked to the town from Kalimpong and the surrounding districts. Wearing a school uniform was a source of pride and decency for kids. It was a day when students from different schools showcased their most excellent band performances, dance, and marching past performances.
On a day like that, one could not let anything go wrong while wearing neatly pleated school pants or skirts, an ironed white shirt, and white socks. We were all covered in sludge when we arrived at the Mela Ground, where the judges were seated. Nobody could respond appropriately since, as luck would have it, it constantly rained on Independence Day. The evening is marked for the football tournament finals as the town used to be enveloped in fog in the evenings (most of the years), but the football game continued. Based on the cheers and yells, one could only guess which way the ball would travel around the enormous field. The joys of the team supporters filled the air with music specific to that day, whether they were banging the school drums, clapping with different techniques, waving the school flags, or using plastic bottles as drums.
Since 1947 celebrations here have only been more significant every passing year, and it never disappoints. It is lovely to see how, on this day, people of all caste, creeds, religions, gender, and community come together to celebrate the oneness of the biggest democracy in the world. It is said that Delhi and Kalimpong are the two iconic places where 15th august is celebrated on this scale.
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