lovedale

...currently in archive mode...

...An update for my readers. This blog has been a labor of love, capturing memories of boarding school for all Lawrencians to enjoy. Work has meant less time for regular updates and, for the moment, I am maintaining this as an archive only...for the reading pleasure of the many alumni who visit. Enjoy!

...founders 2010 - peter's gallery, deux

May 09: Just added 68 77 pictures to a new album called Peter's Gallery. Am adding captions to that album/updating other content on here today.

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Hmm, I just noticed the time! Well after the witching hour. I will have the rest of the images up tomorrow...

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...there were a lot of pictures in the last post!  I noticed it shows up a bit differently when viewed in Safari - and I think it's because of the number of images. I will pull Founders 2010 into an album over the next few days. But....we still need to see what Parade and Retreat looked like, don't we? I know I do. Give us a sample, Peter...

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Parade - Day 3

 
Chief Guest Gopal Gandhi (IAS, Former Governor of West Bengal and grandson of Mahatma Gandhi) inspects the parade led by the Cane Orderlies Shreya Roy and Tanya Ahmed (and followed by the Headmaster)

The First Guard led by Rohan Bahri 

One of the 3 girl guards.  Three? We had two. I love the spats - the uniforms are admittedly smarter than ours were. 

The OLs led by Meher Castelio (1960)

I see a familiar face in a smart suit...Hi, Peter!! (waves from across the oceans...)

He's going to catch his mace. I know it. I think so. I know it. Holding my breath....

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Later in the evening...at Beating the Retreat

 

 

 

...founders 2010 - peter's gallery

 

ETA on May 9: Peter's thoughts on some of my trenchant snarky observations (his in blue). My zippy comebacks in tasteful red...

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I was asked why I called this an 'almost-live' blog of Founders and the answer really does lie in the magic word: Connectivity. It impacts the ability to have a classic live blog - widget and all  - or even a live-stream. So it's almost live and I get pictures and words up as soon as I receive them - halfway across the world. I've said it before, and it bears repeating - Peter is an invaluable asset!

Here's a set of pictures I received today. I will, in the days to come, create a separate gallery of Peter's pictures so you can view them all at once. For now...here we go and stay tuned for more to come!  Any comments in red are mine...

The School Play. Does that look like someone playing a corpse...and why are the tennis rackets so high up on the wall? I remember being in the school play - once.

The Torch Display under the Umbrellas for PT. Read Peter's take on Day 1.

The Girls Aerobics for the PT. 

  The Fire Drill.  Read Peter's take on Day 1.

The start of the Equestrian event   when kids had to run with a water balloon, place it on the chair and burst it. Hmmm, I'm not quite sure what bursting a balloon has to do with horses - but I'm being a cheerful party-pooper. One with a sudden urge for the loo. Peter adds: The MC kept repeating that sitting on the balloon and busting it teaches one how to ride a horse. Now I'm thanking my stars that they didn't have this when I was learning to ride! Priya: Seriously? I wonder if it's supposed to teach you not to come down too hard on the saddle, but it just sounds...well...damp :-).

The Equestrian event. Nice! That's a beautiful horse. Did I mention I used to ride?

  The Senior School Dining Hall. This reminded me of a set of images Peter took in 2008, where I mused about Aravali being spelled the way it is. Read Hang me a Banner and I'd like to buy a consonant.

The Exhibitions. Ah, yes. The pleasure of displaying one's artwork during the School Exhibition. Something I never did till the 11th grade. But I'm not bitter about it. At All. Seriously.

The end of middle flats that was washed away in the last floods. I get the natural phenomena bit, but this made me wince.

The Prep School Play. Read Peter's take on Day 2  - and the Variety Entertainment.

The Manipuri Dance. Read Peter's take on Day 2  - and the Variety Entertainment.  I was kicked out of dance class for having absolutely no coordination. I've never gotten over it - and neither have my feet.

The Choir. There's a Choir?

Indian Music. I like the kid on the right. I know he's probably sitting down, but it almost looks like he is standing, in which case - he barely clears his drums!  Peter: He is actually standing up! Priya: Oh...

Break Away.

Jai and Ketaki - the MCs, Read Peter's take on Day 2  - and the Variety Entertainment.

The Piano Recital. Does the young man know he may well be playing an antique? These uprights have been around Lovedale for ever...

The Group Dance - Thillana.

 The Flute Recital.

Crazy. That's a Patsy Cline number, which makes it all the more impressive.

 Fangs. Fangs? As in - Fangs for The Music? Read Peter's take on Day 2  - and the Variety Entertainment.

Biology, Chemistry......

The Ghoomar Dance. 

The 3 MCs. Read Peter's take on Day 2  - and the Variety Entertainment.

...founders 2010 - day 3

ETA on May 9: Peter's thoughts on some of my trenchant snarky observations (his in blue). My zippy comebacks in tasteful red...

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Shortly uploading a set of pictures from Peter...and I will say this - he has a really good eye!

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Check Peter's update on the Variety Entertainment - Day 2.
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These pictures are from yesterday (Day 2), but since Pichees is a timeless Lovedale institution, they get to be added today. Time is an elastic concept, especially when you are several time zones away.

In this first one, I love the old versus new contrast between the date the store was established (1918) and the Aircel phone inside.

Remember my earlier post about things you get at Pichees? The interior seems just the same as when we were in school.  Here - this gentleman holds coconut burfi.

Wait...I can almost taste it now. Sweet, rich...mmmm.
Thank you kindly, Sir.
I'm told you don't sell Chalk Sweets any more. Could we start a petition?

The outside of the store seems to have changed just a bit - with the addition of a canopy. As the sign says, they sell:

Tea, Coffee, Soup and Hot Pigs

I tease.

Peter says this was pretty neat: they have a vending machine that dispenses the hot beverages. No word on how they get the pigs out. 

ETA, from Peter: Sorry, you're not in that much luck, Priya - its Hot Pufs!

Priya: Oink. 

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From Peter, a quick update on Parade: It went off well - the standards have improved from last year and it is also longer with it coming back closer to what it was when we were around.

Priya: cheers from halfway across the world...that's how it should be. 'Shorter parades' are two words that don't go together.
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Peter writes in to say reg connectivity: it was really hard yesterday and there was none today. But he will be sending his pictures and write up as soon as possible.
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And so here it is - Day 3 of Founders 2010. The Big Day.  

I mean seriously...is there anything else other than Parade and Beating the Retreat? This was always my favorite day - I just loved the formality of it all. Fresh uniforms; the smell of Brasso; berets with red and blue hackles; slow time past the the dais; saluting the Chief Guest; spats; polished shoes; parents and siblings; the rustle of silk saris and suits that smelled of cigars. In the evening, there was Beating the Retreat. Band. Bugler on the gym diving board against a glorious sunset - playing Day is Done. Bagpipes. Red and blue ribbons on those pipes. Playing the bagpipe duet. Alarming my mother in the process.  

While we wait for material today, I'm curious. What did you enjoy most about Founders? The Play? the Parade? PT?Going home the next day? Feel free to share your comments...

...founders 2010 - day 2

ETA on May 9: Peter's thoughts on some of my trenchant snarky observations (his in blue). My zippy comebacks in tasteful red...

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From Peter:
An update on the Variety Entertainment. It was really very good. In fact, if you ask me, they should drop the School Play and just have the Variety. They School Play was an absolute dead loss.

The Variety started with an Invocation Dance - Shiva and Parvathi. This was followed by a song "To be with you" sung by Pemmaya and accompanied on the guitar by Aniruddha. After this was a play that was presented by the children of Prep School called "Ali Coglia and The Merchant of Baghdad". The play was entirely an in-house affair (like it was in our days) and was really a treat to watch. This was followed by a Manipuri Dance that was so very graceful and soothing. The 7 girls who danced, really looked professional.

The Choir followed singing Season in the Sun and I Have a Dream. Both of them are songs that I guess our generation can relate to! I didn't realise that the school had so many good singers. (Priya: Yep - that's a flashback! The links are to the songs by a)terry Jacks and b) ABBA on YouTube)

We then had the Indian Orchestra playing and there was this very cute guy playing the drums that were about as high as he was! Following the Indian Orchestra was a song "Break Away" and then a whole series of Piano Recitals. The first boy was reading the music while the rest of the 5 were playing from memory. It was nice to see the Piano is still being taught in school. After this was the Indian Dance and then a beautiful flute recital.

We then had 2 rock groups performing (yes of the school). The first group was called Fangs(I think) and performed a song called Burning Love. This was followed by a group called Biology, Chemistry and Physics in School (I think this is what the group is called). They performed Soldier of Fortune. The Variety ended with the Ghoomar Dance by the Prep School Girls. And finally, a special word of appreciation by the 3 MCs - Ketaki, Shreya and Jai who did a really great job. In fact Jai was particularly great and kept us in splits of laughter. He really is a great actor.

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From Peter: Pagal Gym is the equivalent of the fete that we had. Except that you have mainly an outsourced operation with the likes of Cafe Coffee Day etc around. All the kids just charge there and hog away. Its a good place for some of the hungry parents to also get a bite. (Priya - ah, okay, I withdraw my earlier comment about potato chips! :) )

And the Drum Jam is some group that the school got in from Bombay (I think) who brought with them a whole lot of drums. Everyone sat around in a circle (parents, OLs, students etc ) and started playing the drums - bongos, congos, and various versions of these drums. And all under the direction of a (for want of a better word!) Drum Major!

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Added on Day 3: Peter's update...yesterday was a bad day for connectivity - just couldn't get anything out. And today seems to have been worse. I am now back in Ooty where I have been able to get some connectivity.

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Two images from Peter....

This is something new - he called it a Drum Jam in his message. Which made me think of marmalade at first before I clicked on the picture. And look...it's an honest-to-goodness jam session. Is this student run? Having said that, however, a number of people taking part look too old to be students! :-)

Peter calls this next one...Pagal gym - and it looks like a sort of fete, doesn't it? There is even a stall selling potato chips - and that's a lot of the crisp stuff!  I wonder if this is near the main gym itself. He said this was where the OL's gathered. I really like the idea of R&R in between events but now that I think about it, if this is really called the Pagal area - and it's meant for us OL's, we've just been called crazy - haven't we? I'm crushed. Pass me the potato chips so I can munch away the blues...

From Peter: Small correction. Pagal gym is where all the current kids gather - I guess eating their hearts out.
Priya: Well, that's all right, then. I'll stop munching.

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I'll try and catch Peter online later this evening for his take on Day 2. In the meantime, you might enjoy reading this piece on Chinese coin from OL Kevin Phillips. Did you know they were used at Lovedale?

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Well, I was just reading about Maneka Gandhi wanting to ban clodhoppers from schools in India because they are a 'colonial hangover'. Interesting. If this is adopted across the nation, does this mean students would march on Parade wearing wool uniforms...and brown keds? If we are being all colonial about it, I frankly think we should ban vindaloo too. That'll show 'er.

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I want six of these glasses/tumblers! Is the merchandise available online and available to be shipped overseas?  I wonder if they have the industrial-strength china cups we used to drink tea in...or...wait, I know...battle jackets! I would love a battle jacket...have a great dress and pair of boots I can wear them with. Yes, I know it was part of the boy's uniform - what's your point? :)  I really do like the idea of merch though - helps display school spirit no matter when you graduated.

Aha - here are a couple of images:. I wonder where the staff room lounge is? Just looking at the arches, it feels like it should be in the corridor where 11A and B were. Bless 'em. It looks a little bare. I think they deserve a bit more color, a few carpets, paintings and a large coffeemaker just for putting up with snotty-nosed kids like myself. 

ETA, from Peter: This is just outside the Senior School Dining Hall. It used to be a reading room in our times when we had the newspapers laid out there.

And the 'ol classic, complete with security guard. ETA: I had to grin when I published this picture because in my browser window this picture aligns almost perfectly with the 2008 Founders album on the right. At least for the moment. Same flag, different year. Where do they store them?

Good morning! I see so many who are logging on for updates on Day 2. Bear with us - we are dependent on signal strength  :-)   I will upload his pictures as soon as I get them. Here's what was on the program today:

10.00 AM - 12.30 PM - Exhibitions
11.30 AM - 1.00 PM - Past vs Present Matches
11.30 AM - 1.00 PM - Equestrian Display - Kailash Flat
1.00 PM - 2.00 PM - Head Master's Lunch for OLs - Echoing Greens
6.30 PM - 7.45 PM - Variety Entertainment - Large Hall

Al times are IST. Speaking of time zones, it is not quite dawn here, so I am going to step away for a bit and grab some coffee! And zome zzzzz's..

Wait  I'm curious...does anyone know where the Echoing Greens are? Sounds mysterious - a bit like Sims Cave. 

ETA, from Peter: This is the area that is bounded by Vindhya on one side, Aravalli on the other, Class 11 and 12 on the third (as well as the sculpture class) and finally opens up at the girls loo that is in front of Science Block. We used to do a Geography Plain Table Survey there.

Priya: Ah, okay. I remember the area - and just in case anyone is wondering - it IS a rather large space. So you're not well, sitting next to the aforementioned loo. The Art room used to look out over this area as well...

...founders 2010 - day 1

Edited to Add: Information just in from Peter...the archery program was started during the 150th Anniversary in 2008 - for both boys and girls. The fledgling team has apparently already won a few titles, which is very, very, impressive. The archery exhibit ended with flaming arrows being shot into the air on a darkened Middle Flats.

He goes on to add a quick update on PT:  There were gymnastics including the traditional jumping through the fire...done by both the girls and the guys. This was followed by some ground yoga exercises.

Pause for an Aum.

Peter continues: There was an umbrella drill - each of the 4 school houses had different colored umbrellas with flashlights under each. The kids did their exercises with them, forming Founders 152 to end their part of the show. The umbrellas were followed by girl's aerobics, trampoline and the grand finale: the fire drill. Peter's highlights of the PT display?  The jump through the fire, the girl's aerobics, the trampoline and the fire drill.

Actually - the umbrella exercise would indeed have been beautiful, especially since it was performed in the fishbowl that is Middle Flats. With the floodlights off - it would have been superb. But is it too irreverent to say - I just had a Broadway moment?

I asked him the obvious. No lezims? Nope. Apparently that was stopped a while ago. I can't say I miss them necessarily...they sounded good, but I would invariably get my fingers caught among the cymbals. But we always had handsome drummers in uniform accompanying us on the field - which alleviated the pain somewhat.

One more pic from today...and it makes me grin. See that squiggly shape on the right arch? That's where Gandhi's statue used to be. A lot of statuary has been shuffled around in the past two years. At the very least, I hope he was non-violently removed. 

ETA from Peter: So in the pic is also my dad with his hand outstretched over my daughter.
Priya: For those in the know, that's Hugh Gantzer.

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I just wanted to add one more picture - that of Senior School. I believe this was from an alumni trip last year but you'll agree the imagery is timeless.

Being respectful of Peter's time - that may be it for today. Tomorrow's big events: the Equestrian Display and the Variety Entertainment. Friday is, of course, The Big Day: featuring Parade and Beating the Retreat.

An Archery display during PT. When was this program started? I would have loved to have learned! Wonder what the accompanying music was. Fly Like an Eagle?

(below) A picture that reminds me of Lovedale's gym teacher, Mr. Bendy! Looks like the gymnasts are lining up...

Peter - this one is beautiful! Love the flowers right in front of the Headmaster's office. Great color. Now that I think about it - there used to be hydrangea bushes here at one time.

Added earlier in the day, while sipping my first cup of coffee:

...first pictures from Founders 2010! An enormous thank you to OL Peter Gantzer. I could not do this without his tag-team help. It is really early in the AM where I am...dark and quiet, except for one overenthusiastic bird. I'm sitting here with a cup of coffee in my hand. While Peter is at Lovedale several time zones away - enjoying the moment with his family.

Here we go! I will add to this post as I get more pictures. As always, keep in mind that pesky time zone difference! Here's a look at this year's program.

Heh! A  pointer to Tuckers? An advertisement for Shinkows?
ETA, from Peter: There were a whole lot of these all around the school - in various shapes, sizes and colors. Very very imaginative.

Beautiful bell! Reminds me a little bit of the Liberty Bell. Wonder if this is new? We used to have a bell ringer walk around with...well...a bell that signal the end of each class. ETA note from Peter: This is the bell from the Clock Tower which is now down after the clock was replaced.

Just looking at this takes me back in an instant. Looking down at Middle Flats.. Why does this remind me of the Drummer Boy? And Branch Office?

...founders 2010

It's Founder's Week!

For the third year in a row, I am going to try 'almost live-blog' the event with the help of OL Peter Gantzer who is on site. As always, it will depend a bit on connectivity so bear with us, but I hope to have pictures up as soon as I get them. Here's the 2010 program: (all times IST)

Wednesday, 5th May, 2010
10.00 AM Inauguration of Celebrations & Exhibitions
1.00 PM - 2.00 PM - Head Master's Lunch for Parents
5.45 PM - 7.15 PM - School Play - Large Hall
7.30 PM - 8.30 PM - PT Display - Top Flats

Thursday, 6th May, 2010
10.00 AM - 12.30 PM - Exhibitions
11.30 AM - 1.00 PM - Past vs Present Matches
11.30 AM - 1.00 PM - Equestrian Display - Kailash Flat
1.00 PM - 2.00 PM - Head Master's Lunch for OLs - Echoing Greens
6.30 PM - 7.45 PM - Variety Entertainment - Large Hall

Friday, 7th May, 2010
08.30 AM - 09.30 AM - Parade - Top Flats
09.45 AM - 10.15 AM - Tea - Gym Lawns
10.15 AM - 11.15 AM - Prize Distribution and Address by the Chief Guest - Large Hall
5.00 PM -  6.15 PM - Beating Retreat - Top Flats

Some of my (vaguely) Founders-related tales:

• Trying really hard to get something in for the School Exhibitions
• Come again? You're learning to play what instrument, exactly? Part 1 and Part 2
• Flowers in May
• Hackle Raiser, Brasso and Blanco
  

hang me a banner...

...four more pictures from Peter that I find interesting. House banners.

Sure, we had House flags when I was in school - but then we also had more houses than there are today. Girl's School had three: Pankaj, Champak and Deodhar. I was in Pankaj, which is, of course, the reason I mention it first. Naturally. We always won everything.

These houses have gone the way of ones like Ganga, Jamuna, Kailash...and from further back: Murray Hammick, Padfield...I'm sure I am missing a few.

They've fallen prey to a consolidation worthy of the corporate world. There are now just four houses throughout school:

• Aravalli
• Nilgiri
• Vindhya
• Sumeru

I instinctively recognize the need for simplification, but somewhere deep inside, I miss the sheer diversity and lyricism of multiple names.

And then I see these splendid banners. Set against them, our flags fade into simplicity. They were just text on a colored background! Plus, we had no motto. None that I can remember, anyway. I feel oddly deprived. I'd like a motto, please. It's becoming a minor obsession.

   

 

 

hackle raiser...

...his bearing hinted at his military background; the voice was a dead giveaway. Medium-height and barrel-chested, Ol' Eagle Eyes was our drill instructor through all my nine years at school. His voice was unmistakable...it would boom across the vast expanse of Top Flats - with a power inversely proportional to his height.

I can see your hackles moving...you on the extreme right of the rear row of Guard 5. Yes, you with the glasses on and your tie coming undone! Stand tall!

And with that bark, the feathered hackles on all our berets would pretty much right themselves and refuse to quiver through the rest of our time on the parade ground. Even when the wind kicked up to gale-force. Eagle Eyes had that kind of effect. He used to terrify the heck out of me at first.

Parade drills in the run-up to Founders were relentless rounds of marching. Quick-time. Slow-time. Wheel to the left. Wheel to the right. Eyes right. Eyes front. There was something about the rigor that I loved. As the big day drew closer, we switched from drills in our day outfits to our parade uniforms. Blue wool, with brass buttons, blue wool berets topped with jaunty blue and red feathered hackles. The hackles that Eagle Eyes would zoom in on...

I've nearly fainted at practice a couple of times. Heat, wool suits, and dehydration are not the best combination. The first time, I swayed a bit and then had to take off my beret and step into the welcoming shade of the trees that lined Top Flats. That's when I discovered that under the stentorian demeanor - Eagle Eyes had a heart of gold. He came over and specifically (dare I say - gently?) checked up on those of us who'd keeled over that day.

It was interesting to watch the hackles on my beret snap to rigid attention when he came by...

remember brasso...?

  ...with Founders fast approaching, I'm reminded of Brasso - that magic liquid in a bottle that made our buttons, belts, and band instruments gleam. It will always remain one of the smells (fragrances, if you will) that I most closely associate with Founders - along with that of freshly cleaned parade uniforms.

Our uniforms were navy blue wool with brass buttons. Those pesky buttons and the badges on our berets had to be polished just so...

As we found out once...during an acute Brasso crisis...toothpaste works just as well. We were minty fresh all through Trooping the Colour.