The Holy Bible says "Praise Him with Timbrel, Praise Him with Music and Dance", the best way to reach out to the Almighty is through music and dance. Divya Kala Kendra (DKK) in Bandra celebrated its 10^th Anniversary with the 8th annual day programme with music and dance at Prathnalaya in Bandstand, Bandra. The theme for the programme was "Heal the World Through Music and Dance".

It was quite an entertaining and elevating evening as students, parents and the faculty staff of Divya Kala Kendra came together to celebrate eight years of students learning music and dance.

The event was curated by the students with the support of Sr Amita Mascarenhas and Sr. Sushma Dungdung. Music student Lael Falcon welcomed the gathering which was followed with Pushpanjali, an offering of flowers to the Almighty by the dance students of DKK. The Chief Guest Sister Celine was introduced by dance student Palak, followed by the music presentation of You Raise Me Up. Raina Pendhurkar introduced the Guest of Honour Guru Vijay Shanker.

The Chief Guest Sister Celine D’cunha, Provincial Superior, PDDM India and the Guest of Honour Guru Vijay Shanker, a Kuchipudi Kathakali exponent and eminent arts critic was in awe of the talent.

After the felicitation of the dignitaries, group dance of Thillana was performed by the dance students. A group of students sang O Suzanna which was well sung. They regaled the audience with music resounding in the small campus of the centre.

This was followed by the distribution of Certificates of Merit and distinction to student achievers by the Chief Guest. 45 music students from Initial Grade to Grade 8 appeared for Trinity Keyboard exams, while 8 appeared for Gandharva Mahavidyalaya. Trisha D’souza received a Certificate of Excellence for securing 100% in Grade 02 keyboard exams and Cheryl Gonsalves also received Certificate of Excellence for securing 97% in grade 01 theory exams. Students from DKK who also excelled in basic keyboard and dance were also honoured. The music students were graded on their exams conducted by Trinity College in London, while the dancers were graded through examinations conducted by Gandharva Mahavidyalaya.

One of the highlights of the programme was the fusion dance that combined Lavani, Bhangra, Arabian Belly dance and Bollywood dance that entertained the audience. Michael Jackson’s Heal the World sung wonderfully by Minelle Coelho was quite inspiring for the young students.

Sr Celine who is based in Bangalore gave an inspiring speech and encouraged the young students Guest of Honour Guru Vijay Shanker rendered a thought provoking and touching speech and sang a beautiful song May the God Lord Bless and Keep You, Whether Near or Far Away, that was well appreciated by the gathering. In his speech, Guru Vijay Shanker recalled a story of Former President of India Abdul Kalam. Through the story of Abdul Kalam, he told the students how parents play an important role in the life of the children and how they should let them do what they want in life, where he spoke especially of the mothers sacrifice to provide for her children.

He spoke about his own journey. “My father was a military man and was disappointed when I told him I wanted to become a dancer. My father called me a fool and that I would not go far in life, but today what I am is because of the ultimate dream, discipline and goal I had in life”.

Sr Celine while congratulating the students stated, “Music has a remarkable ability to soothe the soul, to mend broken spirits and to bridge the gaps that divide us. Likewise, dance is a celebration of the human spirit in motion - a testament to our resilience, creativity, and capacity for connection. So, music and dance have the power to heal wounds, to foster understanding and to cultivate empathy”. She congratulated the students for their success in music and dance exams and appreciated the teachers for their commitment and hard work in training the students.

She added, “Rome was not built in a day. It needed hard work and perseverance. While talent is necessary, there is no shortcut to hard work. Your success reflects your dedication and your dedication has paid off with good results”.

The special guests of the evening included Sr Gracy, the superior of Prathnalaya community, Sr Matilda, the Provincial of DSP and Sr Victoria the Provincial Councilor of PDDM.

The evening ended with Cassandra D’Mello giving a Vote of Thanks followed by the singing of the National Anthem.

By Verus Ferreira