By Sonam Dorjee
Darjeeling July 22: The people of Darjeeling were treated to a vivid programme of song and dance numbers earlier on Sunday. The occasion marked the keenly awaited annual Inter-school Song and Dance Competition among seven schools of the North Eastern region of India.
Hosted and organised by the Manjushree Centre for Tibetan Culture (MCTC), it is considered one of the most important cultural activities of its calendar and a recongnised prestigious event here.
Started in 1988, the sole aim of the Manjushree Centre for Tibetan Culture is the preservation and promotion of the Tibetan language and cultural heritage. This is being done by organising seminars, lectures, film shows, interschool activities and conducting regular language classes to locals and international students ranging from the introductory three months to the advanced nine months courses.
The participating schools were Central School for Tibetans of Ravangla, Sonada, Kalimpong and Darjeeling; and Thumi Sambhota schools of Pokhriabong and Gangtok along with the Indo-Tibetan Buddhist Cultural Institute based in Kalimpong.
Considering the highly competitive spirit coupled with the dazzling costumes, rhythmic dances and melodic voices that enraptured the audience, the judges surely had a most difficult time selecting the winners. Ultimately, CST Darjeeling was declared winners with CST Ravangla and Sonada coming second and third respectively. The three judges were Mr Tashi Tsering who had a stint with the Dharamsala-based Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA), Mr Sonam Rinchen-Tibetan teacher of Loreto Convent, Darjeeling and Mr Jampa Tenzin Assistant Manager of the Tibetan Refugee Centre, Darjeeling.
The Chief Guest Mr Kelsang Tsering, Welfare Officer of Darjeeling and Kalimpong urged the students to devote their energies to studying hard and to instill an inborn pride and sense of duty in preserving the unique Tibetan culture.
Mr. Jigme Ugen, MCTC Vice President in his thanks giving speech noted that expenses for the lodging of the students was, as usual, being voluntarily borne by Mrs. Norzin Norbhu of the Himalayan Nursery School in memory of her late parents who died tragically in July, 1954 during the Gyantse floods.
Dressed in Tibetan costumes, local students of the MCTC contributed to the success of the event by singing the MCTC anthem and presenting the Ba-shay dance of eastern Tibet.
The Tibetan culture centre in collaboration with Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies, Varanasi earlier from June 1 to 30 organised a month long lecture series on Tibetan History, religion and culture for the public of Darjeeling. Over 250 local people attended the lecture series.
Darjeeling with a sizable population of diverse ethnic communities like Bhutia, Tamang, Sherpa, Lepcha, Yolmo, Dukpa, Denjong who share the same Tibetan Buddhist culture, the programme turned out to be well received one here.
