Annual Sports Day Mount Abu Continued

Brother Ward with the '83 batch of boys


The batch of 83 after a lapse of 25 years

An unfortunate snag the flag got stuck at half-mast

The Principal Christanand Vase's closing speech

St.Joseph's with Cock House shield

Gymnastic Team Drill

Cliffy Dragwidge, the school anchor drummer

The mixed bag of Ex-students

Batch of 83

Batch of 83

St.Joseph's Cock House Winners

Prize Distribution

Mohan School's Chief Announcer

Stick Drill

Ivo the Anchor Man of the Show

Umbrella Drill

Tug of War

The batch of 83 at the back

Brother Ward awarding prizes

St Mary's High School Sports Day 

The Main Building

This year I reached the sports venue late as the march past had finished, and no band accompanied the marchers like in previous years. Last year the army Sikh regiment had sent their bagpipers to play for the school march past. I’m glad the school used its own resources and did not spend thousands on pomp and show. Innovations by the school organization this year were commendable. The school recognizes the efforts of students who excel. This year the students were given certificates and also garlanded with either the bronze, silver or gold-plated medals, just like in the Olympics. Drill displays by the various classes received thunderous applause from the parents. The track and field events and the relays had the parents going gaga, snapping their own kids with their latest hi-tech digital cameras. To my surprise, some parents who never go to boarding school sports days found the boy's displays dull. I casually asked some whiners why they were here, to which they replied: “Oh we pick up our son after the meet so we can rush off with him for his holidays”. I felt like punching these guys but refrained, and only retorted, “I’m sure it will disappoint your son with you. After all, he’s been through to prove himself on the field so that you, as a parent, could compliment him.”

This year, there was a big reunion of ex-students from the 1983 batch, marking their 25th anniversary since leaving school. It's expected to be the best event unless the 1984 batch can top it next year.. In my brief conversation with some of them, we talked about various topics, including bygone days. Yep! We were like a bunch of old fogies remembering old teachers and brothers who were our mentors. The boys told me that they, along with some of their wives and kids, had made it to the top of Plummy. Imagine over thirty-odd climbers atop the hill! Whew! It must have been exhilarating for all the thick-set and paunchy guys. It must have been exciting for this reunion of schoolmates to see each other after a lapse of 25 years.

Man of Man imagine former classmates now grown men seizing each other; some pretty bald, others grossly overweight and maybe just a few in pretty good shape. The victory lap put on by them was just a trot as probably Plummy had drained them of all their reserve strength the previous day. My hats off to these guys they were a fabulous bunch; and they had come with positive vibes. There were quite a few other ex-students from different years also present for the sports day.

In tote the meeting went off with a bang, no there were no fireworks like those of the Olympics. The most memorable part was when we sang the school anthem and the National Anthem with wholeheartedness and fervour.

79th Annual Athletic Meet St.Mary’s School Abu

79th Annual Athletic Meet - St. Mary’s School

To catch everyone up to speed, let me start by revisiting what I wrote about last year’s School Sports on the St. Mary’s School site before we jump into this year’s exciting events.

Hello everyone!

As you know, St. Mary’s celebrated its 79th Annual Athletic Meet yesterday. As always, it was an incredible and inspiring event filled with excitement, school spirit, and athletic excellence.

This year, we had the honour of welcoming back some of our “real” old alumni—our “Old Boys.” Among them was the remarkable Father Lesser, a cherished name who was called “Podge” in school. Even in spirit, his presence serves as a reminder of the rich legacy of St. Mary’s and the thriving community it has fostered.

The photo shows SMS alumnus from Front Row L to R: Fr. Lesser 44/ Bob Amore '57 /Duncan Collie 53/ Trevor Steverson(a guest)/Dach Aloysns D'souza '57 / Pat Kelly.

Today, I take this opportunity to “salute” these fine young men who have traversed the globe to return to their beloved alma mater—no minor achievement! Hats off to Bob and Trevor, two exceptional achievers. The date was October 6, 2007; the two legends climbed Flaggy and later, Plummy. Their determination and spirit were unmatched, and they’ve set an incredible example for the younger generation to aspire to.

Congratulations once again, Seniors—you’ve laid down a challenge for the next wave to surpass!

Bob “The Flying Eagle” has done it again! (See the attached photo.) He finished second in the 200m race—a fantastic accomplishment that earned him a well-deserved standing ovation. What an inspiration! Don’t you think we need more folks like Bob around?

 Whoops! Before my dial-up connection gives up on me, let me send this out. I’ll share more photos later if the connection allows. For now, to all of you who couldn’t make it to the Mount this year, I hope you enjoy reminiscing about the good old days.

 Regards,

Ains

 Cheers, mates! I’m off for a binge, but I’ll post updates on today’s events as soon as I can. Don’t forget to click on “Newer Post” at the bottom to check out the following updates!

ST.MARY'S SCHOOL BUDDING ARTISTS MT.ABU

The young budding artists of St.Mary’s School have put on display their creative work of art with their brushes, paints canvases and fretwork saws. This is a tribute to the budding artists. Their alluring, bewitching, charming, exquisite and dazzling works of art are so enticing that one wonders from where these souls find the energy and patience to bring out the best in them with their heavy schedule of boarding lives. My Hats off to these spirited students of the school, keep up the good work.

ANNUAL CONCERT ST.MARY'S SCHOOL MOUNT ABU

When I walked into the hall, the warmth that spread from all four walls entrapped me in a web of nostalgia. The stage that had been freshly set up sent an excitement through my very being, as eons ago I had also participated in one of the best operas ever presented in the history of the school “The Micardo” The red velvet curtains that cloaked the stage seemed to present me with memories long forgotten. The annual concert, the pride of the boys who participated in the various plays, songs, variety shows and the Opera flashed through. The slight light streaming through the curtain seemed to reach out and touch the bare spot in the corner of my heart. As I walked towards the stage, I saw the rows of chairs laid out for the parents of the students who would be performing for them, I visualized the thrill and expectancy and the joy on these folks who without fail land up every year leaving their busy schedules to be there for their Kids. On this stage, the memories that expressed themselves were overwhelming. When I left the room, it was as if I had tasted a piece of paradise.
"Liz, my bitter half attended the variety show yesterday", she was really impressed by the variety show put up by the students. All the shows were incredible, the events were fabulous and the audience were wrapped in apt attention, they were bowled away with the ideas and concepts presented by the students and the supreme efforts put on by the teaching staff and faculty. Like previous years, this year also saw record crowds in the hall.
Today was the anchor; the opera was “UNCLE SCROOGE”. My Daughter who is a teacher there said the hall was overcrowded. The boys were given a standing ovation by all present there in appreciation for their outstanding and wonderful efforts. Snaps posted today have been taken by my bitter half and my daughter Jennifer. It was great to see many students from the 1983 I.C.S.E. batch in the hall, dressed in special T.Shirts, celebrating the Silver Anniversary of them having left school. At the end of the show they even sang a song from an opera from their time "Do the boys rock". It really was quite a spectacle. What a great feeling to see these guys as well as other Ex- students, it speaks volumes of the love they have for the school.

Seasons first Rainbow Mount Abu

Seasons first Rainbow Mt Abu

Seasons first Westend Rainbow Mt Abu

Seasons first Westend Rainbow Mt Abu

Seasons first Westend Rainbow Mt Abu

Orange Sky

What did the rainbow come to predict for this Abode of the gods? Abuites you have fallen short of the grace of the Gods and hence this sign in the sky is to notify you that from today this paradise of your will not be receiving any more nectar from us till you make amends and maybe next year we may smile down on you and shower you with our blessings.

I remember my days when sailing the high seas. The. The colours of the sky had a lot to do with our mood swings to either fill us with hope or despair. I recall the proverb “Red sky at night sailor's delight, Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”. Today I’m on Terra firma and take delight in watching the changing face of the heavens.

Monsoon Update Mount Abu

Monsoon Update Mount Abu

Blue Mountains

The Aravalli range Mt.Abu Domain

Yesterday while returning from Sirohi, these superb sights caused me to stop and take pictures. The Blue Mountains as they are fondly called are actually the Great Aravalli Range running roughly about 485 Kilometers from Northeast to Southwest across the Rajasthan state.  Looks like Mount Abu is being drenched for maybe the last time this season, the monsoons in this area have dwindled off completely over the last few weeks, Abu is still high and dry and in desperate need of rain, our dams and reservoirs are in desperate want. We Abuites have faced drought conditions before but we do not want a repeat performance by Mother Nature as only we know the inconvenience we have to put up with.

Google Chrome Any Takers? :[ 11/09/2008.]

 I’ve been a Google fan from the very beginning. Their services have been my go-to for years—helping me learn, experiment, and even build a few of my little online spaces:

  [Mount Abu–Abode of Gods](https://sites.google.com/view/mountabuabodeofgods/home)

[Leopard’s Lair, Bera](http://leopardslair.bera.googlepages.com/home)

[Footloose n’ Fancy Free]

(http://footloosenfancyfree.blogspot.com/)

 And let’s not forget Gmail. Once you set it up properly, it’s hands down the smartest email service around.

But then came the actual surprise: Google Chrome.

I first stumbled upon it on September 2nd. Tried to download it right away—no luck. The next day I got through, installed it, and within minutes I knew: this wasn’t just another browser. It felt clean, fast, and simple—as though it was designed to get out of the way and just let the web shine.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I’ve used Firefox before, and it’s been my favourite for a while. Internet Explorer? Well, that one’s always just been the “default” you had to live with until you downloaded something better. But Chrome? Chrome was different. It gave me that rush—like my first school dance, where everything felt exciting and new.

I was so fired up, I shot the link out to about 150 friends. Most came back with just one word: “Outstanding.”

And today I stumbled upon a nifty trick—dragging Google product icons straight onto the taskbar for instant access. A tiny thing, but it works like magic and makes browsing that much smoother.

So, here’s my call: if you’re still stuck on Internet Explorer, wake up! Firefox loyalists should try Chrome; it might surprise you. And if you’re already trying it out, drop me a line and share your favourite tips or shortcuts. The browser wars just got a lot more interesting.