The harvesting is now! Royal College is set to launch a musical extravaganza this coming Friday that promises to be one with tremendous aesthetic appeal and value. The show called ‘Thajith’ involves various disciplines in the arts in addition to the main event which is dance. It promises to be a memorable and pleasant experience. Daily News visited Royal College to speak to the participants of ‘Thajith’ who will be featuring dance, music, drama and painting.
Principal Royal College, B A Abeyrathna, said the ‘Thajith’ will bring out the hidden skills of the boys of Royal College. The musical extravaganza will provide them with a platform to exhibit their talents and in doing so; will benefit the society and the country.
“These kinds of events are as important as studies. It will produce a crop of students who are strong mentally. Also it will help in inculcating good habits and behavior patterns. So the boys are from different sections in the school but are coming together for the good of the school. The dances are of course multi-cultural. The event will take place in Navarangahala. These students have been groomed to the highest level throughout the years at Royal. The facilities have been provided by the college. Students’ show is free of charge. Outsiders are welcome. Tickets can be bought at Royal. I personally am full of admiration for these students. I myself was unaware of the talents some of these boys possess! So we need to harvest the talents. They will then pass down the lessons they have learnt to others,” said Abeyrathna.
Dancing Teacher Asanka Thilakarathne, said that ‘Thajith’ is an opportunity for the students to display their talents, without being confined to the classroom and only classroom work. He said that shows like ‘Thajith’ enable the students to discover the abilities they have been gifted with, and are valuable when it comes to forming the character of a student.
“‘Thajith’ was held for the first time in 2013. It is the brainchild of the dancing society. If you take recent times, unfortunately the student is confined to the classroom and the books. Thajith is done with the fullest cooperation of the students. We see that today the formation of the child’s personality is neglected and this is especially true when it comes to intellectual development and discipline. In the past the school curriculum was full of extra-curricular activities. So the child was nurtured and he or she became a member of society who can contribute to the betterment of society. He or she becomes someone who was practical. There is a lot of competition. The focus is on exams. And the question arises – is the child well rounded? So the school has a responsibility here. So this is the duty of the teachers of arts and sports. It needs to produce well rounded students,” said Thilakarathne
He pointed out that Principal B A Abeyrathna takes special interest in these activities. Here the entire school, the staff and parents are taking an interest in forming the personality of the child. ‘Thajith’ is not only a dance show but involves other aspects as well such as drama, singing and painting.
“Royal College is a school that is united and multi-cultural. Royal college consists of students from diverse backgrounds. We are all one family at Royal College. So students from different faculties belonging to different age groups are taking part in ‘Thajith’. So the goal is creating students who have benefited from a holistic education. I feel that if every school learns from us then we can really transform society. Today with media, children have really changed a lot. As teachers we have a huge responsibility. The role of a teacher is not confined to a set of hours. He or she needs to be there for the student all the time,” said Thilakarathne
Participant Supul Wickramasinghe, pointed out that shows such as ‘Thajith’ ensure the safeguarding of the traditions in society.
“Shows such as Thajith are of great value as they produce responsible citizens that can do a lot of good for society. Shows like ‘Thajith’ make sure that our traditions survive and by doing such shows we make sure that they are not forgotten. So that is what Royal College is doing right now. Producing men who can make a difference in society. I am taking part to display my talents and I also want to give back to my school.
So we are practicing really hard and we are really enthusiastic about the whole program. We need to give our young boys the message that it is their duty to preserve traditions. The participation is from Grade 1 – 13. So right now we want to give our best. The team spirit is really on a high. So there is a representation from many faculties such as Math, Commerce and Arts. Our parents support us a lot,” said Wickramasinghe
Participant Manthila Gamage, commented that the show is extremely comprehensive with dancing and drama. He said that it is an excellent opportunity for the students to display their skills.
“Grade one and two will mainly deal with songs. Grade six and ten will handle the more traditional aspect. Grade 13 will handle a more mature version of dance. There will also be Western Dances and Kathak dances. We have a very good bond with each other and there is a lot of shared passion. In the team there are boys from various walks of life. So now we are one whole happy family. For ‘Thajith 2019’, we are doing a painting event, music event and a drama event. It really is exciting since we are trying to match the international standard. I have been doing dancing since I was little and it is a great opportunity for me to be a part of this,” said Gamage.
Participant Peshala Gunawardhana, stated that this is a major effort taken by the entire school. The main event is dance but of course there are other events as well – music, art and drama.
“This event may indeed be a first when it comes to a school event done by the students. I think all this is a first in the Sri Lankan School circuit. Because the painting/art aspect of the program is similar to the international standard. If you take the dancing part of the program - they are both traditional and current. We will also feature something similar to the Swan Ballet. The painting part of it will be done with music and cables. There will be action and music. At the last minute we will see the output. Until then the audience does not know what is going on. There will also be a miming drama act. The music act will also feature violins and drumming. Drumming will be done with the old boys, who will also be doing their separate item,” said Gunawardhana.
There will be so many dancing styles to be seen at ‘Thajith’ including styles from other countries as well such as the Spanish. So there will also definitely be Sri Lankan styles. “The boys are receiving a lot of support from the entire school which will motivate them to make this program a success. I think this show will be a success because of our closeness and the friendships we have formed. So the school is a huge strength for us. The young ones especially are very keen and excited about this. They come to us seeking our advice. They are always asking us questions as how best to raise their standard. As Royalists we always try and lead and set an example when it comes to other schools. So on the October 18 there will be a huge representation of Royalists on stage. This will help build up the personality of the students. That is the value of the program. It turns you into an efficient and resourceful individual,” said Gunawardhana.
Participant Sachin Abhayaratne, remembers the first ‘Thajith’ held in 2013, which he took part in. For him it was certainly a memorable one. The second time was in 2017. 2019, is the third with 21 items.
“In Sri Lanka we have seen dancing shows by schools. But ‘Thajith’ covers the traditional aspect mixing it with a more modern outlook. So that seems to be a difference. There is also a Bollywood theme in addition to up country and low country Sri Lankan dances. There is also a Spanish theme. There is an item similar to the Russian Swan Ballet. So there is also an international mix. If you take the boys they are very passionate about dancing. They genuinely love it. It is amazing because we all work so hard and so much because we love what we are doing. There are a lot of acts from the primary and the middle school. So the devotion is really exemplary and heartening. There will also be some girls’ schools participating in dance – Anula Vidyalaya, Rathnavali Vidyalaya and Yashodara Vidyalaya. This time there is a bigger representation of girls,” said Abhayaratne.
The main show will commence at 6 pm on this Friday, October 18, at Navarangahala Royal College. There will be two shows that day. 1.30 pm and 6 pm. Tickets can be purchased at College Office.
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