A gracious invitation from Andrea Kahn leads me into a marvelous morning of music, mantra and mmmm… cookies! But am I surprised? Not at all. This is Avanti House.
Matthew Whitlock reports
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Across the world this weekend, Diwali was celebrated. Lamps were lit, prayers were offered and sweets were consumed; all against a colourful backdrop of family and fireworks. Better still, the lucky students of Avanti House have been allowed to prolong the party, celebrating again on their return to school.
Andrea Kahn heads the Philosophy, Religion & Ethics department at the school, and coordinated the festive assembly event. Performances and presentations were repeated; first for Year 7 and again for 8 and 9. Students were welcomed by Principal Mr Bennison, offering personal insights into the significance of Diwali, then introductions for Shrutidharma Das, a special guest from the Bhaktivedanta Manor, who was accompanied by two other devotees.
First on stage were a band of incredibly talented musicians. This was no ‘warm up act’, as was confirmed by the buzzing atmosphere throughout the hall. The well-rehearsed sounds of bass guitar, fast paced drum beats, two sets of tablas, classical flute and a 3-piece choir would not sound out of place at an end-of-year school disco. The song itself however, was a traditional Hindi dedication to Rama. Credit is most definitely due to Head of Music Ms Chand for blending 21st century rhythm with a timeless tune.
Next, a well-trained troupe of dancers take to the dancefloor. Ms Onuphre had clearly worked wonders with her students. Their Bollywood-inspired choreography was flawless, their costumes dazzling, but most impressive to me was their exuberance. These ladies were brimming with confidence as they spun like Whirling Dervishes before us. There is no doubt about it – the character of this young school is already well defined as a specialist in the Arts – the proof is in the performance!
Devotional kirtan followed, lead by a saffron-robed monk named Radha Govinda. He greeted the audience, then introduced the Hare Krishna mantra, describing it as the perfect chant for a day like Diwali. His light-hearted approach to kirtan was both fun and uplifting.
Shrutidharma Das concluded with some fascinating descriptions of the origins of the Indian new year and the many ways in which Diwali is celebrated. I’ve often wondered, if India uses a different calendar to the rest of the world, at what point does it begin? This often pondered question of mine (not all of us consult Google for everything!) was answered thus: an emperor named Vikram, of the Indian state Ujjain, once decided that Lord Rama’s return to Ayodhya should be commemorated forever by beginning the year on that day. This took place in the year 56BC, making the year in India 2070.
Shrutidharma Das also provided some first-rate suggestions for new year resolutions, which he had derived from the teachings of Krishna Chaitanya, offering first the original Sanskrit terms: Jiva Daya, Nama Ruci and Sadhu Sanga, meaning “do good to others, chant the names of God and keep good company”. I’m unable to recall a single piece of advice given to me during any of the school assemblies I sat in as a child, but these words of wisdom, delivered with such genuine intent, will certainly stay with me.
Diwali without sweets would not be Diwali, so in yet another act of generosity from Shrutidharma Das, every student was treated to a cookie, handed out with a smile from Ms Andrea Kahn and her team. We were reminded that these cookies were in fact ‘prasadam’ – especially blessed at the temple with everyone at Avanti House in mind – a delicious end to a delightful morning.
