Issue 10 by The Assam Valley School

A V E

Issue 10, 2016

Established: 1995

Graduation 2016

1-2

Ups And Downs

Deciphered

Saturday, 14th May, 2016

Squad Goals

Home Coming

Graduations, 2016

Feel Good

-Shreyaa Goswami, XII certain smell gnawing through the air, of the ‘real world’ and the fortitude it takes to make a sound catching you off-guard, will it through. Following the speech the students of sometimes take you back to a place the Batch of 2016 treaded to the forefront towards a where it almost felt like time stood table neatly stacked with the familiar glittering still or perhaps to a time when you stood still silver School Mascots, which abated as each while the world buzzed on. These mystic traces of Aviator made their way towards them. The nostalgia are always far more tender on the heart former Head Boy, Rohan Nandy thereafter made than the real thing, for in time all you’ve ever known his way up to the stage to deliver a speech that will only be a faint smell or a lingering sound. The managed to strike a chord, prompt chuckles and fill the 6th of May was a day that saw more than just audience with a warmth that signified something balloons and streamers fluttering in turbulent far more deeper than a simple affiliation. gusts of wind. Somewhere between the dubious Ending on the same note that our legendary weather and routine life of the School, lay a void, Headmaster Derek Mountford had said from the a hollow shell which once housed familiar faces. same podium, ‘Mum and Dad, it’s finally time to go As evening fell and the threat of an home’ triggered magnanimous applause. This was imminent downpour grew followed by the School Choir rendering a stronger while primly dressed and fresh-faced hymn titled ‘Mata Pita’, a rather pleasant producAviators streamed into the much-accustomed tion if not unconventional. Sriparna Gogoi, the WMH, many for whom it was going to be the erstwhile Head Girl who had carved a niche for last time. The ceremony commenced with the herself on the stage mounted it one last time to deSchool Choir extending their rendition of the liver her final speech as an quintessential number ‘One Moment In Time’, Aviator. Authentic, genuine and coherent, the which was then followed by a speech by the Head speech spoke about the adventurous journey of School. The speech was dotted with instances of becoming an Aviator, followed by another and aphorisms that now form the very ethos of the performance by the School Choir. The Chief Guest AVS Community. It also talked about the nuances of the evening, Mr. Vikram Sahay, the Director of 1

Weekly Newsletter of The Assam Valley School

Income Tax at Guwahati in his speech spoke about contribution, utilizing every resource one had ever received and giving back in return. After the vote of thanks the audience stood up in unison to sing the School song, State and National anthem following which the Batch of 2017 gathered together on the stage for a graduation photograph while friends and family were ushered to the swimming pool area for mocktails and dinner. As students cascaded out of the WMH the formal atmosphere of the evening shed and gave

way to the archetypical AVS music and dance on the festooned tennis courts. The photo booth stood jam packed throughout the night, catering to the selfie-obsessed and the sentimental alike. After dinner in a bedecked CDH which did not signal any indication of rushed breakfasts and laid-back tea time, overflowing emotions and tight embraces marked the end of the evening as cars gradually streamed out of the tall iron gates, if only to return once again in the distant future.

Deciphered

-Illustration: Radhika Bayanwala

-Lari Warshong, XI

he was like an enigma. A mystery I could never solve but one that I admired nonetheless. She was the picture of my soul; the part of it hidden behind my smiles and my curt sentences. It was the part of me that I was too afraid to be. It was painted in shades of red and black and it was hidden from the confusion of the world we live in. And now I could see it right in front of my eyes. There was the girl that everybody loved but no-one understood. There was the girl that sang her sad songs at the top of her voice while her happiness overflowed in her subtle smiles. She skipped over stepping stones and sprinted through empty halls but under the sleeves of her shirt were the bruises that reminded her of the past she wanted to forget. Her bruises were purple. Slashes across her wrists and wounds on her shoulders. She looked at them and saw knives, the flawless steel cutting into her pale flesh; the blood flowing over her knuckles and staining the blankets that she cocooned herself in through those painful nights. She remembered him; his sweaty forehead and his clenched fists, knife held tight in his hand. She remembered the helplessness that she felt when 2

the sharp blade slid across her arms and she would count under her breath ‘One, two…’-her eyes were shut tight-‘Three… Four.’-her jaws were clenched ‘Five…’ and it was over. He’d walk away, triumph on his face, her mother standing beside him, too scared to help her wounded daughter. Too afraid to move a muscle, while she waited for it to begin again. Yes, these were memories, but they were memories she needn’t revisit anymore. Instead she remembers blood but the blood she sees is not her own. It is the blood that gushed out of her father’s chest when she took that dreaded knife and plunged it into his cold dark heart. She remembers fear but it wasn’t she who was afraid. Instead it was those dark beady eyes that once thirsted for her blood that begged forgiveness. She was free. She was the girl that skipped over stepping stones and sprinted through empty halls. She was the girl that sang sad songs and swam in smiles. She was me. And as I stared at my now lifeless body and at my bruise covered limp arms the knife plunged deep into my still heart surrounded by my still warm dead flesh it seemed beautiful, met with a poetic justice. I was an enigma. A mystery no one could solve and now a spirit who had seen a peaceful death. AVE Saturday, 14th May, 2016

Ups And Downs

-Aakangsha Dutta, IX he Inter - House Cross Country 3rd- Tsering Wangchuk (Manas) Championship, a rally between the prismatic bands of colours took place Junior Girls on the 8th of March, 2016. While 1st- Anushcka Joshi (Subansiri) House spirit did prosper during the Marathon, 2nd- Priyanka Agarwal (Kopili) what was most striking was the brotherhood and 3rd- Jeffrin Ahmed (Bhoroli) camaraderie shared by the School community. One could spot many Sub-junior boys of the participants uplifting each other’s 1st- Sanendi Toy(Namdang) spirits whilst running which only added 2nd- Joel Vantalruetfela (Lohit) to the rigorous cheers of the unfortunately or 3rd- Laksh Gupta (Manas) fortunately excused, who belted out encouragement from the side lines. After eight long fervid races Sub-junior girls exhausted Aviators gathered on the field for the much 1st- Mahi Agarwal (Subansiri) anticipated results. Bhoroli-Lohit walked away as 2nd- Neha Swabnam (Subansiri) Winners while Kopili-Dhansiri came a close 3rd- Drishti Rathi(Bhoroli) Second. The evening ended with the DHM’s address to the gathering where he brought out the symbolism of a marathon course and its uncanny similarity to one’s life. Worn out and exhausted the participants returned to their Boarding Houses with a sense of satisfaction while Sriparna Gogoi, they looked forward to the well deserved vacation. student of the Senior Boys graduating batch of 2015-16 topped 1st- Kaustab Moni Gogoi (Dhansiri) the ISC exam2nd- Dodum Natung (Dhansiri) inations with an 3rd- Madhav Chettri (Manas) aggregate of 98%. Senior Girls 1st – Emisaka lamar (Kopili) 2nd – Vanchano Patton (Jinari) 3rd- Nitika More (Bhoroli) Asita Dhanuka secured 1st Intermediate Boys position in the 1st- Aditya Thakedath (Namdang) ICSE Board ex2nd- Himangshu Baruah (Lohit) aminations with 3rd- Saptarishi Acharjee (Dhansiri) an aggregate of 95.83%. Intermediate Girls The AVS com1st- Antara Ganguly (Bhoroli) munity is proud 2nd- Jernia Khyodia (Jinari) of their remark3rd- Natasha Rose Rao (Bhoroli) able achievement. Junior boys

Stars of the week

1st- Arindom Pator (Manas) 2nd- Limangzuk Kichu (Namdang) 3

AVE Saturday, 14th May, 2016

Escape-ades

Squad Goals -Amit Jugrran, Director of Physical Education

here is nothing more rewarding than to perform and be recognised. The Under 19 Soccer boys played the best games of their lives in Pune and lifted the 1st IPSC Soccer trophy for AVS. Not only did they succeed in carving a name for themselves but also for their alma mater. It is their sheer belief in self, dedication, passion for the game and compassion for each other that has today made them a part of the IPSC history.

There is much to learn from the victory of this Team. Their commitment towards the game, supporting each other during tough times and above all practicing and working towards a common goal in a selfless collaborative manner. It is indeed difficult to fathom that how sixteen minds can think alike. And that is what leads to a team's victory. It won't be justified if I don't mention that this same band of brothers faced defeat at Indore last AVE Saturday, 14th May, 2016

year. Their cries of pain and anguish rang in my ears till the cry of happiness from Pune cleansed it. I am sure they too feel absolved. It is their tenacity that has made them the champions they are today. While they take a bow may they continue to inspire others.

To quote Rocky Balboa“So many times it happens to fast, You trade your passion for glory, Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past. You must fight just to keep them alive .”

Home-Coming -Flora Basumatary, XI

“Chai, bhaisahab?......................................................” “No thank you..........................................................” The tone of my voice as I replied was flat, rude even. But, I didn’t care. Being in one of my darkest moods at that moment, rude replies to annoying hawkers were the least of my concerns. I’d had a fight with my wife. It had ended up with me walking out of the house. This was not the first time we fought- it was exactly like all those times before. Only this time I was not going to come back home. The train rumbled on making me sway to and fro to its rhythm as I sat my head resting on my fist and my elbow on the window sill. It was starting to make me a little drowsy. A sudden hoot just then startled me. I frowned. Sighing, I took up the book I’d been carrying with me and opened up the page I’d last read till. I didn’t know why I was even reading that book, a rather childish novel that had once belonged to my son. My son. The image of a boy crossed my mind’s eye, an image of my son sitting cross-legged on the sofa and reading his ever-favorite Chris Bradford novel. I never understood what he liked about the Samurais, ruthless warriors that they were. But he always kept on insisting that they were worthy of my attention. I felt a stab of pain in my chest. I missed him. His childish innocence made sure that I would never forget him by giving me a few of his most precious books............................................................. Shaking my head and unknowingly smirking a little, I refocused on the novel. Nathan would surely disapprove if he caught me getting distracted while reading his favorite book. My quiet smile though disappeared when I caught sight of a certain quote: “Home is where the heart is.” Was that really so?................................................... I thought back to my cozy little house the one that I’d shared with my wife and son up until 5

recently. My heart yearned for that place. I wanted nothing more than to return there right now and scoop up Nathan in a big bear-hug. It was a home I knew and loved. But I could no longer return to. Not after I had turned my back on it. Disgruntled, I closed the book and put it away, not feeling like reading it anymore. Trying hard to take my mind off of the recent turn of events, I picked up another one of Nathan’s books. This one was a comic book by a Japanese author with a complicated, unsayable name; a story about a Ninja, nine tailed foxes and other bizarre creatures. And Nathan said this was the most realistic one out of the lot! I started reading it though I didn’t understand or even like half of it. But then again another quote caught my eye and it struck a chord with my heavy, silently mourning heart. The cat- whiskered protagonist of the story said to another young boy. “Home is where someone is thinking about you.” I thought about Nathan again. It suddenly struck me that the home I was leaving behind was still my home. Someone did care about me. It still nursed the major portion of my broken heart. I felt yet another melancholic smile creep into my sulking face........................................................... Even if it really was home and there really was someone thinking about me, it was a home I could never ever return to. The train slowed down but I could see no station in sight. I looked out of the window to see where it had stopped. It was a deserted area with several marshes crawling in between the tracks. A sole gravestone stood atop a hillock. That was when a train rushed by and blocked myview. The image of the stone was however seared in my mind. It reminded me of the reason why my home was home no longer. AVE Saturday, 14th May, 2016

Ripple #31 -Priyangsha Chittaranjan, XII

Ghastly whispers sprinted through the Whitechapel streets A man accompanied by his concealed knife, she meets Eleventh death of a nightwalker, they say Next to her warped body, a sealed letter lay “Finders weepers, Losers keepers”

Tongue of Slip!! 1.)We will have morning assembly after morning.- Priyangsha Chittaranjan. (Headgirl, times have changed.) 2.)Why are you jumping inside the window? Ryan Bordoloi (You make us want to jump out of it!) 3.)Give one noodle in my hand.-Angad Singh (We think you are taking your diet too seriously.) 4.)When I speak all are suppose to be pinned drop silence.- Isheeta Singha (You make us speechless anyway.) 5.)It’s too heating hot in here.- Aakangsha Dutta(You have a very warm heart.)

Keep It Reel!!

Cooking Stories -Priyangsha Annette Chittarranjan, XII

AVE Saturday, 14th May, 2016