by Father Bernard Fernandes
MUMBAI, DEC 19, 2017: Don Bosco, Matunga is an institution that imbibes the spirit of sharing and giving, two virtues that form the crux of the Christmas 
season as well. On December 15 and 16, hundreds of students and staff from the institution organised the Christmas Panorama, a the blue riband event aimed at ushering in the Christmas spirit at the Matunga campus.
The Panorama included inter-class activities on and off the stage, with scores of students, class teachers and generous parents participating in festive activities prior to the days of the mega event. As a prelude to the main act, traditional Christmas activities like decorating the crib, star and the Christmas tree were held. This year mocktail and salad dressing competitions were included in the schedule. The judges, spectators and onlookers at these diverse activities were fed a steady diet of artistic delights and culinary skills.
Days of practice, planning and meticulous preparation for the main on-stage performance eventually translated into a memorable and enriching enactment of the Christmas story. The programme was spread over two days of the Christmas Panorama. On the first day, the audience was treated to some extravagant display of colour, art and music at the Christmas hat parade, carol singing, karaoke, and the two dance competitions – Dancerize, a combination of dance and exercise, and 'Best of 1980s'. The Stylish student of the year – an event organised for the students of standard nine – was yet another programe that was eagerly awaited by the audience, especially the young students.
The second day's programme had an additional flavour of Christmas tradition. Standard eight presented their class assembly on the Christmas theme, while the band conducted by Saby Franco chipped in with some melodious Christmas carols. This was interspersed with raffle draw and the awards of the different competitions.
The beneficiaries of this year's Christmas Care-n-Share Panorama were the railway children of Jeevodaya at Itarsi. There are 80 children in the two homes – for boys and girls each – besides a centre for 20-30 addicted children. In the absence of the director of Jeevodaya, Sister Clara and the assistant, Roger Jones, a cheque of six lakh rupees was presented to the Rector, Father Crispino D'souza, by the administrator, Father Roy Noronha. Father Bernard Fernandes, the Principal then read the letter of Sister Clara addressed to the management, staff and students citing their works and expressing their gratitude for being selected as the recipients o
f the cheque.
The stage was then lit for the remainder of the events of the day – the two dance competitions 'Folk dance' and 'All the right moves' and the mega blockbuster 'The Bosco King' competition for the selected students of standard 10. The dapper students with a sprightly spring walked the ramp in traditional and formal attire and answered questions directed at them. Harsh Mehta was named 'Bosco King' and Ahmad Kazi was named 'Stylish Student of the year'. The Christmas Panorama provided all an apt reason to be joyful and merry this Christmas – in sharing their wealth and love with one another!