Pipe and drum band of Kumudini Homes Schoolleaves Kalimpong on way to Basel

YOWAN MOTHAY, EOI, KALIMPONG, JULY 9, 2022 : The pipe and drum band of Kumudini Homes School left Kalimpong on Saturday to participate in the Basel Tattoo Festival to be held in Basel, Switzerland from July 14 to July 24.

Before leaving, the school organized a grand event at Dumbar Chowk Kalimpong. Kalimpong District Magistrate R Vimala was the chief guest at the event and various  school heads of Kalimpong district were present. During the programme, bands of a few other schools also performed. St. Philomena School, Pramami Balika Vidya Mandir and Ravindra High School's pipe band took them to the blind school. 

The Independence Day programme in Kalimpong is a famous one. Parades, football matches and band display events mark the I-day celebration in Kalimpong. 

The Basel Tattoo Organizing Committee has been showing glimpses of the school's band exhibition on social media for years. 

The band of Kumudini Homes School in Kalimpong has sent a group of 21 students and one teacher from Kalimpong to participate in the Baseltattoo on July 9, said Bhupen Karthak, teacher-in-charge of the school. According to Karthak, it is a matter of pride for the band to participate in the event not only for Kalimpong District, GTA Region, West Bengal but for the whole of India. 

The entire cost of the trip, which is being organized by the Swiss Department of Defense, will be borne by the Swiss government. The band was started by the school in the 1960s, which weakened in between but was revived with a resurgence from the 2000s. 

Pipe bands from Kumudini Homes School have already participated in events in Mumbai, Sikkim and other places. People of Kalimpong are confident about the performance of the school band. 

After a year of preparation for the competition, a one-day competition is held on August 16 every year, which is watched by people from all over the world, including Kalimpong. Rajesh Bhusal, co-teacher of the school, said. The campaign has been running since 2019 but the programme could not be held due to the outbreak of Covid-19 all over the world. 

Bhusal informed that the Kumudini family, teachers and the Department of Education and many well-wishers had provided assistance for the same as the Swiss Army has arranged the ticket and accommodation for Switzerland.

According to him, the students will leave Kalimpong for Siliguri on Saturday and Bagdogra for Mumbai on July 10. Army bands from different countries will be participating in the Basel tattoo. The students of Kumudini Homes will do Khukuri dance on the day for which the Swiss government is making khukuris.