Odyssey’23: Bengaluru’s Vibrant School Fest

23 November 2023

ODYSSEY 2023, Bengaluru’s vibrant school fest hosted by Knowledgeum Academy, was a resounding success. Spanning two days, the event proved exhilarating for both the organising team and participants from various schools.

The term "Odyssey," signifying a voyage, aptly captured the essence of this event—an odyssey of self-discovery, imaginative expressions, intellectual discussions, and innovative ideas. The event culminated weeks of hard work, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to providing a platform for young minds to explore their talents, knowledge, and creativity. At Knowledgeum Academy, we firmly believe in education extending beyond the confines of the classroom, and ODYSSEY 2023 exemplifies our vision of holistic education.

Scheduled for 22nd and 23rd November, ODYSSEY offered a diverse range of events, including Performing Arts, Visual Arts, New Media and Design, and Innovation. These events were further categorised into Dance, Theatre, Music, Group Painting, Solo Painting, JAM, Short Movie Making, Quiz, Sustainability, and Innovation Idea Challenge for learners of Grade 6 – Grade 8 and Grade 9 – Grade 12. Each event stood as a testament to success, showcasing the efforts of the organising team and the participants.

Laïkoí, Klasikós, and Sýnchronos under Choros, represented the dance competitions which were organised to enable participants to condense and choreograph their ideas, imagination and message into flowing movements of synchronised hand and footwork essayed through unique music and incredible teamwork of the learners.

Mikros, Mimos, and Dromos, all of which belonged to Théatro, which represented the theatre competitions. These were acts that were crafted through intense planning, timing and excellent execution in order to portray the assigned meanings of the skits. It also provided learners a stage to explore diverse forms of expression, voice modulation, and impactful public communication.

Klasikí, Xéni, and Melodia, as part of the Armonía series, transformed into a captivating musical battle; these events invited participants to showcase their vocal talents and musical prowess, creating harmonies that echoed through the competition.

Toe The Line, The Canvas Crew, and ArtEcon, categorised under Chroma, became a canvas for the participants to display their artistic talents on shoes, canvases and other media. It encouraged them to explore artistic horizons and exhibit their unique skills beyond conventional means.

JAM and Movie Maze, under Vivliografía, became avenues for participants to refine their English-speaking finesse and delve into the art of movie making, honing their cinematic abilities. These contests were designed to inspire young filmmakers to interpret cinematic ideas and implement through their filmmaking skills.

Brain Mapping – Quiz, Sustainability, and Innovation Idea Challenge, under Design and Innovation, were challenges and not just competitions. It sparked critical thinking and ignited the spirit of innovative problem-solving, providing participants with a platform to solve complex tests with brilliance and creativity.

Over 350 learners from renowned schools across Karnataka enthusiastically registered for the competitions. The JSS Auditorium buzzed with anticipation as participants gathered for the inaugural day of Knowledgeum Academy's very first interschool fest.

Day 1

The fest commenced with the lighting of the lamp by esteemed dignitaries, followed by an inaugural dance performance by Samagna and Sahana. Mr. Kalai Rajan, the head of the school and DP coordinator, addressed the gathering, setting the tone for the event. The special guest for the day, Mr. Sai Vignesh, was then warmly welcomed. The auditorium radiated with excitement as the chief guest took the stage and delivered a heartfelt performance of his hit song, "Varaha Roopam," from the movie "Kantara," instantly setting a soulful tone. As the day's events unfolded, participants engaged in Solo Classical Dance, Sustainability and Innovation Idea Challenge, Group Folk Dance, Quiz, Solo Light Music, and JAM.

Manav Rajpurohit, the Head Boy of the School, concluded day 1 by expressing gratitude to all the participants and extending best wishes to those set to participate on the next day.

Day 2

The participants gathered with exceptional energy on the second day, eager to make their schools proud by competing for the overall trophy and a cash prize of INR 15,000. Street Play, Group Painting, Mime, Shoe Painting, Group Contemporary Dance, and a special musical performance by Beat Gurus were the events lined up for the day.

Learners gave their best in all the events and eagerly anticipated the performance of the Beat Gurus. The musical group awed the crowd with an electrifying performance which drove the entire audience to groove to their beats.

The day concluded with the valedictory, where all participants received their winner and runner-up trophies, along with participation certificates. After careful evaluation of the school performances, Jain Heritage School, Belgaum, was awarded the title of Odyssey 2023 Champions.

As Odyssey 2023 concluded, we take pride in its success as a platform that brought learners from diverse backgrounds together to celebrate knowledge and creativity. Moving forward, we aim to set higher standards in the coming years while preserving the enduring spirit of the Odyssey.