SJBHS OBA Connect - Kerala 2018

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Our school St Joseph's Boys' High School, Bangalore is celebrating 160 years of providing a well-rounded education to students of all sections of society, while our alumni association - known as the Old Boys' Association - is celebrating a 100 years of camaraderie, networking and giving back to our Alma Mater.

The Brunton Boatyard in Fort Kochi draws inspiration from its heritage to reflect a historical and glorious past. A fitting venue for Josephites to 'Connect', representing an alumni network that represents a hundred glorious years of remarkable growth and vitality. The SJBHS OBA initiated the series of reunions known as 'Connects' in 2010. These reunions - filled with nostalgia as well as sense of vitality - have been held at picturesque locations in India and overseas since then. 

Several Old Boys and their families reached Brunton Boatyard during the afternoon of Saturday, May 19. After registration and a warm welcome, we were treated to welcome tea, coffee and biscuits. Brunton Boatyard is located on the shores of the Vembanad Lake, the longest lake in India and perhaps the largest in area. At about 4pm, it was then time for a relaxed boat ride along the placid waters of the lake that leads to the Arabian Sea.

Almost 50 Old Boys from Bangalore and Kerala, and many families, participated. Thommen Karimpanal ’55 was the oldest while Jay Prabhu ‘99 (“Somshekar”) was the youngest Old Boy. Prayer and introductions on the evening of Sat, May 19 were followed by a sumptuous dinner covering a wide range of Kerala cuisine.

A three-piece band entertained the gathering till late in the evening. 

Four representatives from the Batch of 1975 had gathered, from Bangalore, Thrissur and Trivandrum.

The Josephites from the 1950s had retired relatively early. Here is a picture of Josephites from the 1960s.

Several batches from the 1970s...

Followed by batches from the 1980s and 1990s...

Strong participation from families made the Connect even more special. Thank you, all!

Toddy joined the 3-piece Band, and sang several Blues songs.

The agenda on Sun, May 20 was breakfast, a relaxed back waters cruise and a lavish lunch. 

A picture of the happy group just after the morning boat ride. 

The OBA thanks the Kerala Chapter for their outstanding hospitality – for the 9th year in a row!

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SJBHS OBA Connect Kerala 2016

The much awaited event when Old Boys from far and near- some old, some not so old and some young - get together to reminisce about old times at SJBHS has finally arrived, the first of the calendar year 2016. 

The date is 21 May, 2016 (Saturday) and the venue is the Marari Beach Resort in the pretty Mararikulam area in Alleppey district, Kerala. The drive from Kochi airport is long, over 3 hours, punctuated by a food stop and heavy traffic jams in the Edapally area. The welcome is warm, and the high ceiling makes the reception area quite comfortable.   

The unpolluted air by the sea side along with the thick vegetation adds to the comfortable atmosphere. The afternoon does not feel like it is actually over 30 C. 

The rooms in the resort are exceptionally well appointed.  

The toilet is open to sky, terrific for the Summer, however, it gets a bit wet during the Monsoons, I was told. An interesting conversation overheard the next morning during breakfast. Old Boy 1 asks Old Boy 2: So, did you wake up in time for the service this morning? Old Boy 2 responds: No, I did not need to, I heard it sitting in the loo. 

A fan is strategically placed overhead, as can be seen in the photograph. 

The grounds of the resort are well tended to by ever smiling staff. They never fail to greet guests as they go about their daily cleaning tasks. 

Late afternoon is tea time, served in the traditional way on the lush lawns. The boys are glad to see each other, after all.

Marari Beach adjoining the Resort is fairly quiet in May, being  the monsoon season. The seas are rather rough, while the clouds appear to lie heavy and low on top of the water. 

The sand stretches away several kilometres in either direction, very few visitors are visible. 

Fishermen have tied up their boats to the trees since it is the season of rest for the boats and for fishing. The 'no-fishing' period allows the fish to spawn, allowing for a rich harvest when fishing resumes during the month of August. 

The venue for the Annual General Body Meeting of the OBA Kerala Chapter is all set up, ready to welcome the visitors. 

Loud rendition of the School Song, the President's welcome address and a summary of the year's activities are completed efficiently. 

Our Grand Old Man 'Widdy' - an honorary Old Boy who has seen more years in the School than many of us put together - and who is reputed to have supported several Boarders through his humble Tuck Shop, is a guest every year. 

Refreshments and music follow, carrying the night away as Old Boys and families participate happily in the merry making. 

The Batch of 1975 is fairly well represented. 

The Fancy Dress competition has a few supporters, as well. 

The dinner is lavish, consisting of several courses spanning local Kerala food and Continental cuisine, as well as a rich spread of Desert and Fruits. 

Our thanks to the three musicians who helped make it a memorable evening. 

The musical evening continues well into the wee hours in the room, led by the perennial night owl Toddy who never seems to feel sleepy. 

The sun comes up a few hours later, and most of us congregate for a typically heavy breakfast. While some are packed up to leave, most others have half a day to go. 

The Beach Hut is a perfect setting for refreshments, stories and continuing laughs.  

Some of us are drawn into games of Beach Volleyball, as lunch time draws near, yet another lavish affair of local and international cuisine. 

Another SJBHS OBA Connect winds down as the Old Boys and families make their way back to their respective homes. Some of us take a short detour to visit the home of a local Old Boy by the backwaters. 

A large ancestral family mansion, Ayanat House is set on several acres of grounds overlooks the serene backwaters. 

As the sun begins to set, it's time for us to say good bye and head back to Kochi airport. 

It's been a grand reunion. We look forward to meeting up at the next SJBHS OBA Connect in Goa in August, followed by the subsequent one in Coorg in October. 

Until then, in Faith and Toil!

Related posts:

SJBHS OBA Connect Goa 2015 (August 2015)

SJBHS OBA Day 2015 (Sept 2015)

SJBHS OBA Connect Goa 2014 (August 2014)

SJBHS OBA Day 2014 (Sept 2014)

  

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