United colours of Tagore
⚫ WHILE RABINDRA-Nazrul jayanti is not typically celebrated with rainbow fans and LGBTQIA solidarity, AJ Block recently pulled it off gracefully.
The block’s cultural committee put up a tribute to the bards but with fresh content. Nohi Samanya was a modified version of Tagore’s Chitrangada. Directed by Debarshi Chakraborty and choreographed by Moumita Chakraborty, it explored the gender identity of the protagonist.
“I wanted to present this play after reading about a recent petition in the Supreme Court about same-sex marriages. Rituparno Ghosh’s film Chitrangada, about gender identity, also inspired me. So I thought of creating a dance drama to celebrate the love of Arjun and Chitrangada, regardless of their gender,” said Debarshi, who used a male voiceover for Kurupa, Chitrangada’s male persona.
He also changed some songs. In place of the original song Trishnar shanti, for instance, he used Eki labonye purno pran. The dancers wore Manipuri tribal attire and waved rainbow-coloured fans that represent the LGBTQIA community.
Among other acts were Mehul Dhar, 11, and Debattam Baral, 8, captivating the audience with a jugalbandi of sorts. Mehul sang Nazrul’s Holud gnadar phool accompanied by just two percussion instruments — darbuka and bongo — both played by Debattam.
“I learn classical music and enjoyed singing this interesting tune,” said Mehul. Debattam’s mother, Susmita, said the boy had been displaying an aptitude for percussion since he was three or four. “Now his pastime is playing the tabla with his father, who is also a good percussionist,” said the proud mother.
Rahil Roy, 8, played Purano sei diner katha on the violin and brother Rishit, a teenager, played Kato bar bhebechhinu on the keyboard. “Rishit got interested in music during the lockdown and Rahil has been taking online lessons for the past year,” said their mother, Debasree Roy. “Both are inspired by their father, a musician.”
Monalisa Sil recited Nazrul’s Srishti Sukher Ullashe and Ambarnath Banerjee recited Ek baloker Rabindranubhuti. This was his self-composed piece about a boy, who makes a living singing on local trains and loves Tagore’s work. Sanchali Das, Madhumita Guha Ray and other members of the block-based group Antaranga presented a bouquet of Nazrul songs like Jago nari jago bonhisikha. Elderly women of the group Angana performed Rabindrasangeet too.
A group of eight little girls dressed as fairies enchanted the audience with their dance to the song Momer putul momer deshe. It was directed by Susmita Baral, who herself enacted Surupa in Chitrangada.
“My daughter Shubhangini Bhowmik enjoyed her rehearsals and in the green room today she was hoping to don some make-up like the senior dancers. But since she's only four, she was given only lip gloss. She was a tad disappointed,” laughed mother Chirashree Sarkar.
Cultural convenor Lalan Saha said the attempt of the show was to involve residents of all age groups. “The major attraction this time was the take on Chitrangada and we are happy the audience enjoyed it,” he said.
Bharati Kanjilal
Merit & music
⚫ THE OCCASION at New Town’s CE Block activity centre was RabindraNazrul jayanti but it began with felicitating a student who had cleared her Madhyamik examination.
Newtown Cenergy Welfare Society had organised the event to showcase talent among underprivileged children under their wing. Volunteers of the group teach needy students of CE and other blocks, usually on the ground floor of their co-operative buildings.
One such student was Anita Marjit, whose father works as a caretaker in CE Block. Anita won a cash award of Rs 2,000 for her result. “I am elated, grateful and motivated by this ceremony. I want to use this money to buy books and stationery so I can work harder for future exams,” said the first generation learner who cleared the exams in the second division.
Anita Marjit being felicitated in CE Block, New Town.
The TelegraphThe cultural programme then began with a kids’ chorus of Tagore’s Akaash jure shuninu. They also recited verses from Tagore’s and Nazrul’s poetry and danced to their music. A drama and a scripted musical piece Robir Aaloye were presented too.
“The children were enthusiastic about the event. They did not get much time to prepare but were eager to learn and worked hard. Their spirit inspired us too,” said Piyasi Lahiri Sanyal, the group’s joint secretary who also taught the children the acts.
A few residents performed too. Aban Saha and Chitra Sengupta sang and Chandana Saha recited.
“We look after 35 students,” said Saha, a member of the society. “We arrange curriculum-based classes for them along with extra-curricular activities, career guidance sessions, physical exercise sessions and health check-up camps through the year. We also celebrate occasions like Rabindra-Nazrul jayanti to give students a platform to exhibit their talent.”
The group had also invited students of Shikshasatro, another body working for children’s education, to come and watch the show. The event ended with a note by secretary Aniruddha Sengupta.
Srijita Talukdar
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