Breathing life into Tagore’s characters

Festival by Sanglap Group Theatre at Shilpakala Academy

By Nadia Sarwat

Sanglap Group Theatre, a troupe from Mirpur is celebrating its 31st anniversary with a theatre festival featuring Rabindranath Tagore's plays. Six plays by troupes from the capital and outside -- originally written by Tagore or adaptations of his works -- are being staged at the festival, which began on June 18. The plays are being staged at the Experimental Theatre Hall, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) at 8pm everyday till June 24.

The festival began with a rally that started from BSA. After the rally, noted theatre personality Ramendu Majumder, president of ITI, formally inaugurated the event at the Experimental Theatre Hall. The newly elected President of Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation (BGTF), Liaquat Ali Lucky and general secretary Jhuna Chowdhury were also present as special guests a the inauguration. Freedom fighter Rafiqul Islam, founder member of and adviser to Sanglap Group Theatre delivered the welcome speech at the event presided over by the troupe's president, Habibur Rahman Habib.

Praising the initiative by Sanglap, Jhuna Chowdhury said in his speech, "In-depth study and performance of Tagore's works got a momentum in the post-Liberation War Bangladesh. Tagore is omnipresent in every sphere of our cultural. But from my personal experiences, I have noticed that many young theatre activists are indifferent towards Tagore's litterateur and plays. Festivals like this would help to generate interest in Tagore among youngsters."

"Many are apprehensive about staging Tagore's play, as they find them difficult. But Tagore, who defined the modern Bengali, was very liberal when it came to staging his plays -- allowing directors enough freedom to interpret his plays from their perspectives. Theatre troupes should definitely work more on Tagore's plays without reluctance," said Liaquat Ali Lucky.

Ramendu Majumder said, "It takes a skilled director to bring Tagore's characters to the stage from the pages. As we have a dearth of original/unique plays, we can always turn to Tagore for inspiration. I'm looking forward to see more innovative, experimental productions based on Tagore's plays and litterateur by young directors."

Subachan Natya Sangsad staged "Khudhito Pashan" on the first day of the festival. The play is an adaptation of a surreal short story (with the same title) by Tagore. Samar Chattyopadhyay adapted the play while renowned actor-director Khaled Khan has directed it.

The play begins with a Muslim aristocrat arriving at a deserted rail station in a small town. The protagonist finds his way to a haunted palace. A tax collector in colonial India, he moves into the marble mansion. Supposedly, the edifice was once used as a 'pleasure palace' by King Shah Mahmud II. Wails of courtesans who were subjected to the tyranny of the king in the palace still seem to resonate in the air. The protagonist goes through some unexplainable experiences, and comes to a profound realisation. Ahsan Habib Nasim played the tax collector in the Subachan production.

Tirjak Chattogram staged "Bishorjon" on the second day of the festival. Natyalok Sylhet will stage the play "Shasti" tonight. Other plays to be staged at the festival are "Rakto Karobi" (by Prangoney Mor), "Daakghar" (by Swapnadal) and "Debotar Grash" (by Sanglap Group Theatre).

This year has witnessed three theatre festivals on Tagore's works so far -- two in Dhaka and one in Chittagong.

Source: The Daily Star.

Book fair by Muktadhara

Arif Mahmud - May 13, 2009

On the occasion of the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, famous publication house Muktadhara is arranging a 20-day book fair on the premises of the Central Public Library in Shahbagh.

The organisers have displayed some of their rare books at a concession rate. The custormers will get a commission of 35 to 70 percent on every purchase. According to the organisers, if a customer buys books worth Tk 300 they will get a one-year membership of the readers’ association of Muktadhara.

The organisers further said that customers who purchase books worth Tk 500, will get a lifetime membership.The fair that began on May 8 will remain open to all from 10:00am to 8:00pm till May 28.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

An evening of Hemanta Mukherjee classics

Performance by Soumitra Bandopadhyay

Kavita Charanji - New Delhi, May 12, 2009

It is unlikely that a musical soiree to celebrate the 148th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore would attract strong protests from a section of the audience. However, that is just what transpired at a recent concert in Delhi by singer Soumitra Bandopadhyay, who presented an evening of Rabindra Sangeet and other popular melodies of the celebrated singer, composer, lyricist, film director and producer Hemanta Mukherjee in Hindi and Bengali. For starters some members of the audience objected to the clubbing of Hindi film songs with Bengali numbers and Rabindra Sangeet. What got their goat even more was the playful yodeling of Kishore Kumar songs by Indranil Banerjee, Soumitra's son.

The angry people had to be pacified by Bijan Mukherjee, president of Impresario India, one of the organisers of the programme. As he said, “Hemanta Mukherjee sang in both Hindi and Bengali. This concert is for all communities, not just Bengalis.” Another unruffled person questioned, “We are gathered here to celebrate music, so why the objections?”

Anyway, barring the protests, the evening effectively centred on the music of the Kolkata-based Soumitra. Among his melodious and meditative Rabindra Sangeet were “Tumi ki kebali chhobi,” “Purano shei din-er kotha” and “Pagla hawar badal din-e.” The Hemanta classics included a song of longing, "Tum pukar lo..," "Naa tum ham-e jaano naa hum tumhe jaane" and the famous "Jaane ye woh kaise log thhe jinko pyaar me pyaar mila" (the latter from the Guru Dutt classic "Pyaasa").

Talking to Soumitra was an eye opener as he related many interesting anecdotes about his late guru Hemanta Mukherjee. As the singer asserted, he knew Hemanta for a span of 13 years until his death in 1989. While Soumitra excelled in Rabindra Sangeet and the Bengali musical items he can be faulted on one score -- the heavy Bengali accent in the Hindi numbers, which detracted from the soothing ambience of the summer evening. But Soumitra had the humility to ask the audience to bear with his imperfect Hindi pronunciation.

While the young Indranil rendered some fun Kishore Kumar numbers with great aplomb, his Bengali songs lacked the depth and intensity of his father Soumitra. But this is only the beginning for Indranil, who can clearly make a mark on the music world.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Jagoron celebrates Tagore

Cultural Correspondent / May 11, 2009

Cultural organisation 'Jagoron Shangskriti Chorcha O Gobeshona Kendra' (JSCGK) held a two-day special event titled “Kobi Pronaam” at the Department of Dance of Music, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), celebrating the148th birth anniversary of Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, starting from May 8. 

The event featured solo and group rendition of songs, dance, recitation and more. An exhibition on Tagore's paintings was also held as part of the celebration. A total of 20 reproductions of Tagore's paintings were put on display. 

The two-day event featured performances by nearly 25 noted and emerging Tagore artistes. On May 8 the show started with a recitation of the Tagore poem, “Aji ei probhatey rabir kor” by Ahkamullah. A group performance of the Tagore number “Hey notun dekha dik aar baar” by Sur-er Dhara followed.

On the first day a total of 10 artistes -- Himadri Shekhor, Shoma Rani Roy, Mamun Zahid Khan, Chhaya Karmakar, Azizur Rahman Tuhin, Salma Akbar, Pijush Barua, Rezwana Chowdhury Bonnya, Mahiuzzaman Chowdhury and Papia Sarwar -- performed at the programme. Ahkamullah and Dalia Ahmed presented recitation. Lively dance performances by Nrityam added to the attraction.

On the second day solo performances were staged by Mita Haque, Sajed Akbar, Laisa Ahmed Lisa, Fahim Hossain Chowdhury, Sharful Alam, Farhin Khan, Swati Sarkar, Ashim Dutta and others. Group performances were staged by Surtirtha and Jagoron. Laila Afroz and Belayet Hossain presented recitations and dance performances were staged by Nritya Nandan.

This was the first programme by Jagoron. The organisation was founded on April 2008. The event was supported by Step Media Ltd.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

Tagore’s birth anniversary celebrated at Silpakala Academy

By Rahad Abir / May 10, 2009

To celebrate Rabindranath Tagore’s 148th birth anniversary, the ministry for cultural affairs organised a cultural programme at the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Silpakala Academy on Friday.

The entire programme was comprised of solo and group musical performances, dances and recitations based on Tagore’s works. Noted singers of Tagore music, recitation and dance artistes from all over the country participated in the programme. The event started off with a dance performance along with the song ‘Aguner parashmani chhoyao prane’, choreographed by Anisul Islam Hero and performed by the members of Srishti Cultural Centre.

Popular singers of Tagore music; Laisa Ahmed Lisa, Azizur Rahman Tuhin, Salma Akbar and Rezwana Chowdhury Banya, among others, sang and delighted the audience with popular Tagore music. The songs included ‘Majhe majhe tobo dekha hoy’, ‘Anbo na anbo na’, ‘Tumi ki kebali chhobi’ and ‘Aami kan pete roi’. Bhaswar Bandapaddhay recited a poetry written by Tagore and is titled ‘Prithbi’. And Ranjit Raxmit of Chittagong recited the poetry ‘Ora Achhe’.

The members of the dance organisations, Nritya Nandan, performed a dance which was choreographed with the song ‘Shefali boner moner kamana’. The Odissi and Tagore Dance Movement Centre presented a dance choreographed with ‘Baje baje ramya bina’, and Nrityam presented ‘Oi mahamanab ase’. Some noted Tagore singers such as; Papia Sarwar, Lily Islam, Tapan Mahmud, Kader Kibria, A M M Mahiuzzan, Khandakar Khairuzzaman Kaium, Shama Rahman and Ashok Saha of Kustia, among others, sang in the programme. The members of the cultural organisations Pratiti, Abhudyaya and Rabirag presented group performances directed by Mansura Begum, Ajit Roy and Saadi Muhammad respectively.

The entire show seemed to have enchanted the audience. And the hall was fully packed, as the cultural programme was open for all.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Chhayanaut holds Tagore programme

Ariful Islam Mithu / May 10, 2009

On the occasion of the 148th anniversary of birth of Rabindranath Tagore one of the leading cultural organisations Chhayanaut arranged a cultural programme in its auditorium in Dhanmondi in the evening of Friday.

A good number of singers and recitation artistes delighted the aficionados of Tagore by singing songs and reciting from the works of the poet. The programme started with a recitation by Tamanna Tithi. Then one after another the singers showered the rains of melody on the audience amid summer-heat.Kanchan Mustafa sang ‘O hey sundar momo grihe aji’; then Tanzina Pervin sang ‘Probhu aji tomar dakshin haat’ and Nirjhar Chowdhury sang ‘Majhe majhe tobo dheka pai’.The song ‘Tomar preme dhanya koro jare’ was sung in chorus.

Following the chorus, Partha Protim Ray came with the song ‘Joraye achhe badha’. Shankori Saha sang ‘Bolo bolo kobe tomar’ and Johirul Haque Khan came on the stage and recited the ‘Khaya Kabya’. Besides the younger artistes, noted singers of the country also attended in the soiree. Among them, Iffat Ara Dewan sang ‘Dhay jeno mor sakol bhalobasa’.

The singers of Chhayanaut sang the song ‘Aji pranami tomare chalibo nath’ in chorus. Tania Mannan sang ‘Jani jani kon adikal hote’, and ATM Jahangir sang ‘Prane khushir tufan uthechha’.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Poetry in the pain of ecstasy

148th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore

Syed Badrul Ahsan / May 8, 2009

Rabindranath Tagore is at the core of your being. The Bengali in him approximates the Bengali in you. As you recite his poetry or sing his songs, you remain aware of certain inalienable truths. And they are pretty simple ones as well. The bard speaks to you through the turnings in the seasons. In your turn, you speak to him, absorb his sentiments as it were. The result is a harmonious whole. 

And harmony is what Rabindranath has consistently focused on. Think of shimar majhe ashim tumi / bajao apon shur. It is a song that takes you closer to Creation, indeed imbues you with thoughts of the ties that bind you to your Creator. In his puja songs, there emerges all the brilliance of the universe as it goes through a dawning somewhere deep within time and space. And so you hear the gentle tones of tumi daak diyechho kon shokale / keu ta jaane na. In Rabindranath, it is the gentle and the tranquil which flows through the leaves of the trees. The poetry is the breeze.

And the poetry caresses, all the way through the verses given over to a celebration of love. Imagine the beauty and the poise of the one you adore, you worship. Imagine the silk softness of her being as you hum aha tomar shonge praaner khela. The soul is all in Rabindranath, be it in the links between man and woman or between you and the gods. Praan, the soul, takes on a sadder dimension when the loved one moves away, which is when you lose yourself in the pale light of the moon and sing dekhate parine keno praan. No pain can be more intense than that which the beloved does not see. Close your eyes and hear the pain of the one who sings amar praaner pore chole gelo ke / boshonter bataash tukur moto . . .

And yet there is sometimes pleasure in Rabindranath's evocation of pain. You call it the agony of reaching for the heights and at the same time know that you cannot quite scale the peaks of desire. The soul wriggles through a delicate dilemma in the song, shunil-o shagorer shyamal-o kinare. The pain begins at the beginning and then rises clear of you, of the earth your feet are firmly planted on, until it reaches its crescendo in imone kedaraye behaage bahare. There is ecstasy in that song, as there is in the sadder, quieter jokhon eshe chhile ondhokare chand utheni / shindhu pare chand utheni.

There is forever the primordial in Rabindranath. It is life he celebrates and death he glorifies. The universe is a pattern of ever widening ripples and experience is the insistent falling of the rain on monsoon nights. When the melody of tomaye gaan shonabo / tai to amay jagiye rakho seeps into you and goes into an intensification of your sensibilities, you realise that this canvas of aesthetic beauty will pass into a wider cosmos one day, in the way the river finds itself anew in the bosom of the sea. Somewhere deep in the night, the wind brings to you the strains of ogo nodi apon bege pagol para. The beating in your heart is a sign of the expansiveness of melody. You know then that the earth is now poised to meet the sky, that the river prepares to consummate its romance with the heavens. The climactic comes through the whispered megh bolechhe jaabo jaabo / raat bolechhe jai / shagor bole kul milechhe / ami to ar nai. You are at peace. You lie back, until the pounding at the gateway of the heart tells you that newer songs have arrived.

Images of the one lost to time flash before you. The sense of loss reveals the vacuum that the passing of a soulmate has left behind, crater-like. Your loneliness comes encompassed in noyono shommukhe tumi nai / noyoner majh khane niyechho je thain. And then, swiftly and surely, you are pulled back to thoughts of your own mortality . . . amar din phuralo / byakul badolo shanjhe.

The universe is what God has made of it. We are but atoms, infinitesimal beings in the consistently expanding frontiers of the universe. But we are the universe too, for the Creator redefines Himself within us, humbling us with His munificence. And so we cheerfully sing amare tumi oshesh korechho / emoni leela tobo.

You are thus part of the miracle. God's beauty comes conjoined with your song. At the edge of twilight is a new beginning . . . amar bela je jaaye shanjh bela te / tomar shure shure shur mela te. 

Poetry has triumphed.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net

5-day Rabindra festival begins in city

Cultural correspondent / may 6, 2009

A five-day Rabindra festival organised by the Bangladesh Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha began on Tuesday at Shaukat Osman Memorial Auditorium of Central Public Library in Shahbagh.

Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique, the vice-chancellor of Dhaka University inaugurated the festival as chief guest while musician Sudhin Das presided over the function.In his inaugural speech Arefin Siddique said, ‘We have to uphold the literature and philosophy of Rabindranath Tagore to the new generations especially for the children’.

Organiser demanded public holiday on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam and to name three major roads of the city after the names of Rabindranth, Lalon Shah and Hason Raza.The organisers paid tribute to Mohammad Shahjahan, who has been playing tabla for the last sixty years. They handed over Taka 20,000 and a crest to the instrumentalist.

‘I feel delighted and honoured because Rabindra Sangeet Shilpi Sangstha has acknowledged me,’ Shajahan said while sharing his feelings with audience.

Organiser will arrange soirees of Tagore songs and recitations from his poems during the festival. About 175 singers and 15 troupes of Rabidra Sangeet singers from different parts of the country will take part in the festival.Everyday, the function will begin at 5:30pm. The programme on May 8 will begin at 9:00am and will resume at 5:30pm on the day.

There will also be an open discussion on May 6 and 7.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Tagore Drama Festival

Ritwik stages Antar Andar

By Rahad Abir / May 4, 2009

On the occasion of the weeklong ‘Tagore Drama Festival’, organised by the theatre group Prangane Mor, festivity remains around the National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy in the city.

The festival enthrals the audience because five theatre groups from Bangladesh and India are staging their plays, written by Rabindranath Tagore or based on the story of the litterateur.Ritwik, an Indian participant group staged the play ‘Antar Andar’ on the second day of the festival, on Saturday. The play ‘Antar Andar’ is based on the famous story of Rabindranath titled ‘Strir Patra’. The story ‘Strir Patra’ based on a letter written by Mrinal, the protagonist and the narrator of the story.

 Whatever higher education we receive, acquire modern views, many of us cannot free ourselves from feudal outlook. Still today we consider women as our property. In the marriage life a woman has no world except her husband. A wife who accepts it becomes a good wife in the society.But in ‘Strir Patra’, Mrinal is an exception. She has a strong personality, and thinks in a different way. She composes poetry in secret, and finds her own freedom. Including Mrinal, the play ‘Antar Andar’ focuses on the lives of three women.

Goutam Roy Chowdhury both scripts and directs the play. He has done some experiments here. That is why to the general audience the play seems to be a little bit unusual but obviously it delights the audience. As in the story, in the play too no sequence is maintained as regards time and space.As the entire play presents Mrinal’s thoughts, it develops according to the incidents described in the letter.The play ends with rounds of applause and the audience was touched by the director’s speech. The theatre group also staged ‘Chaturanga’ on the inaugural day of the festival.

The organisers are also arranging an open air cultural programme each day which includes music, dance and recitation at the entrance of the National Theatre Hall. The programme continues till the beginning of the play.

Source: http://www.newagebd.com

Rabindra Kacharibari in Shahzadpur Of trials and tribulations

By Golam Mostafa Jibon / Sirajganj, May 4, 2009

Rabindra Kacharibari at Shahzadpur in Sirajganj district is rapidly losing its appeal. Archaeological Department officials allege that some members of the local elite have grabbed a sizeable portion of land in the estate and have set up trade centres and clothing markets in the restricted area. Besides, say the officials, they face hurdles in preserving the memorabilia at the Rabindra Memorial Museum due to inadequate space and a shortage of manpower. 

The memorabilia include dishes, bathtubs, hookahs, seals, shoes, wooden sandals, water filter, bedstead, piano, sofa, spectacles, palanquin, harmonium, metal vessels and rare photos belonging to the Tagore household -- all of which are in urgent need of maintenance. 

Musical instruments such as the harmonium and piano are damaged, as they are not in use. Meanwhile, the sofa and palanquin have been infested with insects. The rusty dishes and blurry photographs too bear testimony to the appalling state of the museum. Likewise, the dusty books should be kept in bookshelves, say sources. Besides, a library is necessary together with a parking lot for visitors. Nahid Sultana, custodian of the museum, told The Daily Star that many visitors come to the museum every day. However, due to lack of space and a parking lot, the authorities do not allow them to hold picnics in the area. Many parts of the old Kacharibari building has developed serious cracks, which worries the locals. 

On the other hand, visitors cannot spend much time in the area because of the absence of a guesthouse and hygienic restaurant. She further said that due to the illegal establishment of trade centres and clothing markets, the estate of Kacharibari is fast losing its original splendour. The visitors who spoke to this correspondent urged the authorities to set up public toilets, a parking lot and a restaurant. They called for the eviction of the illegal land grabbers and the sanction of adequate funds before the upcoming Baishakh 25, birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net