BL Block
A Rabindrajayanti took place at a BL Block home with friends, neighbours, and lovers of Tagore’s work.
This was the second year of this event. “My daughter Gunja’s birthday is on May 16, just a couple of days after Tagore’s, so at her party last year we had asked invitees to come prepared to perform some of his works. It proved to be a hit and this year we held a dedicated Rabindrajayanti for which there were group performances, weeks of rehearsals, and lots of fun,” said Anasuya Mitra, in whose house the event took place and who anchored the show.
Gunja Roy and her friends — all students of Koel Goswami — sang Rabindrasangeet, as did their music teacher. Then, on public demand, the eight-year-old also performed solo to Maharaj eki saje.
Madhumita Mukherjee recited and Adrija Sen sang in a collage on the concept of eternal love of Tagore. The youngest performer was five-year-old orator of BL Block Agneyan Mukherjee, and senior-most would be Tripti Majumder, another orator from the block, and Partha De, who accompanied singers on the tabla.
Tania Nandy of CG Block directed the kids’ dances, and her son Somsubro Nandy, a fresh school graduate, played the violin. “My son had a college admission test that day,” Tania said later. “But he had already got into the college he wanted – IEM – and so happily skipped the day’s test for the sake of Rabindrajayanti,” she laughed.
The climax featured select songs and dances from Bhanusimha Thakurer Padabali, where Raju Mishra, particularly, stood out for his Odissi-based performance. “We chose this work mainly to revisit the Brajabuli language, which is all but lost now,” said Anasuya.
Rabindrajayanti, this year, was held in the backdrop of the India-Pakistan conflict, and it was during this show that the ceasefire was announced. “I had come prepared to recite, but this news was such a relief that I felt like bursting into song,” said Silva Sarkar of Karunamoyee. “So Adrija, Anasuya, and I spontaneously performed Sokatore oi kadichhe shokole. All three of us are students of Shamik Pal and had just learnt this song recently.”
Anasuya concluded the show by professing that this wasn’t the end but the beginning of a year of Tagore chorcha. “Big ticket Rabindrajayantis often get reduced to decking up and heading out mostly to click selfies, upload them and declare that we were there,” she said. “But a homely show like this is about rehearsals, discussions, and suggestions from those at home. This adds great value and helps keep Tagore a topic of discussion around the year.”
AK Block
AK Block Association put up an elaborate Rabindra-Nazrul jayanti that had residents of all ages performing for one another.
Mayor and local councillor Krishna Chakraborty attended the show and praised the block for the effort. “Tagore is a constant presence in our lives, whose writings uplift our spirit and give us the strength to hold our heads high. Nazrul’s powerful words proved that the pen is mightier than the sword,” she said, referencing his poem Kandari Hushiar. She also recalled Tagore’s Rakhi bandhan movement, during the 1905 Bengal Partition bid, as a lasting symbol of unity and harmony.
The evening began with a melodious rendition of both Rabindrasangeet and Nazrulgeeti by Somdatta Dutta. A second act named Sahaj Path saw children aged six to 12 breathe life into timeless works of the bards through recitation, song and dance.
Seven-year-old Shivank Poddar recited Nazrul’s Ami Hobo and later played Bhutubabu (Banamali) in Tagore’s play Pete o Pithe. “I was chosen because I’m the same age as Banamali, and was thrilled to get the lead role — it gave me the courage to try recitation too,” said Shivank.
Deboswa Nandi delighted the audience with a dance to Anandadhara bohichhe bhubane, while nine-year-old Sriyansi Poddar had everyone laughing with her rhythmic recitation of Nazrul’s Khadu Dadu. Ivana Banik sang Hey nutan, Mrinmoyee Gayen danced to Rum jhum jhum, and Samadrita Kundu danced to Pinakete lage tanka. “I find immense joy in singing and work hard to hone my skills, which makes me confident,” said Class VII student Debarpan Poddar after singing Tagore’s Adheko ghume.
The next segment, Sanchayita theke Sanchita, was by adults. A standout act here was the soulful rendition of Tagore’s Aloker e jharnadharay by 23-year-old specially-abled resident Anisha Biswas. Another highlight is the dance Malatilata doley by the newly-wed bride Arpita Chatterjee. Married to AK Block resident Shubhojit Chowdhury, Arpita said: “I’ve been dancing since childhood and also run the dance school Kalangan Nrityalay in DL Block.”
The dance drama Tinkanya, developed by Urmi Das and Joydeepa Mitra, intertwined characters from Tagore’s Shyama, Chandalika and Chitrangada, powerfully portraying women’s upliftment in various forms.
The evening concluded with Tagore’s comedy Pete O Pithe, enacted by little ones. “In our childhood, we would stage such plays in schools or community halls, but now-a-days children are happily addicted to mobile phones,” said Souvik Poddar, the director. “I tried to revive cultural engagement among youth and reduce screen addiction through creative expression.”
Secretary of the association Priyabrata Pramanick said the bards were the backbone of our national identity. He also shared a poignant instance of Tagore’s global impact — the staging of his play Dakghar by Polish orphanage children during World War II. “The play was used to help the children face their fear of death shortly before they were sent to Nazi concentration camps and killed in gas chambers,” he said.