Kala Mandir recently hosted Gaane Mile Dui, blending Rabindranath Tagore’s songs, writings, and recitations from Chhinnopotraboli, a collection of Tagore’s personal letters. The featured artists, Srikanta Acharya and Jayati Chakraborty, are among the most admired proponents of Rabindrasangeet for contemporary listeners. Their popularity clearly drew an impressive crowd despite the extreme Calcutta heat.
The initial performances remained entirely unaffected by the temporary chaos on the auditorium floor, highlighting the artists’ sharp focus and professionalism; they even graciously gave time to the audience to settle in. Fortunately, the organiser, Bengal Web Solution, managed the vast footfall smoothly and restored order in very little time. Chakraborty’s rendition of “Nai rosho nai” revealed the nuances in her voice: Acharya noted that this was one of Tagore’s lesser-sung tracks. This was followed by Acharya’s presentation of “Chokhe amar trishna”, which featured seamless transitions from low to high notes. This was followed by the duet, “Ami keboli swapana korechi”. The musical accompaniment supported each song perfectly but the performance of the flautist, Rupak Mukhopadhyay, stood out amidst the ensemble.
The seamless synthesis between the music and the excerpts from Tagore’s letters and essays was striking. The selection of songs made it evident that Tagore’s melody can capture the mundane and the magnificent with the same intensity. The production was also successful in highlighting how the poet’s prose and melodies breathe life into one another.
In spite of every seat being occupied in the auditorium, there was pin-drop silence and barely any phone flashes during the performances. This was a testament to the audience’s maturity as well as the power of the performers’ craft.