Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, in 1933, had written a satire on how rigidity of caste, class and convention deadens a land. It takes a visiting young prince and his friend to finally stir up the country and infuse in its people a fresh stream of thought.
Tasher Desh (The land of cards) fittingly uses the metaphor of cards to project two-dimensional sterility. And now, Ranchi residents may see an international production of the play at the renowned Lionel Edward Bengali Boys’ High School Society, popularly known as Bangla school, on October 18.
The play, presented by noted Bangladesh-based group Sadhona with contributions by artistes of both India and Bangladesh, will be the grand finale of a three-day Rabindra Utsav to celebrate Tagore’s 150th birth year by the nearly 150-year-old school.
Termed by critics as an experimental presentation, it was originally a joint production of British Council, Dhaka, and Sadhona.
The dance drama, directed and choreographed by Warda Rihab, well-known Bharatnatyam and Manipuri danseuse, was also staged at Kalamandir, Calcutta, in August.
Eminent percussionist Tanmoy Bose also contributed to instrumental arrangements, while noted singers from both countries such as Lopamudra Mitra, Rupankar Bagchi, Anusheh Anadil, Syed Waqeel Ahad and Nandita Yasmin lent their voices.
Apart from the play, the three-day fest will also have a string of cultural events. “Beginning October 16, the fest will host inter-school contests on recitation of Tagore’s poems, Rabindra Sangeet, sit-and-draw, oratory, quiz and group dance on Tagore-related topics,” said Ram Ranjan Sen, secretary of the school society.
“We have also arranged a literary session on the life and work of Tagore,” he added.
The show promises to be a mega affair, with Assembly Speaker C.P. Singh inaugurating it on October 16. Ajay Chakraborty and Salil Roy, vice chancellors of BIT-Mesra and Kolhan University, respectively, will be chief guests on the next two days. Abhijit Chatterjee, director (finance) of CCL and S.K. Mishra, district education officer, Ranchi, will be present as guests of honour.
