Poetry lovers of Kolkata came together to celebrate World Poetry Day at Rabindra Sadan in Kolkata on March 21. The event, Kobita Boli, featured solo and group performances. My Kolkata was the digital media partner
In picture: Sutapa Bandyopadhyay's team, Collage-Sutapa Gharana
The event was the endeavour of poet and actress Sutapa Bandyopadhyay and her team, Collage-Sutapa Gharana
The event was inaugurated by poet and writer Subodh Sarkar lighting the lamp. Representatives of the performing groups joined on stage, reciting a poem by Mallika Sengupta
IAS Mrityunjay Kumar Singh, and (right) poetry enthusiast from Los Angeles, Kallol Chattopadhyay, performed in the evening. ‘Draupadi’, a collection of mythological poems in Hindi, performed by Singh, enthralled the audience. Chattopadhyay, a Benaras Hindu University alumna, chose Pablo Neruda's ‘If You Forget Me’ for the evening. A popular line from his poem resonated with the audience: ‘...if little by little you stop loving me I shall stop loving you little by little…’
Subodh Sarkar (centre) recited ‘Roro’, a verse dedicated to his son. (Left) actor Debshankar Haldar recited a translation of ‘Rainer Maria Rilke’, and shared anecdotes — about his life and also about poets like Jorge Luis Borges. Bratati Bandyopadhyay joined Sarkar and Haldar, reciting immortal lines by poets like Shamsur Rahman and Subha Dasgupta, and also paid tribute to astronaut Sunita Williams
Bandyopadhyay also recited ‘Kobita Amar’ — a piece that expresses the power and importance of poetry
Soumyashree Kabita Charcha Kendra from Serampore recited pieces from ‘ Jeeboni to Kobita’, an anthology of poems. The young poets of the group showcased their command of the craft, both in Bengali and English. The poems spoke of the relation between mankind and nature. Tunes of Kabir Suman’s popular song ‘Haal Cherona Bandhu’ accompanied the poetry
Noted artiste Pranati Tagore (left) also took to the stage. ‘For those of us who love poetry and live with poetry, World Poetry Day is special,’ she said. She was joined on stage by (right) poet Sumantra Sengupta, who said, ‘Not a single day goes by without thinking about poetry’. The duo performed to loud applause from the audiences.
Bratati Parampara (top), a group of contemporary poets, performed ‘Rajbidrohi’, paying homage to Kazi Nazrul Islam. Poets of Suryabarta performed ‘Banaspatir Chhayay’ paying homage to Rabindranath Tagore, Sankha Ghosh and Shubha Dasgupta, among others. Sumantra Sengupta's team Shankhamala (below) recited from an anthology ‘Ekti Kobitar Jonmo’, tributing Shamsur Rahman, Premendra Mitra, Rudra Mohammad Shahidullah, among other icons
The event came to a melodious end with the performance ‘Rajar Golpo’ by Shovansundar Academy of Performing Poetry
