The renovated Ban Theatre and (below) its emblem. Pictures by Pranab Sinha

Tezpur, Feb. 17: The cradle of Assam’s performing arts — the famed Ban Theatre of Tezpur — rose like the majestic phoenix here today.

After years of neglect, the theatre, renovated at a cost of nearly Rs 78 lakh and formally inaugurated by music maestro Bhupen Hazarika, now stands in line to be recognised as jatiya natyashala. “Renovation began only in 1997 and today we are proud of the result,” said Kartik Hazarika, general secretary of the theatre.

Addressing a gathering of artistes, Hazarika, also chairman of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, today made an impassioned plea to the Centre to grant the Ban Theatre its “long-awaited recognition. The Ban Theatre’s contribution in creating dramatic revolution in Assamese society — especially by stalwarts like Kalaguru Bishnu Rabha, Natyasurya Phani Sarma and Manchakonwar Chandradhar Goswami — remains unparalleled,” said the Dada Saheb Phalke awardee.

The theatre has also been a launch pad of several reputed artistes and had played a vital role during the freedom movement through the plays, he added. Hazarika inaugurated a website, www.bantheatre.com, at the theatre premises, while dramatist Arun Sarma released the souvenir.

Several audio cassettes of Jyotir Jyoti, a collection of songs of Jyoti Prasad Agarwalla, sung by Bhupen Hazarika, were auctioned today during the inauguration. The highest amount fetched by first auctioned cassette was donated to the theatre. Veteran artistes Tulsi Das, Durgadhar Goswami, Kulendra Narayan Goswami and Deben Sarma were felicitated on the occasion. Rupalim, a popular play of Agarwalla, was staged today. Siraj, a play by the Natyasurya, will be staged tomorrow by Saila Baruah.