Bishakha Mukhopadhyaya recites poems of Kazi Nazrul Islam on Nazrul Jayanti. A Telegraph picture

The thousand-strong audience at Nazrul Kala Kshetra savoured every moment of Nazrul Jayanti organised by Chhanda Neer on Thursday.

The programme was held three days after Kazi Nazrul Islam’s birth anniversary on May 26.

The recitation of immortal lines like Bolo beer, bolo unnata mama sheer and the likes by Bishakha Mukhopadhyaya of Calcutta stirred up passion and took everyone back to the heady days of freedom movement when the pen of the “Vidrohi Kabi” (rebel poet) encouraged many a young man to embrace the gallows.

Kudos to Samiran Roy, the living spirit behind Chhanda Neer, who invited artistes from Bangladesh to pay glowing tributes to the poet.

If Bishakha enthralled the audience with her voice, modulation and perfect pronunciation, Firdaus Ara, a renowned singer of Bangladesh, presented an array of songs — devotional, patriotic and romantic numbers — that forms a fitting tribute to the sublime genius whose life never lacked lustre. Firdaus Ara’s elfin voice took songs like Nirajane sakhi bolo bandhuare or Nahe, nahe priya, e noi ankhi jal to a new high.

Artistes Amar Ghosh, Arijita Dhar, Dalia Das and Debabrato Ghosh made their marks with suitable rendition of songs composed by the poet.