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| (From top) A colourful sequence from Paheli; actress Rituparna Sengupta who will perform at this year’s Rajasthan Diwas |
It’s touch-base time for Rajasthanis in Calcutta, from March 25 to 30, with activities galore revolving around delights from the desert state.
The occasion: Celebration of Rajasthan Diwas, observed on March 30.
The line-up: A colourful spectrum of events and programmes, in true Rajasthani style. Organised by Rajasthan Foundation Calcutta, the city chapter of the autonomous body instituted by the government of Rajasthan, this special week of celebrations is all set to showcase the grandeur and beauty of the state in the heart of the city.
“Our effort is to promote Rajasthani culture among non-resident Rajasthanis (NRRs),” says H.M. Bangur, president of Rajasthan Foundation Calcutta.
Paheli may not have made it to the Oscar nomination round, but now the city will witness the “first screening of a Rajasthani film”, Bai Chali Sasriye, starring Neelu and Upasana Singh, at INOX Forum and City Centre.
so on the cards are Rajasthani folk dance styles and music competitions, both at the inter-school and inter-college levels. A Bhajan Sandhya with a nritya natika based on a kathak dance performance by Sumeeta Sharma has been planned.
Gyan Manch and GD Birla Sabhhagar are the chosen venues for the events.
“The main function will be inaugurated by Bengal Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi. There will, in fact, be five governors on the dais, four of whom hail from Rajasthan,” says Sundeep Bhutoria, secretary of the foundation’s Calcutta chapter.
Mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya and Mewar Shri Arvind Singh, descendant of Maharana Pratap of Udaipur, will also be present.
Announcement of the Pravasi Pratibha Puraskar will be a highlight, along with the felicitation of the who’s who among Rajasthanis who have made Calcutta their home.
The star act of the mega celebrations would be a dance performance by leading Tollywood actress Rituparna Sengupta. The leading lady will be taking the stage to popular Rajasthani folk numbers sung by Suchandra.
“The Rajasthani dance I will perform at this show will be traditional and based on folklore. Quite a bit of research has gone into it as I am trying to do something innovative,” says Rituparna, who has already started rehearsing her steps, despite being busy with the shooting of Anuranon and Tapasya in town.
“This is our effort to strengthen the cultural ties between Bengal and Rajasthan,” smiled Bhutoria. “The younger generation, that has lost touch with their native state, will get a whiff of the essence of Rajasthan,” he adds.
If a slice of Rajasthan would be coming to the city, officials from the government of Rajasthan would be exhorting Calcuttans to visit the state. The tourism industry in Rajasthan will be a prime focus throughout the extravaganza.