Kathputuli Nach at Andul Utsav. Picture by Anup Bhattacharya

The sprawling lawns of Andul Rajbari, the Andul Rajmath, provided the perfect setting for a cultural festival. The zamindar house with its huge expanse could accommodate the burgeoning crowd and also add a dimension of decaying grandeur.

It was the first Andul Utsav held on April 14 and 15, organised by Sammanay, a new group formed to organise cultural events in Andul. The inaugural edition was based on folk culture or loksanskriti and the team members tried to bring together various folk traditions from different parts of Bengal. The late Baul singer Prahlad Brahmachari lit the lamp to mark the beginning of the two-day folk utsav. This was his last public appearance.

The festival started with Baul songs with singers from Sainthia, Birbhum. Although on its first year, Andul Utsav drew a good crowd. With limited seats available, most of the audience sat on the ground. From Birbhum, the stage shifted to Burdwan, from where dancers performed the Ghora Nach. Performers are in a horse costume made of cloth stretched over a wooden structure that is tied around the waist. The dancers look as if they are riding a horse. Earlier, farmers would do this dance in the villages of Burdwan to earn a living during the dry months.

Howrah’s Kalikapatari was also a part of the festival. The dance is a narration on the goddess Kali based on folklore and the Puranas. On Poila Baisakh, Bhatiali songs were the highlight of the day. Boatmen from Bangladesh sang these songs of love and god while they rowed their boats in the mighty rivers. Purulia’s chhau and Kathputuli Nach, again from Howrah, were also showcased.

“The idea of starting Andul Utsav had been in our minds but we managed to make it happen only now. We plan to continue organising this event every year, during the winter months,” said Subhojyoti Ghosh, convenor of Andul Utsav.