The Central Park fairground hardly has any greenery to speak of but for a day it was named “palashprangan”. The occasion was Baishakhi Utsav, a cultural programme to celebrate the first month of the Bengali calendar before it bowed out. And when the special guests were handed a palash sapling each, some justification was finally found for the name.

Ganesh Haloi, one of the special guests, started with a plea on his lips. “In Calcutta, we have Academy of Fine Arts, Rabindra Sadan and Charukala Kendra, where people can come and celebrate art, but sadly we have not seen anything similar in Salt Lake. Hope something like that happens here too,” said the veteran artiste from AE Block.

Mayor Sabyasachi Dutta was quick to assure him.” We are constructing Rabindra Bhavan in Salt Lake and hopefully that will be completed before Tagore’s next birthday, and we also plan to make it a destination for art lovers. If you give us time I would ask my engineers to visit you and seek your inputs for the building,” he said.

Singer Dwijen Mukherjee was there as well. “When we were young we did not have many Rabindrajayanti programmes. We performed only at a few places. But such widespread celebrations give a boost to artistes.” Due to ill health, he said, he could not do vocal practice regularly any more. “That’s why I had to cancel my engagements on Rabindrajayanti,” said the 90-year-old singer.

A corner of the fairground had a few book stalls selling little magazines. “This year the Book Fair was organised on this ground and I received very good response. People here know what they are looking for. Such programmes in between big exhibitions really motivate smaller publishers and upcoming writers. I also like this place more because it is so close to my house,” said Bonani Sinha, who has been running a publication titled Monochhobi for 10 years from BJ Block.

Seventy-year-old Supriti Pal had set up a stall displaying her artworks of paper quilling and glass painting. “I have learnt everything on my own with the help of the Internet and books.” After completing her daily chores, she sits with the papers. “It is a very addictive habit. If I start, I complete my work within two days. It really brings me happiness.”

This was the first time Pal was displaying her work so she admitted to being nervous. “But this also encouraged me to work more,” said the BB Block resident.

The programme began with a poetry meet and an art workshop. Around 50 poets from Calcutta and its surroundings took part in the poetry meet where they shared their work with the audience. “Everything that happens around us is my inspiration for poetry, and this kind of platform is encouraging, where you get to showcase you work to seniors who have been writing for much longer. I consider myself an amateur as I have been writing for only two years and there is so much you learn when you listen to them. It inspires poets to write more,” said Madhumita Chatterjee, a resident of Karunamoyee.

A painting workshop was conducted by artist Barun Saha, where participants were supplied with canvas and acrylic colours. “We do not take part in these workshops for commercial gains as the paintings are given to the organisers. We do it for our love of art. Not too many such workshops take place in Salt Lake but they happen in Calcutta and its surroundings,” said Saha, who supervised the recent Street Art Festival. He also painted a design near the entrance.

Artist Swapan Sarkar painted Rabindranath Tagore in the background of the national flag. “Recently we celebrated Tagore’s birthday. He belongs not just to Bengal but to the entire nation. I tried to portray that through my painting.”

“This is first time we have organised Baishakhi Utsav. We celebrate Rabindra Jayanti too but this entire month we feel connected to art and culture. Usually we see poets and artists performing individually. But we created a common platform where everyone — known and little-known — from the fields of art and literature can join,” said organiser Sutapa Dutta.