• CJ Block Welfare Association put up an elaborate cultural programme on the works of Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam.

It began with a collage of poetry and music, directed by resident Sangita Saha. Children and ladies presented music, accompanied by Sanjukta Das on the harmonium.

Kids Shuvangee Saha, Divya Narayan and Anushka Sur performed Pran chay chokshu na chay, Sneha Roy Chowdhury to Mon mor megher sangi and sisters Divya and Kavya Narayan, along with Anushree Sur, danced to Prajapati prajapati. Sanglap Saha played Rabindrasangeet on the synthesiser and Suddhasatta Ganguly on the flute.

There was also an audio drama based on author Minakshi Sinha’s Na Bola Bani featuring women characters from Tagore’s works. Sharmistha Chatterjee played Bimala from Ghare Baire, Dipa Mitra was Charulata from Nastonir, Sushmita Mukherjee was Mrinal from Strir Patro, Sangita Saha was Binodini from Chokher Bali and Aditi Dutta was Kamala from Noukadubi. Koushik Saha was the narrator and the programme was compered by Susmita Sen.

Bharati Kanjilal

United in melody

• After school hours, we learn skating, drawing, swimming, recitation but it’s singing we love most.” Young students of the CE Block-based music school Sangeetalaya had practised so much for their group songs that they had even started speaking in chorus.

Sangeetalaya held its annual day at Laban Hrad Mancha in BD Block and students of all ages lent their voices. The little ones were dressed in pristine white while senior students were in yellow and red.

After the inauguration of the show by Debashis Sen, chairman cum managing director of Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco), youths sang Swagatam and a tarana while the kids’ sang Nanha muha rahi hoon, Chhotto chhotto paye and Jhnuti bnadha kakatua in chorus.

Five-year-old Archisman Banerjee was excited to be singing on stage before his family. “I like the song Nanha munna rahi that I’m singing, but my favourite song is Jabra fan (a song from the film Fan),” said the resident of EE Block, adding that he was a fan of not Shah Rukh Khan (the film’s hero) but his mother Shilpi Banerjee. The proud mother too had been a singer in her student days. “Singing is a great hobby and no matter how bogged down my son is by studies later on, I shall insist that he carries on,” she said.

There was also a Hindi film classics section in which students like Olympia Dutta sang Megha chhaye (Sharmilee) and Aja sanam (Chori Chori). “I’ve been learning for nine years and feel singing gives me energy,” smiled the business-woman.

Sangeetalaya was founded 25 years ago by Arpita Roy, who teaches the students all kinds of classical music-based songs.

Beyond borders

• Mrittika, the DD Block address run by Dancers’ Guild, had hosted a show by Minu Haque, the Bangladeshi dancer. The show was performed by dancers of Haque’s Odissi dance school Pallavi Dance Center.

“The recital is titled Abohoman Bangla and it’s about the culture and heritage of undivided Bengal,” said Haque. The dancers conveyed the message of brotherhood, blending baul, jhumur, santhal and other folk dances. It also paid tribute to the martyrs of the language movement in Bangladesh.

After the dance there was music. Vocalist Sudip Basu presented songs of Hemanta Mukherjee, Shyamal Mitra, Manna Dey, Salil Chowdhury and Gauriprasanna Mazumder.

Bharati Kanjilal