In tune with Tagore Let the first rays of light on the first day of new year?s dawn usher in joy, peace and harmony in the entire universe (Anandodhara bahichhey bhuvane...) ? Rabindranath Tagore had felt it coming from the core of his heart and with this prayer he heralded a new beginning. Hence, in the first half of today?s programme, siblings Manoj Murali Nair and Manisha Murali Nair will render selected numbers from Tagore?s Puja compositions. Tagore had felt and understood the inner essence of Indian classical music and this is evident in the varied use of ragas and their amalgamations in his compositions. The song, Aaj Shyam Moha Loi was composed in Khambaj raga and the poet used the same structure when he composed Tomari gehe palichhey snehe at the age of 38. Again, he composed songs steeped in the typical Kirtan genre of Bengal and then used the leit motif of Kirtan and amalgamated it with classical ragas like Kafi to create new compositions. In the second half the duo will render a bouquet of popular Rabindrasangeet numbers. Event: Tagore songs by Manisha Murali Nair and Manoj Murali Nair When: Today at 6.30 pm Where: Madhusudan Mancha

art

Till January 10 at Genesis Art Gallery, 8B Middleton Street; 2 pm - 7 pm: Paintings and sculptures by Sudipta Majumdar, Subrata Paul and Samaresh Bhattacharya. Till January 10 at Quality Inn, 166C Rashbehari Avenue: Exhibition of painting by Abhijit Mollick. Till January 11 at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Booth # 21 & 22: Masters Collection displays Indian contemporary art and oil reproductions on canvas at Mega Expo - Interiors 2006. Till January 20 at Standard Chartered, 21A Shakespeare Sarani; 11 am - 7 pm: Small is Beautiful, an exhibition of paintings on leather and vellum by Anirban Seth. Till January 31 at Arts & Ideas Designshop, UZ 213 Swabhumi; 12 noon - 8.30 pm: Arts & Ideas presents Down to Earth, an exhibition of Bengali pottery. Participants: Arun Mukhoty, Gourab Malakar, Manik Das, Manoj Kumar Das, Mousumi Roy, Payel Sarkar, Partha Dasgupta, Soumen Basu and Tanmoy Das. Till January 31 at Idiyas Gallery, 15 Dover Road; 10.30 am - 7.30 pm: The Pageant of Life ? an exhibition of Indian art and sculpture by renowned artists.

DRAMA

January 10 at Academy of Fine Arts; 6.30 pm: Ensemble presents Shirir Neeche, directed by Sohag Sen. January 11 at Mukta Angan; 6.30 pm: Aladin Natya Sanstha presents Bhoot Kando. Dir: Prosenjit Ghosh and Biswajit Ghosh. January 14 at Academy of Fine Arts; 6.30 pm: Manush Bhoot, produced by Mangolik and directed by Samir Biswas. January 15 at Star Theatre; 6 pm: Eso Natak Shikhi presents three one-acts, Maranastra (The Lethal Weapon), A Aamar Desh (This is my Country) and Tatan Aar Sada Payra (Tatan and the White Pigeon). Direction: Tapas Das.

PERFORMING ARTS

January 10 & 11 at Aikatan Auditorium, IA 290 Sector III Salt Lake; 5.30 pm: Arohan Foundation presents two evening concerts of Hindustani vocal and instrumental recitals of Ken Zuckerman (sarod), Gauri Shankar Karmakar (tabla solo), Sugata Nag (sitar), Aloke Ranjan Dasgupta (sitar), Sarathi Chatterjee (vocal) and Barun Pal (hansaveena). January 11 at Birla Academy; 5.30 pm: behala Marga Music Circle presents an evening of classical music featuring Gouri Guha (vocal), Sujit Saha (tabla lahara) and Sudip Chatterjee (violin). January 13, 28, 29 & 30 at Madhusudan Mancha: Paschim Banga Rajya Sangeet Academy presents the 8th Annual Sangeetacharya Radhika Mohan Maitreya Memorial Conference. January 13 at 5.30 pm: Prakriti Dutta (dhrupad) with Aprubalal Manna (pakhawaj); Sugata Nag (sitar) with Kausic Sen (tabla); and Begum Parveen Sultana (vocal) with Abhijit Banerjee (tabla) and Debaprasad Dey (harmonium).

EXHIBITIon

Till January 11 at Swabhumi: An exhibition of art and craft from the seven north-eastern states. Till January 12 at Finesse, 11/1B New Road, Alipore; 11 am - 7.30 pm: Tussar silk sarees in bright prints and weaves using ghicha, katiya and monga from Bengal, Bihar and Assam. By Sujata Sarawgi. Till January 15 at 108 Raja Basanta Roy Road; 11 am - 7.30 pm: Design?s annual silk saree exhibition along with costume jewellery in silver and gold. Till January 17 at Sen Bati, 3 Mandeville Gardens; 12 noon - 8 pm: Garvi/ Gurjari Calcutta hosts an exhibition-cum-sale along with live demonstration by renowned artisans from Gujarat. January 11 - 15 at Rabindra Sadan-Bangla Akademi complex: Paschim Banga Bangla Akademihosts the 8th Little Magazine Fair

TALK

January 10 at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Vivekananda Hall; 6 pm: Swami Ishatmananda will speak in Bengali on Narijagarane Ramakrishna Bhavandolaner Bhumika. January 10 at Ramakrishna Vedanta Math; 7 pm: Swami Atmabodhananda will discuss in Bengali Sri Sri Mayer Katha.

FESTIVAL

Till January 12 at Sri Thyagaraja Hall; 6 pm - 9 pm: Thyagabrahma Aradhana.

FELICITATION

January 15 at St John?s Diocesan School Ground; 6.30 pm: Aaurelaeum, a golden celebration to felicitate danseuse Alokananda Roy on completion of 50 years of stage performance. Featuring a collage of dance, songs, percussion poetry and painting with celebrity performers and artists. Hosted by the students of Chandanaloke and Inspiration Foundation.

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All those who wish events to be included in this column should write not less than a week ahead to:

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