Divine love story To be concluded tomorrow, Nandikar?s ongoing 22nd National Theatre Festival has witnessed the confluence of a host of well-known theatre groups from across the country and beyond, allowing for dynamic interaction and exchange of fresh and innovative creative ideas for the stage. To be featured on the penultimate day of the festival is Nandikar?s own production in Bengali, Barda (at 2.30 pm; dir: Goutam Halder) and two Kannada plays, Poli Kitti (at 2.30 pm; dir: Iqbal Ahmed) and Apsare (at 6 pm; dir: C.R. Jambe) performed by two theatre troupes from Mysore. A stage adaptation of Kalidasa?s Vikramorvashiyam, Apsare (a scene from the play appears above) narrates the love story of Pururava and the celestial dancer Urvashi. When Urvashi is captured by the demon, Keshi, Pururava rescues her from his clutches by acts of exceptional courage and heroism. Finally, he succeeds in winning her by the grace of Lord Indra. Performed by Nandini K.R., Hulagappa Kattimani and others. Event: Play in Kannad, Apsare, produced by Rangayana, Mysore When: Today at 6 pm Where: Academy of Fine Arts

art

Till December 24 at G.C. Laha Centenary Fine Arts Gallery, 7 Chittaranjan Avenue; 1 pm - 7 pm: An exhibition of the works of Canvas Artists? Circle members. Till December 24 at Gallery Sanskriti, 5C Alipore Park Road; 11 am - 8 pm: Evea ? Paintings by Shipra Bhattacharjee. Till December 31 (except Monday) at Aakriti Art Gallery, 1st floor Orbit Enclave, 12/3A Picasso Bithi, Hungerford Street; 3 pm - 7 pm: Works of G.C. Chakravarty, Gopal Ghose, Jamini Roy, K.H. Ara, N.S. Bendre, Nirmal Bhadra and Sailoz Mookherjea. Till January 1 at Birla Academy of Art & Culture; 4 pm - 8 pm: An exhibition of painting and works by Italian artist Sergio Barletta. Organised by Consulate General of Italy in Calcutta. Till January 2 at Bharatiyam, IB 201 Salt Lake; 11 am - 5 pm: In collaboration with Reflections of Another Day (RAD), EZCC presents an exhibition of paintings.

DRAMA

Till December 25 at Academy of Fine Arts: Nandikar?s 22nd National Theatre Festival. Today at 2.30 pm: Poli Kitti (Kannad; dir: Iqbal Ahmed) and Barda (Bengali; dir: Goutam Halder); at 6 pm: Apsare (Kannad; dir: C.R. Jambe) by Rangayana. December 24 - 31: The 8th Ganga Jamuna Natya Utsab organised by Aneek. Today at Rabindra Sadan, 2.30 pm: Kashmir Princess (dir: Bibhas Chakraborty) by Samabay Prayas. At 6.45 pm: Putul Khela (dir: Saoli Mitra) by Pancham Vaidic. December 25 - 27 at Bharatiyam, IB 201 Salt Lake; 6 pm: EZCC presents a three-day theatre festival. December 25: Chola Mor Maati (Hindi) by Samanvay of Allahabad.

PERFORMING ARTS

December 24 at Kala Mandir; 6.30 pm: Sangit Kala Mandir?s Annual Utsav ?05 features Hindi thriller/comedy Chal Baaz by Paresh Rawal and his group. December 24 at Sree Thyagaraja Hall; 5.30 pm: Rasika Ranjana Sabha presents dance-drama Kutrala Kuravanji by the students of Rasika Ranjana Sabha under the direction of Guru Smt. Sudha Bharath. December 25 at Hollywood Resorts, Vasa, Joka; 5 pm: Baba Sehgal in Concert. Featuring Tania from Bangladesh, Item dancer Kama, dance troupe from Mumbai, RJ from Radio FM 93.5, and Baba Sehgal. December 25 at Siddhasram Sabhakaksha, Bakulmath, Majherpara, Boral, Garia; 4 pm: A programme of classical music featuring Bishnudev Chakraborty (vocal), Sukhamoy Choudhury (pakhawaj) and Purnendu Mukherjee (vocal).

EXHIBITIon

Till December 24 at Sasha, 27 Mirza Ghalib Street; 10 am - 7 pm: Sasha Christmas Festival showcases pasmina & lambs wool shawls, stoles, woollen items, bamboo & madur grass products, silver tribal jewellery, candles, embroidered Christmas cards and hangings. Till December 26 at Soumya?s Creation, 57/9 Ballygunge Circular Road; 10 am - 7 pm: An exhibition to celebrate Calcutta?s brief winters, titled Dress-up December, offers home accessories including ceramic ware, durries, framed pictures and candles, and wearables including costume jewellery, T-shirts, bags, chanderi and cotton dresses.

SEMINAR

December 24 at The Asiatic Society, Vidyasagar Hall; 10.30 am: A seminar on Einsteinian Physics to commemorate 100 years of three seminal papers of Albert Einstein in the background of the declaration of 2005 as World Year of Physics.

AWARD CEREMONY

December 24 at Yuba Bharati Krirangan; 4.30 pm: Bengal Film Journalists? Association presents the 68th Hero Honda BFJA Awards 2005 based on the theme, 50 years of Pather Panchali. Dilip Kumar and Pandit Ravi Shankar will received Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award. The show will feature performances by Vasundhara Das, Kailash Kher and the Tollywood brigade.

TALK

December 24 at Ramakrishna Mission Institute of Culture, Vivekananda Hall; 5.30 pm: Message of the Christmas. Speaker: Felix Raj. December 24 at Ramakrishna Vedanta Math, 19A & B Raja Rajkrishna Street; 7 pm: Swami Paramatmananda will speak on Yog O Tahar Abhyas.

READING

December 25 at G.D. Birla Sabhagar; 11 am: Professor P. Lal reads Sanjaya?s report to Dhritarastra of the installation of Karna, who has received Bhisma?s permission to fight, as general of the Kaurava forces on Kurukshetra, and his pledge to fight for victory or death, in the 308th weekly Sunday session of his sloka-by-sloka English transcreation of Vyasa?s complete Mahabharata.

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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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