The aesthetically designed studio-theatre of Chidakash Kalalaya, an Ashram-like institution founded by the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award recipient scholar-guru Piyal Bhattacharya, is a haven of research, restoration, and practical application of music, dance, and drama as scripted in Bharatmuni's Natyashastra and its precious commentaries by scholars of yore.
We have seen films in which stories are narrated through songs. The classical examples of this are Hamilton, Cats and Tommy, among others. There are others, like My Fair Lady, that are not completely devoid of dialogue.
The old tradition of buying fountain pens on Poila Baishakh has come back with a bang, with more young people buying fountain pens to celebrate the first day of the Bengali New Year.
No matter how much we follow the Gregorian calendar and centre our lives around it, for a Bengali, 14 or 15 April is not just another day of the year.
The roots of some traditions are so deep, like the roots of ancient Banyan trees, that they have persevered despite the advent of modernism and its attempts to overshadow them.
The opening number set to Ravindra Jain’s Shyam Teri Bansi elegantly portrayed the plight of Meera, who knows that the flute is being played for Radha but is still lured by its melody, even at the cost of being defamed by everyone.
The present collection of six is amongst the best of his oeuvre of over fifty original plays, written between the years 2000 and 2020
Far more than a mere musical pursuit, Kabi Gaan boasts an illustrious heritage, its roots firmly embedded in the fertile soil of 18th century-Bengal’s rural landscape.
The heritage ride took place on a refurbished rail scrubber (Rs 2).
There is a surprise for the readers. A special Poila Boishakh gift from none other than West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee. Who has written a piece for this special edition.
