Surangama, which started its journey in 1957, presented its 67th annual performance at Rabindra Sadan with Rabindranath Tagore’s ever-relevant ‘Tasher Desh’.
The programme on September 18, helmed by Purnima Ghosh in dance and Karabi Dasgupta in song, and mentored by Urmila Ghose and Sarmishtha Dasgupta, started with a vibrant presentation of Biswa bina robe, which was performed by a group of eight women, some of whom had renewed their passion for dance after a long hiatus.
It was followed by the felicitation of former Bengal Governor Shyamal Sen and educationist Pabitra Sarkar. Then, the curtains went up on Tasher Desh, which was deftly brought together by dancers, singers, musicians, voice artistes and backstage artistes.
The play-and-dance repertoire was staged according to the original style, as propounded by Tagore scholar Sailajaranjan Majumdar, who was the guiding star of Surangama.
Everyone in the audience — from seven to 70-year-olds — was enthralled as Rajputra and Saudagar Putra landed in Tasher Desh, where they inspired the court to break the pre-set rules that the residents followed blindly and to celebrate the freedom of thinking and action. The musicians perfectly complemented the singers who gave a stellar performance.
The dancers, with their graceful and unflawed poses and steps, recreating the characters impeccably as did the voice artistes, the two together bringing alive Raja, Rani, Rajputra, Saudagar Putra, Patralekha, Rajmata, Chhakka, Panja, Golam, Dahala Pundit, Duri, Ruitan, Haratani, Tekkani, Chiretoni, Iskaboni and the Tash Bibis on the stage. It was a reunion of the old and the new, the professionals and the amateurs that presented an evening of cultural excellence.
