On one hand was the burning desire to attend a Rabindra Jayanti programme in flesh in blood after two years. On the other was the threat of the elements – the unbearable heat early in the morning followed by rain and freezing auditoriums that forced many a spectator to leave before they wanted to.
Looking at six-year-old Aditree Dutta sit in the audience at EZCC, no one would believe it was the month of May. “It was hot in the morning but once it rained it got pleasant. But the air conditioner in the hall must have been set on minimum temperature since morning and so we’re shivering now,” said Aditree’s mom, tying a scarf around the child’s head.
But the girl couldn’t take it much longer. “I’m enjoying the songs but I’m chilled to the bone! Ma, please take me home,” pleaded the child and out they walked.
Most of the seats at the Rabindra Jayanti show, held by EZCC in collaboration with Bidhannagar Sanskriti Angan, were occupied by senior citizens and many of them were seen taking breaks in between songs to stroll outside and warm themselves up somewhat. The performers were in for the same fate.
Rajeshwar Bhattacharya would have left the venue after his song but he got caught in the rain. And finding the greenroom too cold for comfort, he preferred to sit outside the hall, on the security guard’s chair! Singers like Sutapa Dutta Bhandari got soaked in the rain while coming to the venue.
Rokeya Roy seized the opportunity to recite Tagore’s poem Brishti hole ei matro, mati hobe antosattwa… The organisers were simply glad they could hold a physical show, be it through rain or shine. “The last two years we celebrated this day online but there’s nothing like holding a show before an audience,” said president of Sanskriti Angan, Pradip Mitra.
Rajeshwar Bhattacharya at EZCC. Debasmita Bhattacharya
Hot tea in cold hall
Aarunima Bagchi, a spectator, had left home in a beautiful red-borderd sari and flowers in her hair bun but when she reached BD Block’s Laban Hrad Mancha, she was drenched, with the garland hanging clumsily from her head. “I got a chance to dress up for Rabindrajayanti after two years but the sudden rains have somewhat dampened my mood. But then, at least we got a relief from the unbearable heat,” said the resident of CE Block.
But she spoke too soon. For here too, the hall turned out to be a freezer once the rains started. The audience here was perhaps a tad worse off than their EZCC counterparts as this venue has no waiting space outside the air-conditioned hall. So even if the viewers were shivering inside, they couldn’t step out for a breather as they would get soaked in the rain!
The organisers — Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation — had in fact assigned someone to walk the artistes to and from their cars holding umbrellas above their heads.
A small mercy was the hot tea and coffee that were being served and even spectators who do not usually have these drinks gulped down cup after cup to keep warm.
Early on in the day, artiste Rupankar Bagchi had chosen to sing Borshono mondrito in anticipation of a rainy day. Renowned performers like Shibaji Chattopadhyay, Sraboni Sen, Bratati Bandhapadhyay and Swagatalakshmi Dasgupta performed through the day but those trying to concentrate on the show were often disturbed by calls to switch the fans either on or off.
Civic chief Krishna Chakraborty felt hot once in a while and asked for the fans to be turned on but many in the audience couldn’t even wait for the next song to conclude before voicing their discomfort. “Ekkhuni fan off korun, mere phelben toh!” they shouted mid-song, sending the helping hands scurrying for the switchboards.
Many were so cold that they decided to leave before the show ended and had an ear turned to the outside. They wanted to leave the minute the rain stopped, even if the biggest names were yet to take stage. There was, in fact, an embarrassing mass exodus when Sreeradha Bandyopadhyay was just settling in. An elderly man thought it polite to inform the civic chief before leaving at this juncture but got snapped at. “Yes, why not? All of you leave! I am sitting here from 7am; I alone shall keep watching!” Chakraborty retorted.
Listeners shivering at the EZCC auditorium. Debasmita Bhattacharya
Come rain, come shine
Elsewhere, people tried to stay tuned despite the forces of nature. At New Town’s Rabindra Tirtha, the crowd had started pouring in from 6.30am, well before the harsh rays of the sun starting glaring down. The seats filled up and many were left to watch the show standing. Nothing changed even when it started pouring and cars in the parking area only kept increasing.
“Tagore is a part of the Bengali way of life,” said Amitabh Sanyal, a spectator from Marble Arch housing complex. “I used to visit Rabindra Sadan on this day when I was younger now and this is my first time at Rabindra Tirtha. On Rabindra Jayanti, adversities such as weather are but small inconveniences.”
Should anyone have missed the show due to the heat or rain or cold, Debashis Sen, the Hidco managing director, informed that they would be holding Kabipakkha celebrations the entire month.