Block resident Manoj Mitra who lit the ceremonial lamp, alongside Sabyasachi Dutta, chairman of Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, and flanked by the office-bearers of Bidhannagar Sanskriti Angan.
“The cyclone that was forecast to hit us changed its direction in consideration for Tagore’s birthday celebrations, since the people of Bengal wait eagerly through the year for the occasion,” Ritesh Basak, joint secretary of the organisation, said in humour.
“Twenty-four years ago, Dwijen Mukhopadhyay had flagged off our journey at this venue in 1998. He had predicted that our Kabipranaam would show the way to others,” he added. In those days, Rabindra Sadan and Jorasanko Thakurbari hosted the only events with reputed artistes, that too with government backing.
Rabindrasangeet stalwarts like Geeta Ghatak, Sumitra Sen and Subinoy Roy, and elocutionists like Partha Ghosh, Gouri Ghosh and Pradip Ghosh have performed here. He recalled how the founder-secretary Subhash Pal would audition unknown artistes, who would remain invisible to the judges, to avoid bias.
The programme commenced with Nutan pran dao followed by Na re na re hobe na tor, sung in chorus by artists from Bidhannagar Sanskriti Angan and students of Gitayan Sangeet Academy, led by principal Goutam Baran Adhikary.
“For the past 25 years, I am performing here with this group. The heat is excessive today but can we expect cool weather in Baisakh? Years ago, a gust had dismantled the pandal and the programme was delayed, but still we had continued,” recalled Adhikary, who started the solo performances with Amay dao go bole.
Other artists like Bibha Sengupta, Srabana Bhattacharya, Debarati Som, Suman Panthi, Ashis Bhattacharya, Pubali Debnath and Rajeswar Bhattacharya followed, with elocutionists like Satinath Mukhopadhyay, Debashis Basu, Pranati Thakur and Papiya Singha Debnath performing in between.
“Bad weather cannot stop Rabindra Jayanti as there is no dearth of Rabindrasangeet listeners. Rain or shine, we perform in all situations,” said Tripti Sen, a resident of AB Block. Students of her music school Chhandanir would sing live on Facebook, she said. “That way they won’t feel deprived on this day while I am away.”
Manoj Mitra lights the inaugural lamp at Central Park
After a three-year break, Kabipranaam, hosted by Bidhannagar Sanskriti Angan, was back to the Central Park fairground. This year’s Rabindra Jayanti, marking the 162nd birth anniversary of the Nobel laureate, was also the 24th edition of the programme.
“We could not hold the show for two years in 2020-21 due to the pandemic and in 2022, we had performed at the EZCC auditorium,” said an organiser. Since the inception in 1998, Central Park was their permanent venue till 2011 when the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation ousted them to start hosting its own show.
After technical glitches caused an hour’s delay, the programme was inaugurated at 7am by veteran theatre personality and AG
Elocutionist Pranati Thakur agreed about weather not being a deterrant on this day. “This occasion is an emotional one and external factors seem irrelevant. Tagore has taught us to love our country, nature and humanity through his creations. He has taught us to sweep away bigotry in the name of religion and nationality,” she said.
Those who came to listen agreed. Mou Gupta had come from Dum Dum. “I came early in the morning and will stay here till the end. To me this is like Durga puja,” she said.
Mita Ghosh from HB Block, a school teacher, came directly after morning walk. “Ever since I shifted to Salt Lake, I have never missed this Central Park programme,” she said.
But Satindranath Roychowdhury of EE Block, did not go for morning walk lest he missed any artiste. “I reached at 9am. These last three years, we missed this open-air programme.” He picked out the elderly Bibha Sengupta for special mention. “I was amazed by the performance of the 90-year-old singer. She is an inspiration,” he said.