RABINDRANATH TAGORE

RABINDRANATH TAGORE

ANOTHER REASON TO CELEBRATE

NEW YEAR COMES WITH A GLORY

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SAROD MAESTRO TURNS DOWN PADMA SHRI

Kolkata: The city’s culture fraternity raised a toast on Tuesday as the Padma awards were announced on the eve of Republic Day.

Among those to be honoured with the country’s top civilian awards were veteran singer Dwijen Mukhopadhyay and poet Shankha Ghosh (both Padma Bhushan) and classical vocalist Pandit Ajoy Chakraborty and singer Usha Uthup (both Padma Shri). But even as congratulatory messages were being passed around came the news that sarod maestro Buddhadeb Dasgupta, who was offered the Padma Shri, had turned it down.

The 80-year-old musician, a recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Academy award, said it was “too late in the day for him to accept a Padma Shri”.

Speaking to TOI shortly after the awards were announced, Dasgupta said that several musicians much junior to him had received the Padma Shri years ago. “I don’t wish to run anybody down but I think many of those who got it were less deserving than me,” he said.

“TOO LATE…”

Kolkata: Sarod maestro Buddhadeb Dasgupta, who was offered the Padma Shree on Tuesday, has turned it down saying “it was far too late in the day”.

“I received a call from Delhi this afternoon and told them that I am turning down the offer with humility. I don’t think I should accept the award ten years after receiving the Sangeet Natak recognition. If I do, I will be ridiculing myself,” said Dasgupta, who is the head of the Sangeet Research Academy’s instrumental division.

Octogenarian Dwijen Mukhopadhyay, however, said he was extremely happy to receive the honour. “A Padma award is the highest civilian honour and I am happy. It’s a reward for all the hard work that I have put in over the last six decades. More importantly, it has pleased my well-wishers who have been calling to congratulate me from all over the world,” he said.

Sankha Ghosh, too, said he was accepting the award. “I don’t wish to dwell on this further,” the veteran poet said.

Singer Usha Uthup said she felt fantastic to be a Padma Shree recipient. “I look at this honour as a tribute to my young fans, who have always been my source of inspiration. They have patronised my music and encouraged me. This is also a reward for all the efforts that I have put in over the last four decades. This will encourage me to keep performing and do even better,” said Uthup.

There were others with a city connect on the Padma list. ITC chairman Y C Deveshwar received a Padma Bhushan while US-based laser scientist Monilal Bhowmick was awarded a Padma Shree.

ANOTHER GLORIOUS MOMENT

BENGALI MAHILA SAMITI WINS FOLK SONG COMPETITION

Bengali Mahila Samiti Sharda Bhawan Bhopal won the annual all Bhopal Ladies Club’s Folk Song Competition at Bhopal on January 19. The competition was organized at Banita Samaj near Sharda Bhavan, Bhopal. Smt. Ashima Mukherji, Preeti Kaushik, Minaki Ganguly, Soma Chakraborty, Namita Sengupta,Tanushree Chattopaddhya, Mamta Chatterjee and Monika Choudhary were the participants in Bengali Mahila Samiti group. A local release also reports that The Begali Mahila Samiti is going to celebrate the Saraswati Pooja on 08-02-11 at Sharda Bhawan, T.T.Nagar, Bhopal.

LOSS & GAIN

LOSS & GAIN

 

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REMEMBERING NETAJI

ANNUAL SPORTS AT BHEL KALIBARI

Bangiya Sanskritik Parishad, BHEL, Bhopal will organize Annual Sports 2011 on the occasion of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s 114^th Birthday celebration on 23^rd January at the ground near St. Xavier’s School, Berkhera. The Parishad organizes Annual Sports on this day to commemorate Netaji’s Birthday. To participate in this event interested persons may contact Mr. Amal Haldar, Sports Secretary, Bangiya Sanskritik Parishad, BHEL, Bhopal. The event will start at 10.00 AM.

REMEMBERING NETAJI

BLOOD DONATION CAMP ON NETAJI'S BIRTHDAY

Netaji Subhas Charitable Trust, voluntary medical wing of T T Nagar Bengali Association will organize a blood donation camp on the occasion of 114^th Birthday celebration of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. The programme would be organized in association with Indira Gandhi Mahila Evam Bal Chikitsalaya Blood Bank to help Bhopal Gas Victims.  The programme will commence at 11 AM on Sunday, 23^rd of January at T T Nagar Bengali Associations’ Kalibari premises. Donors can contact till 3 PM on that day.

INDIAN CINEMA

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TRIBUTE TO RABINDRANATH TAGORE

SANSKRITI EXPRESS AT BHOPAL

The special exhibition train Sanskriti Express arrived at Bhopal’s Habibganj station which is being displayed for public from January 12 to 14. The Indian Railways has launched Sanskriti Express to commemorate 150th Birth Anniversary of Nobel laureate Rabindranth Tagore. AIR Bhopal correspondent reports that people are visiting this special train in large numbers. 

Sanskriti Express presents an interesting depiction of life and works of Rabindranth Tagore. It comprised of five coaches. The first coach showcases time spent by Tagore at Shantiniketan. The second coach has various facets of Tagore’s Gitanjali. The third coach showcases writings of Tagore while the fourth coach is about paintings. The fifth coach depicts photographs of Tagore’s last journey and the last days of his life as described by his near and dear ones. This exhibition train is attracting huge crowd in Bhopal. It will halt in Bhopal till Friday. During its one year’s journey, ‘Sanskriti Express’ will be covering around 100 railways stations.

EXTINCT LANGUAGES IN INDIA

EXTINCT LANGUAGES IN INDIA

ABP's ANNUAL PICNIC ORGANISED

ABP's ANNUAL PICNIC ORGANISED

January 09, 2011: Debjyoti Bhattacharyya & Sauvik Acharyya : The Arera Bangiya Parishad organised a picnic at Chidikho on 9th January 2010. An approximately 100 strong revellers from Bhopal met at the picturesque spot for a day-long celebration under the warm winter Sun. There were good food and good fun galore for people of all ages from seven to seventy. This annual affair of Arera Bangiya Parishad is becoming more popular by the passing of every year as could be seen from the increasing number of paricipants. A number of tame deer mingling with the people all day long, begging for food or making friends with the children, proved to be an added source of unexpected entertainment.

 

Photo : Partha Dutta

Chidikho-Narsinghgarh: Wild Life Sancutary of Narsinghgarh is among one of the 35 sancturies of M.P. established in 1978 under Forest Division Rajgarh Social Forestry. Sanctuary is situated on N.H.12 (Jabalpur-Jaipur) 70 Kms from Bhopal, 221 Kms from Indore, 35 Kms from Biaora and 278 Kms from Kota. (Latitude: 23035' to 23040' North, Longitude:7702' to 77010' East, Height form Sea Level: 462.07 to 576.08 meter). It is covered 57.197 Sq. Km. (Reserve Forest) area. Due to its natural beauty it is one of the most beautiful place of Rajgarh district, so it is also known as "Kashmir of Malwa" region.

 

Photo : Sauvik Acharyya

In the center of this sanctuary "Chidikho Lake" is situated which is one of the attraction among the tourists. This sanctuary is built by the rulers of the state and in the ancient time this sanctuary is used for hunting purpose by the rulers. Migratory birds from different places reaches here in this sanctuary. The lake situtated here is having special appearance due to which the local people named this lake as "Chidikho Lake". Here in this sanctuary we can have a glimpse of local birds and migratory birds. State bird Dhoodh Raj is mainly seen here in this sanctuary. National bird peakock is mainly seen in this sanctuary and in nearby areas. The climatic condition is suitable for the national bird peakock. And this sancutary is having a chance to develope as Mayur Park Area of this sanctuary is sufficient for wild animals. 11 GULBAGH, CHEETAL in large number and SAMBHAR, NEELGAI are mainly found. We can see them freely roaming in this sanctuary. Near to "CHIDIKHO LAKE" JAMUN KHO, ANDHIYAR KHO, DHUWALI wild animals can be seen. Work is done for protection and preservation of wild animals.

 

Photo : Partha Dutta

 

Photo : Sauvik Acharyya

 

Photo : Sauvik Acharyya

 

Photo : Sauvik Acharyya

SUCHITRA MITRA PASSES AWAY

THE LAST LEGEND OF AN ERA IS NO MORE

The rulebook was sacrosanct, the poet her god. Yet, through a unique voice that weaved many a memorable rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s songs, captivated generations of music lovers and earned worldwide acclaim, Suchitra Mitra was her own cult, singing with powerful abandon in a style both inimitable and matchless. Her passing away on Monday marked the end of an era in Rabindrasangeet, robbing the genre of the last of its holy trinity — the others being Kanika Bandyopadhyay and Debabrata Biswas.  

If unique described Suchitra Mitra best, so did unusual. She was born a premature baby on a running train, became an exponent of Rabindrasangeet without formal training till the age of 17, and took lessons in leather technology, batik and pottery at Santiniketan, where she was a music scholar. Her principle was simple — she loved her work. And the world loved her.  

That was evident on Monday in the sea of tearful people gathered near her home, Swastik, on Gariahat Road, where she had been living for nearly 30 years. Despite the fact that Suchitra Mitra had not performed in public for several years due to failing health, she hadn’t faded away.

Her indomitable spirit didn’t desert her even in her final moments. Attendants said she was sitting at the dining table and had even gulped a spoonful when they heard a gasp. That was the how the end came, a little after 1pm, short and sudden. Son Kunal, who lives in the US, was informed and her adopted daughter, Sudeshna Chatterjee, was called in. 

Suchitra Mitra would always describe her life as “extremely well lived”. She preferred to live alone, and had just one regret — that she could never come face to face with Tagore. As fate would have it, she joined Visva Bharati on student scholarship exactly 20 days after Tagore passed away, a fact she grieved all her life. But it was perhaps this loss on which she built the foundation of her music, her longing for the genre’s creator resonating in her songs.  

In 1945, her first record was released by HMV with two unforgettable renditions — ‘Hridayer Ekul Okul Dukul Bheshe Jae’ and ‘Maran Re Tuhu Mama Shyam Shaman’. She was one with her songs. At one moment, she was ‘Krishnakali’ in Tagore’s immortal ‘Krishnakali Ami Tarei Boli’, in the next, one could recognize her as that gust of wind in ‘Ei Udashi Haoar Pathe Pathe’, and then as the selfless mendicant in ‘Amare Tumi Ashesh Korecho’. “She was inimitable in her realization of Tagore’s songs, which speak of a higher philosophy of life and transport you to a higher level of existence,” said Rabindrasangeet exponent Dwijen Mukhopadhyay.