A pioneer of recitation

Proma Abanti dances to Rakshit's recitation. Photo: Star

Veteran recitation artiste Ranjit Rakshit's solo recitation performance drew a full house at Theatre Institute, Chittagong (TIC) in the port city on Friday.
Bodhan Abritti Parishad, Chittagong organised the programme titled “Sadhre Ajike Praner Sadhan” where eminent personalities of the city, recitation enthusiasts and connoisseurs were present.
The programme featured 25 recitations by the noted elocutionist that captivated the audience.
Rakshit, founder of Bodhan Abritti Parishad, is one of the pioneering recitation artistes in the country who has worked to revive recitation as a strong and modern art form, incorporating audio-visual inputs. Rakshit is also a famous theatre activist who performed in the country's first street play “Jaye din fagun din” penned by playwright Milan Chowdhury.
He is also an activist of the reputed theatre troupe Ganayon.
The programme started with the recitation of “Antoro momo bikoshito karo” written by Tagore.
Following the performance, noted social scientist Professor Anupam Sen gave a brief speech. “I knew Ranjit from his childhood. His father Jatindra Mohan Rakshit was imprisoned for 15 years under the British regime as he was a follower of Master Da Suya Sen,” he said.
While appreciating Rakshit for entertaining urban audiences for over three decades through recitation, Sen said recitation uplifts people by inspiring them to surpass the limitations of their daily life.
“When I returned to the country in 1979, I found the cultural arena of the port city was kept alive by a few personalities; Ranjit is one of them,” he said.
Later, Rakshit successively rendered Michael Madhusudan Dutt's “Kapotaksha Nad”, Shantanu Das' “Dalim Fuler Moto Shishu”, Syed Shamsul Haque's “Keu Kandchhilo” and Tagore's “Nirjhorer Swapna Bhanga”.
“Jharnar gaan” and “Fideler Jonye Gaan” lent an added flavour to the performance.
Accompanying a dance performance by Proma Abanti, Rakshit's recitation of “Nirjhorer Swapna Bhanga” was warmly received by the audience.
Expressing his appreciation of Rakhsit, prominent artiste Mansurul Karim said, “Though I am an artiste of another medium, Dada's (Ranjit Rakshit) recitation holds me spellbound.”