Sherebul Islam's path to traditional dance
Various forms of dances are found in the different Padma Purana or Manasa (the myth of snake Goddess Padma or Manasa) performances from the fifteenth to eighteenth centuries.
The Padma Purana performances in the Kushtia region of Bangladesh are ritualistic and music-dance based. This is why it is known as Padmar Nachon (dance of Padma) in Kushtia. There are more than 30 groups of Padmar Nachon in Kushtia. More than 500 dancers are involved in the performances of Padmar Nachon. Among them, Sherebul Islam is the most renowned one. Sherebul Islam is a rural musical theatre based dancer, who has been performing the traditional form for around 34 years. He performs not only in rural settings but also in urban stages and international events.
Sherebul was born in the village of Khadimpur under the Union of Bahulbaria in Mirpur Upazila of Kushtia. At his age of 14, he was selected for performing in a local Jatra Party. Local theatre activist and playwright Rezaul Haq Solok trained him in acting. He played the role of Prince Rahim in Rupban Yatrapala. Eventually, he played vital roles in the Jatra Pala of Kajal Rekha, Sagar Vasa, Nasiman and many others consistently for 10 years.
He joined a group of Padmar Nachon in 1995 led by Guru Akbar Ali. Sherebul required intensive grooming to achieve the skills in performing the art form. However, the well- known dancers of Padmar Nachon opposed his access, owing to his ineligibility as he was known for a different form of dance. So, Sherebul began attending every event of Padmar Nachon across his territory, observing the dances and songs and practicing the same by himself.
He first performed at an event in the village close to Bogmari Border. For his first performance, he received a spontaneous reward amounting to Tk 1200. From then onward, he gradually became the inevitable artist of the group of Guru Akbar Ali.
Sherebul maintains his family by his occupation of performing as a Padmar Nachon artist. However, during summer and Ramadan, he earns his livelihood by selling vegetables and driving three-wheelers.
As a successful Padmar Nachon performer, he along with his group performed at the SAARC Folklore Festival in Chandigarh, India in 2009. This year, he performed at Medenipur in India. Besides performing in the regular rural events in Bangladesh, he and his group performed at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, the Liberation War Museum, Jahangir Nagar University and University of Chattogram. He trains emerging dancers to develop the quality of Padmar Nachon. He uses seven kinds of rhythm to create numerous dance styles known as picking eggplants, driving pigeons away and several others across Kushtia.
Interestingly, he wears the costume of a woman to perform Padmar Nachon. Often he performs other styles such as Gazir Gaan, Manik Pirer Gaan and also Stick Dance.
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