L-R: Speaker Mohammad Abdul Hamid (R) and Kamal Lohani formally inaugurate the festival. Rita Ganguly’s expression during performance epitomised her artistic fullness. Photo: Mumit M.

Indira Gandhi Culture Centre (IGCC), High Commission of India, Dhaka, in association with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) inaugurated “Ananda Jagya,” an Indian cultural festival, at National Theatre Hall of BSA on November 26.
Featuring Hindustani classical music (vocal and instrumental), dance, theatre, fine arts and handicrafts, the festival is being held in Dhaka, Chittagong and Rajshahi and will continue till December 3.
Following brief remarks, Speaker of Bangladesh Jatiya Sangshad Mohammad Abdul Hamid as the chief guest along with Rajeet Mitter, High Commissioner of India in Dhaka; Kavita Mitter, wife of Rajeet Mitter; Suresh Goel, Director General of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) as special guests and Director General of BSA Kamal Lohani formally inaugurated the festival through lighting mongolprodip on the occasion.
“This grand Indian cultural festival 'Ananda Jagya' will definitely strengthen our bilateral cultural relations further in their diverse forms between the two countries,” said Speaker Abdul Hamid.
“I would have certainly missed it if I had not come here. Cultural practices like classical music, Kathak, Manipuri, Bharatnatyam are in full swing in Dhaka. Our common cultural idiom will be enriched through the exchange and practice of cultural elements of the same origin,” said Suresh Goel.
A highlight of the evening was a classical music (vocal) performance by eminent artiste Professor Rita Ganguly and her troupe. Bangladesh's noted singer Nashid Kamal presented a profile of Rita Ganguly before the audience.
The audience, packing the National Theatre Hall of BSA to the brim, hailed the artiste as the curtains came up.
“I am at a loss for words. I have just come here to say my Pronam. I have heard of various kinds of movements being waged across the world. But the language movement has taken place only in Bangladesh. I feel proud that Bangla is my own language,” Rita Ganguly said.
Set on a romantic raga, “Kaunshik Dwani,” Rita Ganguly set off the event with a thumri performance. Her brilliant style of rendition was rather poetic. With the bandish “Terey Bina Balam Katena Moso Ratia,” the artiste also presented several bol bistar on jaut taal. Her expressions and body language during her performance epitomised her artistic fullness.
Another thumri on raga “Tilak Kamod” followed. “Mora Saiya Bulawey Adhiraat Ye Nadia Bairi Bhayi” was the bandish that superbly went on addha taal. Tabla artiste Kaushik Chattapadhyay from the Lucknow gharana mingled several tabla rela (roar of the sea) with her performance.
“Kaise Khelu Main Hori” was another romantic bandish resting on raga “Kafi” that Rita Ganguly carried on in jaut taal. She provided different allusions, information and excerpts in between her performance. “Abir Gulal Rang Charey Na, Na Charey Pichkari” (Krishna appears to be so dark that the game of Hori finds it hard to reach ecstasy) was such an allusion mentioned by the artiste. Kaushik Chattapadhyay presented laggi rela on Kaharba during bistar performance by Ganguly.
Rita Ganguly then narrated a story of how she got close to her guru Begum Akhtar. A folk themed raga “Jhinjhuti” then followed. Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan with his sarangi took the audience to a height that reverberated with romantic tunes in the spaces between mountain valleys. “Gagori Umara Rey, Gagori Utara Rey, Aila Banwari” was the bandish of the thumri. “Banwari is another name of Lord Krishna,” noted the artiste.
Ganguly has recently recorded an album of Shakti Chattopadhyay's poem 'Jete Pari,” which includes the famous number 'Oboni Bari Aachho'.
With the bandish “Koyelia Matkar Pukar,” the artiste blossomed into another thumri on raga “Manjh Khamaj.” The rhythm of dadra accompanied the melancholic rendition.
The artiste then performed a melancholic ghazal, “Aye Muhabbat Terey Anjam Pe Rona Aaya”, originally recorded by Begum Akhtar at the event. She also rendered another well-known Bengali ghazal of Begum Akhtar, “”Jochhona Korechhey Aari” on request.
Later, Rita Ganguly performed a bhajan, “Jare Dhirey Dhirey Garhi Hako…Mere Raam Garhi Waley”, from the mystic poet and saint Kabir (1440-1518).
The audience was clearly in want of more. Ustad Ghulam Ali Khan obliged, through performing raga “Puria Kalyan” on his sarangi.
Lata Shah (tanpura), Dhiman Paul (Harmonium), Satish Solangki (octopad) and Suprodip Banrjee (keaboard) were others who accompanied Rita Ganguly during her performance.Classical singer and Padma Shri Professor Rita Ganguly is not new to our country. She has given performances in Bangladesh as well as erstwhile USSR, UK, Germany , Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, Pakistan and Afghanistan. And that is not all. She has conducted extensive research on Sufi saints, Baba Bullehshah, Kabir and Meera and produced a musical with artistes from Bangladesh, USA, Sri Lanka and Pakistan .
Professor Rita Ganguly's mastery over her medium has won wide recognition.
Her outstanding contributions in the field of classical music brought her the Padma Shri in 2003. Her achievements include the Sangeet Natak Academy Award for Ghazal Gayaki in 2000.
Rita Ganguly trained under some of the greatest of Indian musical gurus. She is among the few musicians in the country who continue to cultivate and popularise traditional modes of music. Her greatest contribution is towards preserving traditional Thumri, Dadra,Tappa, Hori, Chaiti and Ghazal and allied forms of music.
A great honour for Rita Ganguly was her selection by the queen of Thumri, Sidheshwari Devi, as her first 'gandaband shagird'. Ganguly has a special ability to transform profound lyrics into declarations of life's most precious experiences in the manner of Begum Akhtar. Her music rises from 'mere sensuous experience to caress the heights of Sufism'.
Kavita Mitter presented bouquets to Rita Ganguly and her troupe members at the end of the performance.