A Hundred Years of Creative Arts

"Ajourney of a thousand miles must begin with a single step," said the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu. The history of Bengali creative arts, no doubt has made a colourful and worthwhile journey to reach to the stage where it stands with glory today.

The Department of Music and Dramatics of Dhaka University and Bengal Foundation, devoted to promote and circulate Bangla culture, jointly organized a three-day long festival featuring a hundred years of Bangla music, drama and poetry which began on January 20 and ends today.

The opening ceremony was held at the TSC auditorium amidst fanfare and a wonderful gathering of our cultural lions.

Eminent poet, Shamsur Rahman inaugurated the festival and the Vice Chancellor of the University of Dhaka, A. K Azad Chowdhury was present as the chief guest on the occasion. Abul Khaer, Vice Chairman, Bengal Foundation, Dr. Mridulkanti Chakravarty, chairman of the Department of Music and Dramatics also present at the inaugural ceremony.

The festival premises was turned into bright lemon yellow with heaps of marigolds and rose petals forming the words Shatabarsher Utsab which resonated the mood of the festival.

"A new millennium has come and we are going to a new direction but before that we must look back to see what we have achieved and how we should plan our future. And to do that we must preserve our past for our progeny," said Abul Khair.

A. K Azad Chowdhury said, "Literature is not a stagnant pool and we must keep track of what's happening and what has happened to chart the path of the future.

Poet Shamsur Rahman said, "Poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt did not have the slightest idea what the face of poetry of the twentieth century would be neither do we have any idea what would be the poetry of the next century and that's why we hope to get a picture of what we have achieved in the past through this festival."

Dr. Mridulkanti Chakravarty said that in 1997 the department organized a festival commemorating a hundred years of music and the success of that festival has inspired the department to organize this festival.

The inaugural session was followed by a discussion on drama and a cultural programme. The three-day programme is split into two parts, first, the discussion session and the second focuses on creative arts.

On the first day, Selim Al Deen read out the key-note paper on One Hundred Years of Bengali Drama. Talking about the sore point of modern drama Deen said, "The weak point of the 20th century Bengali drama lies in it's blind aping of the western drama,".

National Professor, Kabir Chowdhury was the special guest on the occasion and Syed Manzoorul Islam and Mamtazuddin Ahmed were the discussants and Dr. Mridulkanti Chakravarti presided over the session.

On the second day Dr. Karunamoy Goshami read out the key-note paper on the hundred years of Music. Karunamoy's paper highlights the significance Tagore in the Bengali music. He stated that Tagore freed Bengali music from the irresistible influence of Hindustani music.

Today Dr Biswajit Ghosh will read out the key note paper on the hundred years of Poetry. Dr. Anisuzzaman will be present as the special guest and Dr Mohammad Muniruzzaman and Asad Chowdhury will share their views on the topic and this session will also be presided over by Dr. Mridulkanti Chakravarti.

Many celebrated artists from various fields are taking part in this important event. Abu Jafar Obaedullah, Mohammad Rafiq, Assaduzzaman Nur, Shimul Mustafa, Syed Shamsul Haq, Nirmulendu Gun and many others have already took part in the recitation session. Indramohan Rajbansi, Shudhin Das, Nilufar Iasmin, Farida Parvin, Rathindranath Roy, Rezwana Chowdhury Banna, Azit Roy, Shabnam Mustari and others made the festival melodious with their enchanting music.

On the first day, extracts from the plays, Kabar presented by the students of the Music and Dramatics Department, Nabanna and Joy Jayanti presented by Arannak were staged. On the second day extracts from, Spardha, presented by Theatre, Chaka presented by Dhaka Theatre and Batbrikkher Dharam Karam presented by Theatre (Arambag) were staged.

Today, Belal Chowdhury, Rafiq Azad, Rabiul Hussain, Kazi Abu Jafar Siddiqui, Marium Shamim, among others will take part in the recitation session. Shammi Aktar, Sadi Mohammad, Pradip Kumar Nandi will entertain the audience with their music and Nakarik will stage drama extracts from Nurul Diner Shara Jibon and Achalayatan and The Department of Music and Dramatics will present Kamala Ranir Shagar Dhighi.

As we have just entered into a new century, a festival that takes us into a time travel to follow the creative achievements of the past century will give us the required impetus to face the challenges of the new millennium.