Poems asserting the importance of women
The recitation organization 'Shanan' had arranged a recitation presentation of poetry and audio drama at Dhaka University's 'Nat Mondol' on 3rd December 2003 named 'Konna-Jaya-Jonony ebong Nari' (Daughter-Wife-Mother and Woman). This was to honour the memory of Begum Rokeya and the presentation was composed and directed by Annaya Rahaman Putul.
Women should first be considered as human beings. The programme was not a story of a single woman but it was the tale of a couple's miseries and happiness, though, in the last episode of the story a woman's inward cry was intense. This woman's cry is very common in our society. It echoed so much in the programme during the weaving of the story, the cry became only too obvious and apparent, drawing everyone's attention to it.
Though celebrated in a single thread, the programme was still divided in four chapters: daughter, wife, mother and woman. In the first part 'daughter', two poems of Jibonananda Das and Moffazzel Karim, and an audio drama by Sanjeeb Chattopaddhay revealed the sweetness of the eternal relation between a father and a daughter. The 'wife' section contained superb parts of poems and conversations of Jibonananda Das, Amio Chatterjee, Jagannath Chatterjee, Hasan Hafizur Rahman, Premendro Mitro, Buddhadeb Basu, Sayed Shamsul Haque and Purnendu Potri, which were presented with perfection. Two great poems by Rabindranath Tagore, and others by Makid Haider and Shamsur Rahaman revealed the perpetual portrait of a mother. The figure of a mother sometimes stands for promise, sometimes bravery, sometimes harmony between the nature and a child, and at times simply a parent. To the 'mother' part was added a letter written by Kazi Humayun Haider to his mother from the war field and remembrance of Nirendranath Chakrabarti.
The last part of the programme pronounced the pain of womanhood and spelled the words of protest against all unfairness faced by women. Sunil Gongopaddhaya's Na Pathano Chithi touched the innermost part of the heart. The programme ended with the recitation of the fiery writing by Mollika Sengupta's Kathamanabi.
In the programme the participants were Maksuda Shirin, Shekh Abdullah Mamun, Rashed Kanchon, Naima Siddiki, Maskur-e-Sattar Kollol, Aditi Sadia Rahman, Anannya Laboni Putul, Toufiq Al Mannan Tofa and Sajid Akhand. Sohel Shahriar Rana composed the music. Ishrat Nishat designed the lights. Mojumdar Biplob designed the stage. The programme was truly thought provoking and at the same time entertaining.
Comments