HIDCO to observe Tagore’s 155th birthday with month-long event

Debashis Sen, chairman of HIDCO, said the programme titled ‘Cholochitre Kobipronam’ will include the screening of two movies, ‘Jogajog’ and ‘Kadambari’, at Nazrul Tirtha at 5pm on Saturday.

The main function will be held on Sunday to celebrate the bard’s birth anniversary at Rabindra Tirtha through performance of Tagore songs by both noted and budding artists, recitation of his poetry and reading of his prose pieces. Besides, various programmes will be held throughout the month at Nazrul Tirtha.

Sen said HIDCO had chalked out a special programme to celebrate the first anniversary of Café Ekante, a restaurant named by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

On May 15, a programme titled ‘Culture and Adda’ will be held. For the guests, Café Ekante will prepare a special dish called Thakurbarir Mangsho. Sen said it would be a unique way for the people to pay homage to Tagore. “They will talk on Tagore and then there will be Rabindrasangeet 

performance. The main idea is to catch young people and open before them the vast ocean of Rabindranath Tagore,” said Sen.

Rabindra Tirtha and Nazrul Tirtha have become two new cultural bases. Earlier, people used to throng around Rabindra Sadan complex, the main centre for cultural programmes. These programmes are attended mostly by people living in South Kolkata and parts of North Kolkata situated along the metro corridor.

People staying in Salt Lake and the northern fringes could earlier not attend these shows due to the distance and other factors. On Sundays, theatre shows are held at Rabindra Tirtha by new theatre groups. Cultural programmes organised at Rabindra Tirtha and Nazrul Tirtha are attended by a large number of people residing in New Town and Salt Lake.