The New Nation - Internet Edition

Entertainment Report

To celebrate the first day of monsoon, cultural organisation 'Nibedan' and Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy jointly organised a musical soiree titled 'Shotoborsher Bangla Gaan' at Jatiya Sangeet O Nrityakala Kendra Auditorium of Shilpakala Academy on June 15.

At the programme, artistes of Nibedan performed Bengali songs about rain, composed in the last 100 years.

Md Sharful Alam, Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, was the chief guest at the programme. Educationist and environmentalist Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed, poet-lyricist Mohammad Rafiquzzaman and cultural activist Shadhon Das were special guests. , Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam, Director General of Shilpakala Academy, presided over the programme.

Prof Abdullah Abu Sayeed said, "Rain blesses all corners of the world but perhaps monsoon has always been extra generous to us. That's why every human emotion, heightened in monsoon, has been referred to in Rabindranath's songs. I don't think beyond the borders of sub-continent, there is any poet who has extensively worked on the theme of rain."

Bishwajit Roy, Director of Nibedan, said, "Contemporary poets rarely write about monsoon. In this city, vision is limited by mushrooming high rises; splendour of monsoon cannot be enjoyed in confinement. For songs about rain, we have to look back. Kalidas, Vidyapati, Chandidas, Rabindranath, Nazrul, Atul Prasad, Dwijendra Lal - all have praised monsoon with pertinent passion. Rabindranath alone wrote over one hundred songs about rain."

The first song of the evening was a chorus. Artistes of Nibedan performed a Rabindra Sangeet 'Hridoy aamar nacherey aajikey'.

Md Sharful Alam performed another Rabindra Sangeet 'Badol diner prothom kadam phool'.

Luna Sayeed rendered a Nazrul Sangeet 'Borosha oi elo borosha'.

Bishwajit Roy rendered a song written and composed by Hemendra Kumar Roy.

Sutopa Roy performed 'Ek boroshar brishtitey bhijey' written by Gazi Mazharul Anwar and composed by Khandokar Nurul Alam. The song, originally rendered by Nilufar Yasmin, was featured in the film 'Jalchhabi.'

Sharmeen Shathi Islam's immaculate rendition of 'Borosha bhorosha diley na tho', written and composed by Amalendu Bikash Kar Chowdhury, received a round of praise.

More recent songs presented at the programme included 'Aaj ei brishtir kanna shuney', written and composed by Shahiduzzaman Swapon and made famous by artiste Niaz Muhammad Chowdhury and 'Konthey amaar badol belar gaan', written by Mohammad Rafiquzzaman and composed by Bishwajit Roy.