A colourful daylong Nazrul fair, organised by Channel-i, in celebrating the 113rd birth anniversary of national poet Kazi Nazrul Islam drew huge crowd at the Channel-i premises in the capital on Friday.
Veteran Nazrul singers Feroza Begum, Sohrab Hossain, Sudhin Das, and Nazrul researcher Professor Rafiqul Islam inaugurated the event.
The fair was vibrant with cultural performances of dance, music and recitation by eminent and promising solo artistes and cultural organisations at the open air stage at the fair. Besides, the fair featured an award giving ceremony and a painting session.
At the fair eminent Nazrul singer Ferdous Ara received life time achievement award from Channel-i for her contributions towards Nazrul songs.
In expressing her feeling, Ferdous Ara told New Age, ‘I am really thankful for this honour. The award will encourage the youngsters to come forward and practice Nazrul songs.’
The cultural programme began with a chorus of timeless Nazrul song Joy hok joy hok by artistes of different cultural organisations.
However, a chorus presentation of Eki apurup rupey go tomar by noted artistes including Sohrab Hossain, Sudhin Das and Ferdous Ara delighted the audiences.
Noted artistes Leela Tapashi Khan’s spontaneous solo performance of the song Meghla nishith bhorey also entertained the crowd. Besides, Fahmida Rahman, Bijan Chandra Mistri, Shahina Akhter Papiya and Fatima Arzu presented respectively Tumi sundor tai, Ami baul holem dhulir pathe, Reshmi rumale and Tora son joyodhonni kor in solo renditions. Rebeka Sultana and Samsul Huda presented Nazrul’s Kirttan.
Cultural organisations Talim, Sur Saptak and Kranti Shilpagoshthi presented Jhar jhanjay ore nishan, durgam giri kantar maru, Jago anashan bandhi created a feeling of pleasure in the hearts of the audiences.
Kazi Arif’s recitation of Nazrul’s classic poem Bidrohi in his stentorian voice was another attractive feature of the fair.
In dance recitals, child artistes of Summerfield School and Bhorer Pakhi Nritya Gosthi presented group dance recitals synchronised with Shukno patar nupur paaye and Moner o rang legechhe respectively.
Painters like Maniruzzaman, Biren Some, Ranajit Das, Abdul Mannan, among others painted the poet’s portraits at the fair.
A good number of people visited the fair. Dina Mehrin, a college student, told New Age, ‘I really enjoyed the fair especially the stalls and the performances.’
-With New Age input
