Like every year, Pahela Baishakh has been celebrated in the capital, other districts and rural regions across the country with the same zeal and gusto this time to welcome the Bangla New Year 1420.
From all the arrangements of cultural organisations, participation of artistes and crowding of audience, it can be said that Pahela Baishakh celebrations gets bigger and better each year around the town. Several programmes were held in different parts of the capital city to celebrate the occasion with people thronging the streets in traditional Bengali attires. A few of them are noteworthy to mention.
Over a thousand singers performed in a chorus to welcome the Bangla New Year at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on Sunday morning at the programme titled ‘Hazaro Konthe Koti Bangaleer Barshabaran, jointly organised by Surer Dhara and Channel-i. Seasoned singers of the country also performed solo in the programme.
The major highlight of the show was veteran Nazrul singer of the sub-continent, Feroza Begum who mesmerised thousands of audiences through her compelling rendering of Hey mayabi boley jao. The audience eagerly waited for the renowned singer as she performed live after more than a decade. Afterwards, she delivered a small speech where she entreated everybody to be united to create a peaceful Bangladesh.
Ayub Bachchu, on the other hand, captured the hearts of the audience while he sang Tomake bhalobashi and Ar kato eibhabe amake kadabe in his stentorian voice. The crowd began to sing along with him when he rendered his superhit number Ei tumi keno ato achena holey.
Kumar Biswajit’s performance of his popular, stimulating song Tomra ektara bajaiyona and Antor joley rey joley also received loud applauses from the audience.
Farida Parveen’s presentation of lalon sings Boro sankate poria rey doyal and Abida Sultana’s patriotic song Ai sobuj desh amar added more dimensions to the show. Syed Abdul Hadi and Rafiqul Alam also perform at the show.
The thousand artistes of Surer Dhara presented several numbers in chorus including Eso hey boishakh eso eso, Dhonilo ahobano, Bongo amar janoni amar, Samal samal ore, and others.
The Rabindra Sarobar, a popular cultural hub, had a festive mood with lots and lots of musical and dance recitals.
It became a little deafening with the incessant blowing of plastic flutes by children.
Among the sound and fervor, the energetic strikes on Dhol announced the starting of the programme.
Students of Bangladesh Academy of Fine Arts rendered the Boishakhi song Eso hey boishakh eso eso and Oi to esechhe boishakh.
Eminent Tagore singer Aditi Mohsin and Kaderi Kibria added more colour to the show with their performances. Aditi Mohsin sang Barisho dharar majhe shantir bani, tumi daak diyechho kon sokale and tomar khola hawai, whereas Kaderi Kibria presented classics such as Akash bhora surjo tara, purano sei diner kotha and sedin dujone.
Salauddin Ahmed sang Nazrul’s Bagichaay bulbuli tui and Brajogopi khele hari beautifully.
Fakir Sahabuddin and Purna Chandra Roy amused the audience with folk numbers, and the students of BAFA frequented the stage with dance recitals.
A delighted child Swarna told, ‘I woke up very early today and ate “panta-ilish”. I will roam whole day with my parents’.
Arafat Reza, a class seven student of Dhanmondi Boys’ High School, who rejoiced the occasion said, ‘All my friends have come here, and we will enjoy the day.’
Bangla Academy organised a colourful cultural programme at the Abdul Karim Auditorium as part of a three-day international folklore conference. The progamme commenced with chorus rendition songs by child artistes. In the evening, Udichi Shilpagosthi presented traditional folk music including Sari and Dhua gaan, Lalon songs and Raybeshi dance.
Besides, a ten-day vibrant, fun-filled baishakhi fair has also been jointly organised by Bangla academy and BSIC at the academy premises. The fair features traditional toys, food, clothes and many other things.
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy arranged a programme enriched with songs, recitations and dance performances for the occasion during the evening.
At the National Theatre Hall, a house-full audience attended the programme in a festive mood. It began with BSA repertory artists’ rendering Eso hey boishakh eso eso and nobo anande jago nobo kirone.
Dance troupes such as Dhriti Nrityanalaya and Spandan amused the audience with selections from Bhanusingher Padabali, and dhol baje bangladesher dhol respectively.
Mahidul Islam Mahi’s recitation of Mahbub Talukder’s satirical poem Happy New Year also earned loud applauses.
Eminent singer Sujit Mustafa, Timir Roy, Anima Mukti Gomes and others presented songs at the programme.
However, some spectators had attended the programme with expectations of more diversity. A disheartened Shahidul Islam told, ‘It was just a typical programme. BSA should have done something more different.’
Wrishijo Shilpi Gosthi, on the other hand, organised a programme at Narkel Bethi in front of Shishu Park at Shahbag. Songs of different genres were presented at the programme.
A day-long cultural programme was held at the Gulshan Playground where different cultural organisations including Kalpataru presented dance recitals and promising singers sang songs.
-with New Age input
