Karnival colours tug at city heart

KOLKATA: The countdown has begun. With 10 days to go for the city’s first street carnival, activity reached a fever pitch as organisers and participants flew in from UK and Trinidad for rehearsals before D-day.
All cogs in the Kolkata Karnival machinery assembled at the British Deputy High Commission’s office on Thursday – carnival director Alison Pretty, choreographer Tanusree Shankar, select group of participants and sponsors Vijay Dewan of Park and Brampton Mundy of HSBC.
Of course, host British deputy high commissioner Andrew Hall was there as well. “Carnivals are not exactly an embassy’s line of activity. But we are privileged to initiate this event in a city as historic as Kolkata,� said Hall.
The Kolkata Karnival will be held on December 14. The event laced with glitz, glamour and music, will see a thousand performers assemble at Rani Rashmoni Avenue in spectacular costumes and headgear.
They will then dance down Chowringhee to exotic musical masala of Soca, Tessa and Chutney sounds mixed with Dhol and Dhak rhythms. The carnival will carry on to the Maidan near Victoria Memorial for a grand finale near the Fountain of Joy.
Hall had no qualms admitting that the carnival could eclipse a dozen other events lined up for the 10-day UK Festival in Kolkata. “The spectacle is expected to be the cynosure of all eyes,� Hall said. Alison, the inspiration behind the whole show, doesn’t doubt it.
After all, the Notingham carnival that she designed drew 3 million people in its third edition this year. “It’s unbelievable that I’m here to organise a carnival. For, the Trinidad carnival’s roots like in Kolkata,� she said, explaining how the West Indian island drew its from art, music and culture of Indians who were transported centuries ago.
“Even the wire-work of Carnival headgear is similar to the shola work that are used to decorate Durga, Kali and Saraswati idols here,� she said, pointing out that nearly 48 per cent of Trinidad’s population was of Indian descent. Tanusree Shankar, who will choreograph the performance, admitted it was a big challenge.
“It’s my first carnival experience,� she said. Tanusree went to UK to imbibe the carnival spirit before training 250 of her own wards and 750 students from city schools. “They will don the same dresses that were used during the Thames Festival in London,� she explained.