UK Bengali diaspora set for Rabindra Jayanti

Kolkata: On the occasion of Rabindranath Tagore’s 162nd birth anniversary, the Bengali diaspora in the UK is set to celebrate the versatility of the Bard through songs, poems and discussions. A host of events have been lined up by different forums where interdisciplinary artist Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, Imtiaz Ahmed and other artists will perform. Midland Indian Association will celebrate the poet-philosopher on Saturday at Birmingham. Chatterjee will read mostly Bengali poems composed by Kazi Nazrul Islam, Sankha Ghosh and Srijato. “I will perhaps read Gulzar and Amrita Pritam too,” he said. President Amit Paul Choudhury of MIA said, “It is an attempt to revisit our roots. A Bengali film ‘Ghore Ferar Gaan’ will be screened on May 14.” Leicester Probashi Club has focused on a story-telling session by Chatterjee comprising anecdotes about Tagore’s birth anniversary complemented by songs and choreography by other artists on May 20. The Bengal Heritage Foundation (BHF) has organised a talk ‘Robi o Rathi’ on May 26 at the Nehru Centre London to explore the filial relationship between Tagore and his son. Koushik Chatterjee, one of the trustees of BHF, feels, “We hero-worship Tagore and forget that he was a man of flesh and blood too. This discussion will help us to see him through a different lens.” he added. Sujoy Prosad Chatterjee, who will deliver the talk, said that it is based on the research and script of Chaitali Dasgupta.The Tagore Centre, UK and Camden Local Studies and Archive Centre have organised a programme ‘Tagore: The hope of our times’ to provide an immersive experience through songs, drama, poetry. Tagore Festival organised by Anandadhara Arts, UK on May 27 will focus on the poet’s rendezvous with western intellectuals like Romain Rolland, Thomas Mann and Albert Einstein and will feature renowned Tagore exponent Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and eminent Tagore singer Imtiaz Ahmed.