BENGALURU: June 3 is bound to be a celebration for Bengalis in Bengaluru not only because they will be celebrating the birth anniversary of two revered Bengali poets but also because the community will be launching their first literary magazine in the city.
“This is the first time that a programme involving two of the most important poets of Bengali renaissance movement, Rabindranath and Nazrul, is being organised in Bengaluru,” says Samhati Bhattacharya, who founded Ananda Mela, a Bengali association, last year during Mahalaya.
“Bengali Little Magazine named Ananda Barta, will also debut and is aimed to be circulated in the city to revamp the trend of writing, sharing and reading poems and short stories,” Samhati adds.
The event is organised to celebrate Rabindranath Tagore’s literary achievement along with that of the revolutionary poet, Kazi Nazrul Islam.
The literary works of the two poets will be recited and enacted. A dance drama titled ‘Rabindra Kabye Noti’ which translates to ‘different shades of Rabindranath’s muses, will be performed along with ‘Jago Nari’ an enactment on violence against women in contemporary society. Other short plays and dances and music including the prominent ones of Nazrul will be performed. One of the primary reason for organising the celebration of two poets together is because Nazrul often gets over-shadowed by Tagore, says Samhati.
The Little Magazine
More than 20 Bengalis contributed to the first edition of Ananda Barta, which translates to ‘good news’. The magazine will be brought out two or three times annually, say the organisers. There are no restrictions on the content of the magazine, and one can even share their journey and personal experiences. The only criteria is that it should be written in Bengali.
“Bengalis in Bengaluru need the magazine because they are the second-largest community in the city. And although they are deeply rooted to their culture, they do not find the time for it,” says Samhati, who is also the editor of the magazine.
The first edition has about 50 pages, and in collaboration with few bookstores around the city, there are chances you may spot the city’s first Bengali magazine when you walk into one.
The programme, titled Rabindra-Nazrul Sandhya, will be held on June 3 at Commits College Auditorium in HSR Layout, 4.30 pm to 8.30pm. The entry fee is `350, and covers the cost for some Bengali food in the evening.