BangaMaitri stages colorful cultural program

The BangaMaitri, a community organization of workers from the Bengali-speaking states of India, celebrated the start of the Bengali New Year here recently.
The family get-together titled “Adda 1420” is held every year to mark the Bengali year and the birth anniversary of popular Indian poet, the late Rabindranath Tagore, who became the first non-European to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1913.
The event included songs, dance, drama and poetry recitation.
The performances left the crowd spell-bound. Recitations from young and talented performers caught the attention of the audience.
The songs from the “professional” singers left the crowd cheering and asking for more. The drama performed by the children, based on the works of Sukumar Ray and directed by Prabhas Mandal, drew peals of laughter.
Dances by groups of young and old enthusiasts in especially designed colorful costumes were choreographed by Sanghamitra Podder.
The retro dance sequel choreographed by Podder took the audience down memory lane rekindling the era that is long forgotten.
“Kabya Natika,” directed by Snigdha Mukherjee, was based on the writings of Tagore and was performed with serenity and grace.
The program was hosted by Sayantan Das and Dolon Champa Roy.
The closing performance by Al-Kharj Band was given a standing ovation by the audience.