window to iberian puppetry

Throughout history, puppet theatres have fascinated audiences and served as sources of inspiration (as referred in the Introduction to ‘Window to Iberian Puppetry) for both Eastern and Western creators who use the doll-size stages as mediums of expression. The pantomimes of these marionettes form the part of our ancestral human culture resources. From Ancient Egypt to classic Greece, to the Roman Empire, to the thousand year-old culture of China, puppet theatres have played essential roles in the art of theatre, interpreting every genre, including satire. Thus, the theatrical microcosms created by the puppet world bring our history together and keep alive our advances.With this in mind, the State Corporation for Spanish Cultural Action Abroad (SEACEX) together with the centre for Initiatives of Tolosa and the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is organising an exhibition called ‘Window to Iberian Puppetry’. The exhibit features Spanish and Portuguese puppet shows, styles and marionettes from the 18th Century through today, demonstrating the peculiarities of this form of cultural expression that all the world shares, from Latin America to the Asian Pacific.The representations of the puppets and their construction reflect the cultural and social diversity of this art form –these exhibits can and should become a vehicle for the exploration and knowledge of different cultures and cities. Thanks to the invaluable effort of the private and public collectors, and of course the organisers, who toiled so hard to put up a show like this.
Recently, Bahroop visited this exhibition to learn this unique mode of expression and were quite informed by a Spanish Puppeteer himself, who took us around the exhibition explaining every bit to the infinitesimal details. The Exhibition will be on till 26th Februray’08 in ‘Mati Ghar’ at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. It is a must see for theatre lovers and practitioners .

22nd Suraj Kund Mela

On 9th February, I visited the 22nd Suraj Kund Mela. Situated on the bank of Historical Suraj Kund, this year the theme was Bengal. Thus it was a familiar sight every where around it was peaceful with a folk ambience all around. The ‘Bikki-Kinni’- buying and selling as we call it in Bengali is on with a melodious classical flute tune or Sehnai (a musical instrument in flute genre) being played there.

The Theme Pavilion was Apna Ghar- AMAR GHAR- OUR HOUSE.The artist who was in charge of this theme was Mr. Goutam Sutradhar. He is a CHHAU Mask Maker from Baghmundi, Purulia, West Bengal, INDIA.
He is a very enthusiatic fellow. I had a chat with him that led me to understand that what a plight these artists are in. he is getting a daily wage of Rs.200 each for attending this 15 Day festival of international repute. Thus, we are showcasing them as the cultural heritage of India, but in reality these artists are leading a miserable life that is unseen by any of us, the visitors, guests, the lovers of art.
i was much moved by their ernest cravings. so, i thought of portraying this family apart from portraying the mela a visual treat to us. the story will go on....
Of course i will tell the readers to go and visit the Suraj kund Mela , because amidst the din and bustle of Rushing Delhi Life ...that place will take a rejuvinator... giving in new life... where we can almost breath the raw smell of the soil.. thus, remembering our roots.....

AISA XIV JNU Unit Convention

AISA (All India Students Association), JNU Unit is organising its XIV th Unit Convention. To uphold the tradition of protest and to stand against all odds is what AISA always stands up for. Every issue that AISA takes up concerns the sociaty at large, making the students not only Academically sound in the University like JNU , but developing them into a social being.

Bidrohi Kavi...... forgotten?

Few days back, we all were busy celebrating the birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore on 25th Baisakha. However we tend to forget that on1st Jyastha (25 may) was the birthday of Kaji Nazrul Islam (better known as the ‘Vidrohi-Kavi’ -‘Revolutionary Poet’). Every year these days are celebrated in the Bengali community. A Bengali, who may belong to Bangladesh, or West Bengal in India, someone staying in Tripura or a NRB (Non Residential Bengali) who stays in the foreign, all meet in their possible spheres on these dates to honour and commemorate these great poets of Bengal and Bengali imagination. The basis of this confluence is the indivisible cultural identity and the sense of a cultural nationhood among the Bengalis. Rabindranath Tagore was a Bengali poet too. However, he gradually surpassed his cultural identity as a Bengali and systematically first he became the poet of the country (more particularly and aptly of the whole subcontinent) then become the ‘Viswa-kavi’- Poet of the whole World. This is not true in Nazrul’s case. He internalized the diversity in the Bengali identity, mixed socio-cultural heritage, and remained the poet manifest of the Bengalis. If Rabindranath Tagore is the ‘Poet of the whole World’, then Nazrul is the ‘Poet of the Bengalis across the globe.’

Bangladesh is politically separated from India dividing Bengal into two. However, the culturally inseparable identity still stays undivided. The political division may have led way to some technical differences, but it could not change the fundamental structure and character of the culture and heritage of the Bengalis across the border that is prevalent for a thousand years. As the peoples of both the Bengal i.e. West Bengal & Bangladesh (Formerly East Bengal) have equal rights on the water of river Ganges, in the same way they have equal rights on ‘Charja-Padas’, to Rabindranath-Nazrul-Jibananda and the flow of culture in all these could not be divided merely by a political division. The population of Bengalis around the whole world is just 40 crores. Therefore, when the English language has created a cultural nationhood across the globe, it is only the assertion of our right to preserve and establish a cultural nationhood based on our language and heritage that can save us from extinction.

At the time of partition, when the Bengali community was rip apart with the violent weapon of communalism, it was the pen of Nazrul that spoke –‘Mora ekie brintay dooti kusum hindu –musalman’-‘we the buds from same branch-Hindu & Muslim’(translated by me). Nazrul was the poet of Bengali renaissance at the critical period of partition and there after. His poems and songs still move the nerves of Bengali imagination. However, the revitalization is on the verge of total apocalypse. The Bengalis from both the sides of the Ganges or Padma, are on the same line of cultural extinction. Society, politics, economy, and virtually in every field Bengalis are the target of this chaos and confusion. The neo-hip-hop slang western culture is very aggressively gobbling up the ancient culture and heritage of the Bengalis. If one wants to preserve one’s own culture and heritage, one has to first rejuvenate the Bengalis on either side of the Ganges and result in a mass uprising and assertion of our voices. Once again, one needs the songs of uprising, once sung by the revolutionaries of Bengal and then the whole of India. Nazrul can only pen these songs.
Nazrul can only once again unleash the tide of this uprising. For last fifty years, we have been worshipping the Viswa-Kavi, now time has come to add flavour to our taste where along with the pedantic carol music songs of the Kavi, one has to strengthen ourselves to sing the songs of Nazrul that are militant in tone and vigorous in sense. Therefore, the need of Vidrohi-kavi Nazrul is all the more very ardent in this era of social, moral and cultural degeneration. The greatest epitome of the cultural unity that forms the base of the Bengali existence is Nazrul himself. Thus, one must not let this vital resource, the fountain of militant rejuvenation-‘Vidrohi kavi’ Nazrul into oblivion.

CP market :A Heaven during Diwali

I was spellbound when I Visited CP four days before Diwali and Id.. The Footpathes were Flooding with Stalls and people flocking at these stall as if Bees flocking near their hives..The variety of handicrafts,handpainted clothes,carpets..Etc were altogether a new experience for me. It is true that a Kolkata basi will have no wonders as we are used to see Dharmatala footpath market and Kolkata's very own CP is the New market but still..The variety one gets to see here is really enthralling...Thus it is my advice to every Kolkatabasi that if you are visiting Delhi..Love a bit of Shopping (be it just window), do visit CP and you will experience the vibrant Delhi alive in it...

The Folk theatre festival!

There was a folk theatre festival at Sri Ram centre ,new delhi from 25th to the 27th of September,2006 that showcased participants from Uttar Pradesh,Uttaranchal and Rajasthan. tha production were fabulous and not only that the highlighted the their language ,the tradition of their performing art ,but also the the kind of cultural and historical tradition they have...at times the pieces performed might seem to be very frivolous to the So called 'Elite' Theatre going Socially Active Delhites,but the ethnicity and the originality of the concepts baffle us... the productions....'ajuba bafaul','bhakt puranmal'and 'andheri nagari' are worth mentioning ..they cater to the food for some new... I personally appreciate the traditional songs sung in the Rajasthani production..that involved..singing at high 'scale'..thay termed it 'khayal'...this type of festivals must continue in the future,sothat the the audience here at Delhi do get taste of more organic kind of theatre that comes straight out of heart.

campus life in JNU,New Delhi

I myself was aware of the fact that this is he most"politically" active campus in India. Thus, studying here will be very hard.But when I joined this University ,I understood that there is a lot hype about it,most of them are quite false.I had the notion that there will always be demonstrations,class disruption,riots etc.when I stayed here within a week I understood that there can be no other place in the country that is so academically active.The political activism happening here is only for the Allround development of the student into a Responsible citizen of tomorrow, I believe every student should be aware of it.The environment is so peaceful I felt like cutting all relations withthe peole who criticise it stay much away from the campus ,commenting about JNU with a sense of Jealousy.The life here is very condusive to study ,every day one gets Seminers and each of them are worth seeing...my words will not stop here itself,I will continue to write and give you all a much clearer picture about JNU.

University of Hyderabad

University of Hyderabad is really a good institute in field of Higher education.Myself joined it as a M.A. student Specializing in English,and I found the campus to be mesmerizing.Spread over an area of around 23700 acres,one would find greenery everywhere.The environment is very condusive for studying.

university of Hyderabad-

drug and narcotics -spot just behind Lingraj temple,Bhubaneshwar.

i happened to be in Orissa, i visited Linaraj temple.But on the outskrits on the temple there was any temple in ruins nearly ,uncared by the authorities. thre i found Dispovensand empty bottles of evil,definitely taken as drug.thus after the sunset these holy places become the centre for anti-social activites.i am alarmed that the authorites donot take any action!If Authorites read this blog ,I welcome them to approach me and I will provide them with evidence(but within 15 days).

voyeurism!

To speak on this topic will surely be a rash kind of thing -let me give you an instance of "Voyeur" that extends from mere" sneek peeking" in to lovers paradise to the high tech "Cyber porn".
I will give you an example -I visited a convent educational institution, the Boys hostel is by the side of a lonely street that is"Fondly" called by the students as 'lovers paradise'.Students often visit the Bathroom , the window in the bathroom provides a conducive view of the Lovers enjoying 'light' sex on the 'dark' nights.......More instances in the next issue.

physics

Expert comments on Physics by Amit Banerjee on my blog
I told him to comment but he told -" chere de ....chere de.... this is a lot Jhamela.... , how can one sit in a place and all of a sudden define the Introductin to Physics.. One needs a lot to Understand even the Fundamentals of Physics".(To inform you all -'Amit' is an illlustrious student of Physics, who ranked 16 in the all india entrance for MSc programme in IIT,and going to pursue Theoritical physics at IIT ,Kanpur)

The battle for the Red Fort....

The so called Red Fort ,The Writers Building ,the seat for the administrative where abouts of West Bengal is on.The results are to be declared on 11th May. Though the Left Front is once again going to have a clear cut victory for the consecutive Seventh time,the Youger Generation is seeing through the conflict between the Marxist Ideology and the Neo-liberal attitude of the Face of the Left Front.Thogh The Exit -POlss have made the Left Front clear winner ,but the oppositions claim hard to see a overturn and a new dawn on the political horizon of West Bengal .

mid summer night's dream by Tim supple

on 28th april i saw the theatre production of the' Dream' ,Directed by Tim Supple .It was a fabulous production.Kolkata's audience were enthralled by the production