Muktijuddho O Nari
Month long programme ends with palagaan
Ershad Kamol
It was a palagaan with a difference: The gayens (bards) did not begin the show with a devotional song nor did they focus on the soul or God as the subject of the pala. Rather, beginning the show with patriotic song, the gayens-- Maya Rani Sarkar and Aleya Begum-- presented the pala based on the contribution of women during our Liberation War. This exceptional pala was staged at the Liberation War Museum on January 31, as the final event of its month-long programme titled 'Muktijuddho O Nari' (Liberation War and Women).Among the interesting highlights of the palagaan was the lyrical argument in question- answer format between Aleya Begum and her counterpart Maya Rani, acting as a male. The audience was captivated by the improvised presentation of Maya Rani Sarkar and her troupe, and Aleya Begum and her troupe. Time and again their fast paced rhythm and melody with stentorian voice modulation created a stir amongst the audience. Earlier the discussants-- novelist Selina Hossain and women's activist Maleka Begum-- had a discourse on the role of women during our Liberation War. The discussants said that the traditional history of Liberation War does not recognise the direct contribution of the women in our freedom fight. Women are stereotyped as victims of the Pakistani Army or as caring mothers or wives. However, this approach fails to do justice to the valour of Taramon Bibi, Karimon Bibi, Sitara Begum, Kakon Devi and many others who played a part in the war.
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