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Music festival at Dhaka University

Zahangir Alom

THE connection between music and festival has an embedded root in human society since the dawn of civilization. Exultation after hunting a giant prey in the ancient society reminds us of the archaic festivals where music with dance would find its jubilant place. The maxim “Golay Golay Dhan Aar Galay Galay Gaan” is also the reminiscence of affluent agro based Bengali festivals like Pala-Parbon, Nabanno.

The age-old Bengali festivals got a new leaf with the proactive hands of Rabindranath Tagore. Tagore actually familiarised the hearts of many Bengali people with those festivals.

A two-day music festival starting from July 30 has recently ended at TSC auditorium, Dhaka University (DU). The Department of Music of DU arranged the festival for the second time after its emergence as a new department from “Natyakala O Sangeet” on the University Day (July 1) last year. The department of “Natyakala O Sangeet” was established in the year 1993 to nurture and diffuse Bengali culture in the campus.

Minister for Information and Culture Abul Kalam Azad inaugurated the festival as the chief guest while Vice Chancellor AAMS Arefin Siddique, Pro Vice Chancellor Harun-Ar-Rashid, and Treasurer Mizanur Rahman Shelley of DU spoke as special guests on the occasion.

“Music festival always plays a rejuvenating role in shaping human psyche. I hope the department of music will continue to produce cultured and creative persons in the days ahead,” Abul Kalam Azad said after inaugurating the festival.

“University of Dhaka is the confluence of education and culture. The department of Music has been serving the university with cultural activities for the last 17 years. The activities of the department have become focused and extensive after emerging as a new department last year. They department will uphold the heritage of Bengali song of more than a thousand years,” said Professor AAMS Arefin Siddique.

Chairman of the department Kuheli Islam delivered the welcome speech.

“Aside from participating in the events arranged by DU, the department of music regularly chalks out elaborate programmes to mark national days and festivities like International Mother Language Day, Independence Day, Victory Day, Pahela Falgun, Pahela Baishakh, Nobanno Utshab, Rabindra and Nazrul Jayanti, Department and University Day (July 1), Saraswati Puja and more,” Chairman of Music Department, Kuheli Islam, said.

“This music festival aims to nurture pure forms of music. We generally hold it at the end of July as an ode to monsoon. The monsoon is closely associated with the culture and Bengali way of life,” she added.

The festival began with a Tagore number, “Tomar Ananda Oi Elo Darey” , the theme song for the year. Teachers and students of the Department performed both solo and choral renditions at the programme.

Students of the department Sharmin, Shashi, Mridula, Tumpa, Bipasha, Oni, Naima, Purba, Afia, Tanwi, Kakoli, Jannatul, Barbara, Orin, Pongti, Navana, Sumi, Aditi, Kakon, Piya, Shafinaz, Sushmita, Misti, Priyanka, Farhana, Tamanna, Sudeshna, Monisha, Tori, Farzana Pallabi, Shohel, Rajib, Faruk, Debashish, Ratan, Alamgir, Bishwajit, Mahmud, Mehfuz, Murad, Shishir, Shahid, Reza, Nahid, Punom, Nayon, Rokibul, Robin and Robiul performed choral Tagore, Nazrul and adhunik numbers at the event.

With the bandish “Albela Sajan Gharey Aayi” a classical Khayal on raga “Aahir Bhairav” was performed by the students. Another classical composition titled “Ghanana Ghanana Ghano” from the Hindi film “Lagaan” followed as an ode to the monsoon. Naima and Kanon sang two solos “Tomar Khola Hawa” and “Oi Kalo Meghera” on the occasion while Moutushi and Kochi presented a Kathak dance respectively. Guest artistes Fahim Hossain Chowdhury, Mohiuzzaman Chowdhury Moyna, Salahuddin Ahmed, Dr. Leena Taposhi Khan and Ferdaus Ara, Shayan and Anima De Costa rendered solo numbers.

Students of the Department performed a chorus of Nazrul Sangeet based on the Turkish tune “Shukno Patar Nupur Paye”, while noted dancer Sharmila Bandyopadhyay presented a solo dance performance with a Tagore number “Pagla Hawar Badol Diney”.

Choreographed by renowned dancer Laila Hasan, artistes of the dance troupe Nataraj performed two dances. The inaugural day of the festival wrapped up

With the rendition of the National Anthem. The concluding day of the festival began with a welcome speech by the convenor of the festival Professor Mridul Kanti Chakraborti. Renowned litterateur Selina Hossain as the chief guest and Dean of the Faculty of Arts of DU Dr. Sadrul Amin as a special guest also spoke on the day.

Professor Mridul Kanti Chakraborti urged the authorities concerned to recruit competent students of the department in Culture, Information and Education ministries through special examination.

Aside from solo and choral folk performances-- “Chharilam Hasoner Nao Rey,” “Ke Jao Bhatir Desher,” “Guddi Urailo Morey,” “Apon Gharer Khabor Ne Na” and more by the students of the Department, the festival also featured solo performances by guest artistes Tuntun Baul, Pagla Bablu and Dil Afroz Reba. Professor Mridul Kanti Chakraborti also performed a solo folk number on the concluding day. Tahmina Aktar Jhumi presented a solo folk dance while artistes of Nataraj gave a group dance performance on the concluding day.

The performers for the festival were trained by Shoyeb (classical music), Sabrina Aktar, Mofizur Rahman and Azizur Rahman Tuhin ( Rabindra and Nazrul Sangeet), Biman Chandra Biswas and Enamul Haque ( folk music) and Dipak Paul, Tapan Sarkar and Swarup Hossain ( percussion).

The department of music arranged music festival for the first time in campus last year. The very song of DL Roy “Dhano Dhanyo Pushpo Bhora Amader Ei Bashundhara” was the theme song for the year as the song marked its centenary on the same year.

(The writer is working at the Arts & Entertainment desk of The Daily Star)

All Photos by Mumit M.