Campus Trends

The youth is now beginning to get involved in various cultural activities.

A Different Sort of Trend

Naziba Basher
Photos: Kazi Tahsin Agaz Apurbo

There was a time, even a decade ago, when one would wonder at how lethargic the youth was. The only things they would do were hangout at a coffee place or go to a rock or metal concert. But that was pretty much it. I would be the few amongst my friends who would go to the classical fests held at different institutions, dance shows, theatre performances and many more. It would make me sad that I could not share such beautiful experiences with my best friends.

But over the last couple of years, the youth has learned to open their eyes and ears to the diversity in culture that surrounds us. I have seen young people watch, learn and broaden their minds. It had started out as a trend when only some young students who are theatre or music activists would attend these events, but, once others had visited and watched, they had begun to love.

Nowadays, more than anything, these shows are filled with buzzing and thriving young students hoping to learn and appreciate, above all. I went to the Bengal ITC Classical Music festival and it filled my heart with absolute contentment to see such a young crowd, listening to, understanding and loving Hindustani classical music and dance. I went to the Felix Mathias Ott performance in Shilpakala Academy, and the theatre was filled with young anxious faces waiting to open their hearts to something new. I went to Chhobi Mela, 2013, and there were young, ambitious photographers, viewers and art lovers staring at photos with all the emotions that their hearts let out. At these moments, I realised how much Bangladesh has grown and how this is the very generation that will bring a change to our society and our way of thinking. This is when we will see the change we have always wanted. Not only in sectors of politics, economics, business and sports, but finally, in arts and culture too. I speak to people my age and I can finally connect when I talk to them about Pandit Ravi Shankar, Ustad Zakir Hussain, Ludovico Einaudi or even Anna Pavlova and Desmond Richardson.

Organisations like Dhaka Theatre, Goethe Institute, Alliance Francaise, Bengal Foundation, Chhayanaut Institute of Arts, and many more, are constantly there to urge the youth to get involved in and appreciate the different forms of art from all around the world that Bangladesh is now learning to appreciate.

The trend has finally changed. The trend is now, to be open, to not just hear but to listen, to not just look but to watch, to keep one’s heart and mind open. The trend is now to learn, love and appreciate.