✍️By Special Correspondent
Recently, an unique cultural programme was organized by SRIJAN CHHANDA, at Rabindra Sadan , Kolkata with the support of Ministry of Culture, Govt. of India. In this auspicious programme, SRIJAN CHHANDA, performed their new production “Ritusamhaaram”. The honourable chief guests of the programme were renowned Danseuse of Kolkata respected Guru Kalavati Devi and respected Alokananda Roy, due to some unavoidable circumstances Alokananda Roy madam was unable to attend the invitation but Guru Kalavati Devi was present and she graced the occasion. The honourable anchor of the day was Smt. Urmila Bhaumik. The guests of the day were felicitated by the Vice President of SRIJAN CHHANDA Smt. Soma Mukherjee. ” Ritusamhaaram” is a garland of poems based on six seasons by great Indian poet Kalidasa. ” Ritusamhaaram ” describes each season with its natural beauty and compared the purusha and prakriti with the seasons. It can also be stated that man and woman and the conjugal happiness here is beautifully portrayed keeping a simile with the different seasons and its changing nature. The poem has six cantos for the six Indian seasons that is grisma (summer), varsa/pavas (monsoon/rains), sharat (autumn), hemanta (cool), sisira (winter), and vasanta (spring).
SRIJAN CHHANDA has depicted each season with its unique features and originality of the poem was kept intact though the first season was staged Spring keeping in mind the traditional Indian calendar, the stagecraft was exceptionally marvelous and when the dancers with the adorned costumes entered the stage with the rhythm of seasons, the audience was spellbound to see such a majestic ambience. It is very much appreciated that the each and every dancer in “Ritusamhaaram” is so much perfect, appropriate and tuned to the ragas and talas, that the percussion of the ghungroos was a pleasant,sweet sound to hear. The magical moment was when the artistic director of SRIJAN CHHANDA Sri Rajib Bhattacharya performed the character of a peacock dancing in rain in joyous mood in the heaviest monsoons.
The costume designer of the production Sri Rajib Bhattacharya has made the costume exclusive. Each season signified different colours and each those colour’s bear some or the other philosophical relevance. Sri Rajib Bhattacharya is the artistic director of SRIJAN CHHANDA, has depicted and choreographed the poem “Ritusamhaaram” in such a simple but sophisticated way that it made the audience compel to glued back in their seats to witness extraordinary grandeur. The audiences were simply moved by the performances. The music direction of “Ritusamhaaram” by Sri Suman Sarkar is an artistic work in the true sense of the term. The blending of different talas of different matras with the music and lyrical verses alongwith the typical rhythmic bols of Odissi dance has added immense glory to the whole production. The narration of the script by Sri Madanmohan Kumar and Sri Sayak Mitra was again a auditory treat to the audience. The prop designer Sri Shyamal Mallick did a great job by choosing and decorating the stage with the most appropriate props.
Above all, the dancers of ” Ritusamhaaram” were uniformly outstanding. The dancers were, Ranjabali Dey, Angana Bose, Kamalika Bose, Tiyasha Paul, Debolina Dutta, Tamal Das, Sindrala Karmakar, Shrinjoyi Chhetri, Trisha Das Mondal and Sri Rajib Bhattacharya himself.
Moreover, the persons and organisation those who have helped internally to stage such a successful production like “Ritusamhaaram” are Ministry of culture, Govt. of India, Shee prosad Chhetri, Debbani Chatterjee, Ahona Roy Chowdhury, Iman Bose, Rushita Mondal, Swapnasree Chowdhury, Prakash Paswan, Mandira Bose, Kamal Bose, Arindam Bose.