✍️By Special Correspondent
One of the major areas of concern in this digital world is that the children and adults alike are completely hooked up to their mobile phones and spend a major part of their times onscreen. They are invariably hooked on their digital devices, thereby reducing the time spent on reading books. So naturally the present generation is almost forgetting the traditional Bengali culture of reading “Pujobarshiki’s”, the Durga puja special edition of publications with some of the legends of literature writing stories, poetries and author articles. An integral part of the Bengali culture not only locally but also the expatriates look forward to these Puja Special Publications.
To reduce this gap and specially after the pandemic setting in and making people homebound and stuck to the digital space, Subhamay Basu, a theatre enthusiast and graphic designer started an initiative ‘Times of Theatre’, a 360 degrees theatre portal with an impending radio and podcast verticals, thought about an audio album, KaneKane which shall feature audio dramas, poetry dramas, love dramas, comedy dramas, drama songs, children’s story lessons, children’s dramas. There are also two collectibles – legendary Dhiren Das’s Shardiya Gaan and late thespian Anup Kumar’s Rabindranath Tagore’s “Bini Paysar Bhoj”, singer-hero Dhiren Das was Anupkumar’s father. This Audio includes renowned dancer Madhubani Chatterjee she has read two stories for children apart from initiating and directing children enacting “Rabikbir Pathshala ” for KaneKane.
According to KaneKane’s brainchild Subhamay Basu , “ this innovative initiative will not only bring Bengali literature to the ears of the new generation, it will spread to all Bengali-loving people in the world.” Partnering this initiative is the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago and the audio magazine is edited by Shri Tapan Das.