BANGLADESH AT THE KHAJURAHO DANCE FESTIVAL '17 Centre of attention

For the second time in two years, Dhaka-based cultural organisation  Shadhona, participated in the prestigious four-decade old Khajuraho Dance Festival 2017 besides the amazing 10th century temples at Khajuraho in Madhya Pradesh, India. However, this time Shadhona represented the country as Bangladesh was featured as the guest country, with a pavilion dedicated to Bangladesh's culture and arts, with displays and daily performances, says a press release. 

Lubna Marium, artistic director of Shadhona, curated the presentation, entitled 'Bangladesh --A Land of Myths and Rivers', which had four  segments daily; dance performances; an exposition of Bangladesh's cultural practices through exquisitely painted 'pata-chitra', or scroll-paintings; a photographic exhibition on Bangladesh's rivers; and a display of the arts and crafts of Bangladesh, including the revival of Muslin weaving.

The festively decorated temple town of Khajuraho very prominently announced Bangladesh's participation through colourful posters. 

The brightly decorated Bangladesh pavilion became a major attraction on the festival grounds. On popular demand the performances were held twice daily in the afternoons and in the evening. Each day the Bangladesh team started their presentation with a rally, including the “dhuli” or drummer from Bangladesh.  Shadhona presented “raibeshe”, or the martial dances of Bengal; Baul songs and dances; “Badolo Borishone”, a dance-drama based on Nazrul songs; an exposition of the Manasa Mangal performances; Manipuri dances from Bangladesh; Tagore's “Brikkhoropon” -- or tree-planting ceremony; and finally dances based on songs from the Language Movement.

Shabbir Ahmed Khan, Sweety Das Chowdhury and Amit Chowdhury, choreographed the dances.  Shafi Mondol, enhanced the participation with his exquisite renditions of Lalon songs.

On the exquisitely built main stage of the Festival, each day saw an exposition of the various genres of Indian classical dances by talented dancers from India and abroad. The Bangladesh team put up a very well appreciated, hour-long, Bharatanatyam recital by Amit Chowdhury and his students from Kolpotoru.  The performances were aired, live by Doordarshan Bharati.

Lubna Marium participated in “Kalavarta” with a presentation entitled “Beyond Boundaries: Reconnecting shared cross-border cultural practices”, through which she directed attention to the need for cross-border inventories of common  art forms practiced within neighboring regions of South Asia such as the martial art of “lathikhela”;  performances of Manasa; the art of the Bauls or “wandering minstrels”.   Reconnecting shared practices would go a long way in creating solidarity, she said.

Rahul Rastogi, deputy director of the Ustad Alauddin Khan Sangeet and Kala Academy, the visionary technocrat who is the heart and soul of the festival, thanked Shadhona for their vibrant participation.

All in all, this seven-day exposition on the culture of Bangladesh will surely go a long way in enhancing a positive image of the country.