Budhbarer Boithik – Kolkatar Kothokota o Koto Gaan, July 28, 2021 06:00 PM
As part of their on-going programme for 75th Foundation Day, Rabindra Bharati Society got together virtually over their regular Budhbarer Boithoki Adda to discuss about Kolkata in gone by years. It started with a video of pictures of the then Kolkata with famous song “purano sei diner kotha” being played in the background. Siddhartha Mukhopadhyay, General Secretary, welcomed all and read out excerpts from Asit Krishna Dey’s book tilted “Oithihasik Kolkatar Onchal.” Dey was the Treasurer of the Society who lost his life to the pandemic last year. Gautam Basumallick, writer and journalist of noted Potoldanga family, pictorially took all through the history of College Street and its surrounding areas. Dr. Abhijit Ghosh, Asst. Secretary of the Society and a practising gynaecologist, recounted about how all the Medical Colleges and Hospitals came into being here. Former Chief Justice and President of the Society, Chittotosh Mukhopadhyay, spoke about how Bhawanipore was added in the map of Kolkata and mentioned about its rich cultural heritage. Dr. Parag Baran Pal, Member of the Society and a medical practitioner, rendered puratoni songs which were put to music by famous Kamal Dasgupta, whose birth anniversary incidentally happened to be on that day. Barrister Anindya Kumar Mitra, Vice President of the Society, who hails from famous Chorbagan’s Mitra family, then discussed about the lifestyle of Kolkata in those days, ranging from washing the streets with ganga water to ferriwala culture to sprouting of theatres and cinema halls and also the importance of famous Muktaram Babu Street. Subhashish Banerjee of Sir Gurudas Bandopadhyay lineage spoke of the oldest Jagadhatri Puja of Kolkata since 1872. Sanjay Dutta of reputed Rath Bari of Sir Gopal Dutta spoke of their 173 years of rath yatra. Arindam Mukhopadhyay and Deboshree Mukherjee, both students of legendary Ram Kumar Chottopadhyay, rendered puratoni songs. Singer Kalyan Sen Borat joined in from Puri and spoke a while. Literary couple Kumkum De and Debashish De narrated a script whereby Rabindra Nath Tagore depicts through his works Kolkata during his period. The star attraction of the evening was our very own Usha Uthup who being an outsider became an insider and an integral part of Kolkata, rendering beautiful songs about the city, taking this metropolis to be her own because it is this city of joy which gave her name, fame, fortune and recognition to the world at large. The programme ended with her beautiful catchy peppy song which made all dance to her tune.
