01 August,2014 07:44 AM IST | | Soma Das
Srijon, a school dedicated to teaching Rabindra Sangeet in the city, is completing four years on August 3
To mark their fourth anniversary, students will gather and spend an evening singing, dancing, reading and reciting from the works of Rabindranath Tagore
At a time when item numbers and Pop songs are runaway hits, Srijon is attempting to create awareness about Rabindra Sangeet or the songs composed by Rabindranath Tagore. The idea behind the school is to preserve this form of music and help spread its wings beyond West Bengal.
To mark their fourth anniversary, students will gather and spend an evening singing, dancing, reading and reciting from the works of Rabindranath Tagore
Founded in 2010, Srijon completes four years of teaching Rabindra Sangeet in Mumbai on August 3. The school was founded by actress Kamalika Guha Thakurta and is affiliated to Dakshinee (a music academy in Kolkata that has been promoting Rabindra Sangeet from 1948).
Thakurta learned Rabindra Sangeet and Rabindra-nrityo at Dakshinee, apart from training in Odissi under the guidance of Guru Muralidhar Majhi.
Srijon holds classes every weekend in Andheri, Kandivali, Nerul, Thane and Powai. Currently, they have 80 students ranging from 6 to 70 years. Students learn Rabindra Sangeet by following the curriculum at Dakshinee; interested students can also sit for diploma exams.
Thakurta says, "Living away from Kolkata, most Bengalis look for a connect with their culture. The primary aim of Srijon is to carry forward our cultural heritage. It is important for the next generation to be introduced to the works of Tagore. Our culture will stay alive through our children. We create an environment that encourages children to know more about Tagore's music and philosophy."
Srijon also encourages non-Bengalis to learn Rabindra Sangeet in the belief that music surpasses language barriers.
