CHICAGO: For the last 40 years, the Bengali Association of Greater Chicago (BAGC) has nurtured the soul of the immigrant Bengali community and is very active to preserve and promote literature, art, music for the rich religious and cultural heritage of South Asian Indian community.
On Sunday, March 27, the association celebrated Holi festival with lot of joy, enthusiasm and colors at Banga Bhavan. This was followed by a small cultural program where kids aged between 5 to 13 years performed different songs and special dances of Holi. Bengalis have been leaders in the fields of creative literature, music/dance and art/sculptures.
Ananya Biswas started the program. Olivia Dey sang with the harmonium, Maulik Chatterjee sang two songs, Oushanghi Dasgupta and Trisha Mondal were part of the group dance.
Diptasha Chakrabarty (8 years old, 3rd grade student) loved to sing, with no traditional singing lessons, she adopted “Youtube” as a Guru to learn the tone of a song and guidance from parents to catch the scale and pitch. She beautifully sang Rabindra Sangeet (Tagore song) “O re Grihobasi….”.
A regular student of Bangla Class held in Banga Bhavan, she is also taking classical Indian dance (Bharatnatyam) in Nataraj Dance academy, under Mrs. Vijay Laxmi Shetty and violin classes in Solo Classics under Anna Volin.
As said in Bharatiya culture; “Sahitaya, Sangeet, Kala Vihinah; Sakshat Pashu Putchh Vishan Hinah” (a person without knowledge in literature, music or art is an animal without a tail).
“It is very inspirational for the new generation children to progress in the developments of left and right brains by also learning creative fields of arts along with regular education. I hope more social organizations will provide such a platforms to our future generation,” said Suri Swamy a community activist.
Madhu Patel
Thank You For Your Vote!
Sorry You have Already Voted!
