My KOLKATA BLOG

6th April 2014 is the 84th birthday of Suchitra Sen. But, for the first time we're missing her. -- A. B.

-- A. B.

It is very sad that there are no good photos of Ajoy Kar to use. He was under oblivion for decades. Nandan and Tapan Sinha Foundation have arranged Ajoy Kar film festival from 8-10 April, 2014 to mark his birth centenary on 27 March, 2014. Ajoy Kar had started his film career as a cameraman for Shrimati Pictures of Kanan Devi-Haridas Bhattacharya. After a few years, he started to direct films with pseudo name Sabyasachi. And the films were 'Ananya' 'Bamuner Meye' and 'Mejdidi'. After that, he went to south India as a cinematographer. As Ajoy Kar his first direction was the film 'Jighangsa'. Then, Ajoy Kar made several popular films like 'Bardidi' 'Paresh' 'Saptapadi' 'Harano Sur' 'Prabhater Rang' 'Saat Pake Bandha' 'Atal Jaler Ahoban' 'Kaach Kata Hire' 'Shuno Baronari' 'Datta' 'Malyadan' 'Noukadubi' 'Khelaghar' 'Saajghar' 'Gri...

Photography & painting exhibition on Ladakh is going to be started from 25 March, 2014 at Birla Academy Of Art & Culture for 6 days. And if you want to decorate your walls with the natural beauty of Ladakh, then you can buy here the photos and paintings. And it would be for a good cause, - a portion of selling money will be deposited for CINI (Child In Need Institute). -- A. B.

Bankim Utsav is being observed at Sharat Sadan of Howrah from 24-26 March, 2014 by various programmes to mark the 175 year's birth anniversary of the author of 'Vandemataram' - Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay. Seminar, recitation, dance drama, songs, musical programme and event based on 'Anandamath' would be presented on this occasion. It may be mentioned here that, Bankim Chandra resided here in Howrah for several years as Collector and Magistrate for three times. Not only that, he wrote so many novels in Howrah. He created the famous lines of the poem 'Vandemataram' - "bahute tumi ma shakti / hridaye tumi ma bhakti / tomari pratima gori mandire mandire" inspired by the idol of 'hazar haat ' (thousand handed Kali) of Baje Shibpur. This information has also written on the wall of this temple. -- A. B.

90 years old K. G. Subramaniyan - one of the Indian pioneer of modern art. He is from Viswa-Bharati and recipient of Padma Shree, Kalidas Samman, Padma Bhushan and Padma Bibhushan. And a precious event will be initiated at Jorasanko Thakurbari on 23 March, 2014. Exhibition of Subramaniyan's paintings will be there with combination of Padma Bhushan Girija Devi's semi-classical songs. Saakshi Gallery and Seagull Art Foundation jointly organised the painting exhibition of K. G. Subramaniyan. And Ahiritola-Sutanuti Heritage Trust is the organiser of Girija Devi's function. This joint event at Jorasanko Thakurbari is very significant in the context of rich heritage of music and paintings of Thakurbari, - Jadubhatta, Radhika Prasad Goswami, Swami Vivekananda came here to perform songs. And Abanindranath, Gaganendranath and Rabindranath used to draw paintings here at Thakurbari. -- A. B.

Indo-German classic silent film of 1929 - 'A Throw Of Dice' made by Franz Osten-Himansu Rai will be screened this evening at 5:30 pm in Science City Mini Auditorium. But the special feature of this special show is the live music. The film is based on a story of two kings who want to marry princess Sunita. Two young composers - Gourav Malakar and Suryakant Sahani will conduct the orchestra live during the show. This programme has been organised by New Delhi based 'Blot'. The live music would be a unique experience of analogue electronica - fusion music. -- A. B.