Natasurya Phani Sharma Drama Festival Golden jubilee year celebrations from July 31
TEZPUR, July 27 - The drama festival organised every year by the historic Baan Theatre in the fond memory of cultural icon Natasurya Phani Sharma has stepped into its 50th year this time. To commemorate the doyen of the drama world, the Baan Theatre family is organising the golden jubilee celebration from July 31 with various programmes.
The Baan Theatre family authority has stated that from this year onward after every two years the Baan Theatre Award will be conferred on personalities having contributions towards the field of drama. �The award for the first time will be conferred on noted playwright Krishna Rai this time. The award will carry a citation, seleng, gamusa, japi, a memento of Baan Theatre and a cash reward of Rs 20,000,� said the secretary of Baan Theatre Jitumoni Deb Chowdhury.
The opening function of the year-long golden jubilee programme will begin with the unfurling of flag at 9.30 am on July 31 with a week-long event. Outlining the programme, Deb Chowdhury also mentioned that in the evening, the Baan Theatre family will pay tributes to the cultural icon at his Kolibari crematorium. It will be followed by a special meet which will be attended by noted educationist of Jamuguri area retired principal, Bhaben Bora, Tezpur MP Pallab Lochan Das, local MLA Brindaban Goswami, former MLA, Tezpur, Rajen Barthakur, vice chairman, AMTRON, Ritubaran Sharma and DC, Sonitpur, Narsing Pawar.
It needs mention here that seniormost person associated with the cultural platform since its inception, Madhab Das will be specially felicitated in the event. The �Padmapati Trust Award� and �Kartik Hazarika Trust Award� will be conferred on two theatre personalities. He also mentioned that a book Natasurya, a compilation of some selected and valued writings by some noted personalities on cultural and Baan Theatre issues will also be released in the programme by the Director, Cultural Affairs, Assam Government, Barnali Sharma.
Like for the past many years, this year too a month-long drama workshop is going on among school students at the Baan Theatre and in this programme a play Rong Ahey Pakhi Meli (based on French play Blue Bird) by noted children�s playwright Dijen Nath and directed by Jiban Chandra Bora will be staged with performance by the children.
The plays to be staged by various drama groups during the weeklong event are Murta-Bimurta-Nil Deepali by Binod Sharma, Bhogjora directed by Sujit Sharma, and Gunakar Deva Goswami�s Basab Dutta by Guwahati Purba Ranga.
On August 5 as the major attraction of the entire event, Natasurya Phani Sharma�s most acclaimed play Siraj will be staged in Bodo language by Bargaon Harimw Afat. In the event, the president of Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Taren Boro, among other dignitaries, namely Bisnu Kamal Bora, Tanka Dutta, Junu Baruah, Priyendra Tamuli will be present.
