By  Joyeeta Ray

On March 2, 2007, eminent Indian Actor Dhritiman Chaterjee (best known for his performances in some of Satyajit Ray’s films and the most recent Indian production ‘Black’ where he played the physically handicapped protagonist’s father) together with the talented singer Shreyashi Mitra, hosted a riveting bi-lingual (Bengali and English) show in Bangkok, ‘Inheritance’, quenching the thirst of a select group of Indians seeking traditionally rich cultural programs in Bangkok.

He was the first non-westerner to win the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913 and was awarded knighthood in 1915, which he promptly surrendered in 1919 as a protest against the Massacre of Amritsar (Northern India), where British troops killed some 400 Indian demonstrators.

Tagore served as a spiritual and creative beacon to his countrymen and indeed, the whole world. Many of his poems are inherently songs that are inseparable from their music.
     
‘Inheritance’ traces the legacy left behind by the prolific writer and its impact on the Bengali people of Eastern India who have been thereafter shaped by it. It dwells on the way he continues to inspire generations of writers, poets and singers a century after him and how his contributions define the very essence of modern day Bengal.

The show also raises a few thought provoking questions. Does the cultural heritage of West Bengal commence and end with the greatness of Tagore? Have the Bengalis allowed contemporary singers, poets and writers to come out of his shadow and be recognized for their true worth? Also, is enough being done to preserve the legacy left by him or do his works face the danger of being fossilized into the past?

Dhritiman and Sreyashi blend a string of narrative, songs and audio-visual presentation to live musical accompaniment, providing a seamless tapestry of content and depth that was both informative and entertaining.

 

Next: Ranga-Rang.