Divisional folk festival held in Mymensingh

The two-day Divisional Loksangskriti Utsab-2016 (folk festival) with a theme “Manush Bhojle Sonar Manush Hobi” was held recently at Boro Villa of Char Anandipur village, Mymensingh sadar upazila.

The festival, located in rural surroundings, is the first of its kind in the country.  Udichi strives to bring its cultural programmes to rural people who are repositories of traditional folk culture.

Discussions, baul songs, lathi khela, dance dramas and musical soirees were the highlights of the festival, organised by Bangladesh Udichi Shilpi Goshthi, Mymensingh district unit.

Artistes of Udichi Mymensingh sang several choruses to kick off  the festival.

Dance dramas-"Chandrabotir Pala" by the artistes of Udichi Kishoreganj; and "Rupchan Sundarir Pala" by Bangalok Theatre, Dhaka drew a huge audience on the opening day of the festival.

Eminent baul artistes of the country, Anshuman Dutta from Sylhet and Guranga Adhitya from Mohanganj in Netrakona, enthralled the huge audience that thronged the venue.

Earlier, a discussion was held.

Noted cultural activist and president of Udichi Central Sangsad Kamal Lohani inaugurated the festival.

Eminent academic, writer and former-president of Udichi central unit Prof Jatin Sarker; secretary of Udichi central unit Probir Sarder and Abdul Kahhar Akanda addressed the opening ceremony, among others. Udichi Mymensingh president AKM Mujibur Rahman presided over the event.

The speakers said that since 1948 Udichi has dedicated itself to the dream of a country free of oppression, repression, deprivation and fundamentalism.

Folk culture strengthens people to fight against fundamentalism and other evils prevailing in society. However, this culture  is losing ground to modern media, they averred.