Three day Lalon Smaran Utshab ends

The three-day long Lalon Smaran Utsab (memorial festival) popularly known as Dol Utsab, ended at Chheuria Lalon Akhra in Kushtia on Friday night, with a  humble call to protect the authenticity of the bard's songs as it is deviating day by day from its original tunes.

Considerable concern was apparent among the disciples of Lalon who came in from far and wide from the country to attend the festival. “It's high time to stop the distortion of the tunes of Lalon,” said Purno Das Baul, a prominent Baul singer who had come from India, in a reception programme organised for him in Kushtia on Thursday.

Purno said deviation is everywhere. “A group of people, pseudo-Bauls, are distorting the lyrics, tunes and philosophies of Lalon songs,” said Das.

Few Bauls even blamed the authority concerned -- Lalon Academy -- for patronising the distortion in its stage events during the festival held every year. “We are observing some unknown, untrained local singers remixing Lalon songs when performing in stage in the festival,” Dukhu Lal, a 70-year old man who dedicated 37 years of his life for Baul folk, said.

This correspondent talked to Kushtia Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Bealal Hossain, also president of Lalon Academy.

“The Academy is always on alert so that singers hold genuine tunes during performance, but it is proving tough,” Bealal said.

However, the academy often arranges training workshops for local Baul singers, said Hossain.

Like previous years, a series of events was held over the three-day programme that included a Lalon Mela, discussion and rendition of songs by artistes of Lalon Academy and Bauls from across the country.

The programme struck a chord of harmony among the numerous Lalon devotees and admirers from all over Bangladesh and visitors from overseas.

Lawmaker of Kushtia-3 Mahbubul Alam Hanif inaugurated the programme on March 23, while lawmaker of Kushtia-4 Abdur Rouf wrapped up the programme.

Kushtia Deputy Commissioner (DC) Syed Bealal Hossain presided over the event.

Lalon Academy, an organisation consisting of elected representatives to oversee Lalon's shrine, organised the programme in association with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs.