National award winner Kajol Ibrahim launches her memoir

In an intimate ceremony held at the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on December 4, national award-winning dancer, choreographer, and stage performer Kajol Ibrahim launched her memoir, Nritte Gantha Kotha Mala, published by Ramon Publishers.

The audience included chief guest, museologist and former Director General of the Bangladesh National Museum, Dr Enamul Haque; and special guests, critic, writer and academic, Dr Syed Manzoorul Islam, and Bangladeshi actor, director, singer, composer, and cultural organiser, Liaquat Ali Lucky, who is the Director General of Shilpakala Academy at present.

The event, organised by Nrityanchal Dance Company in the Studio Theater Hall, commenced and ended with dance performances by young artists, choreographed by Kajol Ibrahim herself. The programme included introductory speeches from co-directors of the school, dancers and choreographers, Shibli Mohammad and Shamim Ara Nipa.

Kajol Ibrahim's mother, Badrunnessa Abdullah, along with her family were invited to the stage to inaugurate the ceremony. Remembering Kajol's childhood, Badrunnessa Abdullah amusingly recalled that she had never really seen her daughter hold a pen growing up, so the authoring of the book came as a pleasant surprise.

"It's not just a memoir, it has become a narrative of her life in the performing arts", she said. "I would like to extend my gratitude to all the notable artists, performers, and literary figures present here today who have inspired my daughter".

The memoir, Kajol Ibrahim tells Daily Star Books, is a snapshot of her life—her first self-composed performance, at the age of 14, to the dramatisation of "Nakshi Kanthar Math", a Bangla verse narrative written by poet Jasimuddin; being casted as the lead in a performance with her mentor; working in later years with her co-dancers; memories with her parents; and the picture of Old Dhaka as she knew it.

She is especially grateful to Shamim Ara Nipa, who made sure she remained connected with the world of dancing, as well as her brother and younger daughter, who guided her through the writing process, and the editors who helped compile the manuscript. The author's only requirement from the editorial process was that her language remain true to her personal style. For her readers and an upcoming generation of dancers, Ibrahim hopes the book will reveal how the government in those days played a vital role in honing the talents of young performers.

At the book launch, Dr Enamul Haque recalled Kajol Ibrahim's unparalleled contribution to the field of theater throughout the years. "The talent that Kajol has should be utilised by schools and institutions; they need to recruit her in order to educate the next generation of dancers, by exploiting her knowledge", he said. "It will be a tremendous loss to the performing arts if we are not able to preserve such talent."

Highlighting his role as an audience member of stage performance, Professor Syed Manzoorul Islam said, "A tradition is created in the future generations of artists commemorating their predecessors. By navigating the harsh tides of our tradition and dedicating ourselves to our art completely, we are able to uphold this tradition and pay the utmost respect to our teachers".

By representing her life through pictures in her book, Kajol Ibrahim is able to show us her struggles and leave a legacy for the upcoming artists, Professor Islam pointed out.

Distribution rights to the book have not yet been shared. Readers can purchase copies by getting in touch with Kajol Ibrahim personally or through Facebook messenger.

Maisha Syeda is a writer, painter, and a graduate of English Literature and Writing. She is an intern at Daily Star Books.