Shurer Dhara gets invited by Govt of India

Shurer Dhara, a music school focused on Rabindrasangeet spearheaded by the leading exponent of Tagore's music and ideology Rezwana Choudhury Bannya, has taken a team of performers on an 8-day tour with invitation from the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) to three cities of India – Kolkata, Lucknow and New Delhi. The team was diverse, consisting of 17 members led by Rezwana Choudhury Bannya herself, which included a group of singers and musicians from Shurer Dhara, a professional dancer-choreographer, and dancers from Shurer Dhara's project for underprivileged children called Music for Development. The team departed to Kolkata on June 27, 2016, and appeared on the 28th at Rabindra-Sadan at a cultural evening organized by the ICCR.

The event, jointly organized by All India Radio and ICCR, celebrated the re-launch of All India Radio Bengali service for Bangladesh renamed "Akashvanee Maitree". The performance comprised renditions from the 1950s to 1970s era highlighting songs of the Language movement and Liberation war period of Bangladesh and traditional Bangla folk music. Dance was performed at the event by children of Shurer Dhara's project for underprivileged children Music for Development and was thoroughly enjoyed by the crowd. The entire show was broadcast live by All India Radio.

The next leg of the tour brought the team to Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh – the land of the legendary composer in the history of Bangla music, Atul Prasad Senwhere the historical, enshrined Bengali Club and Young Men's association in collaboration with ICCR hosted an evening of Rabindrasangeet highlighting the troupe from Bangladesh on June 30th, 2016. Shurer Dhara delighted the audience through renditions in choruses and solos on the theme of "Gaaner Bhelaay" (Floating in a Raft of Songs). The Bengali Club Association honored the performers with crests and sashes after the performance and concluded the event. The news of Shurer Dhara visiting and performing in Lucknow has also been featured in the Times of India newspaper.

The Shurer Dhara troupe showcased their final presentation on July 2nd, 2016, in the capital, New Delhi. The theme of the show was centered on Tagore's Nobel-winning piece, "Gitanjali" or Song Offerings, held at Azad Bhawan Auditorium, ICCR. The presence of audience was outstanding – the auditorium was crammed, over full house with listeners. Renditions were performed in solo and chorus by Rezwana Choudhury Bannya and her team, along with dance pieces performed with some of the choruses by children from Music for Development. The audience expressed their exuberance through gleeful applause and heartiest compliments to the performers after the event concluded. 

The troupe is back in town after enchanting the crowd at each of the events in India, representing the culture and practice of Rabindrasangeet in Bangladesh. Shurer Dhara concluded every event singing the national anthem of Bangladesh.