October 5th, Sunday
- Mahalaya and Ananda Mela
On the auspicious occasion of Mahalaya, invocations to Ma Durga to rise, awake and descend on earth and annihilate the evils of the world by her Supreme Goodness - Jago Tumi Jago, Jago Durga... will be performed by the chanting of mantras, shlokas and singing of devotional songs. Like every year, after the Mahalaya cultural program, a fun festival - 'Ananda Mela' will be held where stalls selling traditional Bengali 'jal-khabar' and sarees will be set up.
October 10th, Friday
-
Raghab Chatterjee
Rising from a next-door boy from Naihati to the present stature of a nationally acclaimed singer, Raghab's musical career began as a kid when he started playing the guitar at a tender age of 10. His first guru was his mother, Smt. Shila Chatterjee, who is a fine classical singer. It was his mother who imbibed in him the love for music & evinced an interest to sing. Raghab next took classical training from Dr. Amiya Ranjan Banerjee in Bishnupur gharana & with a further 7- year stint at Sangeet Research Academy under guru pt. Ajoy Chakraborty where he was trained in Patiala gharana, Raghab thus has classical strain ubiquitous in all his music.
With such a background, it was not surprising, when he could easily walk away with the 1st prize in the Golden Talent Search Contest organized by HMV-FM in 1996 as also he was a proud recipient of the Sangeet Research Academy(ITC) scholarship. This led him to sing for films, TV. serials & even ad jingles. Starting with Bengali films like "Mayar Badhan" & " Ei Tuku Bhalobasa" & regional TV. serials like "Kata Tarer Bera", Paanchtara", "Ek Chilte Roddur" and the various ad-songs in popular channels like E-TV , Alpha, Tara, & Akash Bangla, his mellifluous voice & long lasting appeal to the heart helped him to voice for ad jingles like Tata pipes, Pepsi, Shalimar, Tata Steel , National Insurance & Priya Biscuits & Spices.
And it was not long, when Raghab brought out his 1st Bengali solo cassette "Bhorer Alo" during the pujas which displayed all his musical skills from singing to composition of tunes based on the poems of Purnendu Pattrea & Joy Goswami- a courageous venture unique in its own way. But the best part was surely his innovativeness & creativity that helped him release 'Rishta", his 1st Hindi solo album from Cosmic Music. The album made a huge success by creating bonds with the audiences, which were mainly a peppy mix of soft melodies & speaks about his union with humanity. However, the biggest break in his career came when he was asked to sing for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's multistarrer film "Devdas". In the middle of his recording of 'Rishta' in the studio of Chennai, Raghab got this call 'out of the blue' when he was asked to appear for the audition, that catapulted the shy, submissive singer into the big league. Besides Devdas, Raghab till date has sung for various national films like 'Tere Naam', Coffi" & very recently "Raincoat' by Rituporno Ghosh. His Bengali films include 'Chokher Bali", Patal Ghar ( the 1st sci-fi film of tollywood), "Teen Ekke Teen", "Mohul Boner Sereng", "Eke Eke Teen", "Bandhan" & the list goes on.
Thus in an age of pop hype & fusion music, where classical music is an endangered species, Raghab Chatterjee is one of those budding singers, resplendent in his own area, creating a niche with poignant images & classical overtones.
October 11th, Saturday
Musical Medley
A montage of Tagore and Nazrul's compositions depicting their perspectives on common aspects of life (such as Childhood, Youth, Love, Devotion, Life & Death). Local talents will recite, narrate, dance and sing to pay homage to the two great poets of Bengal.Shristi
A dance drama epitomizing the evolution of earth, from its creation to the brink of destruction. This dance drama is being presented by the local community of Durga Bari, Houston.SAMPA KUNDU
Shampa Kundu is a leading name in the field of singing and has performed in various shows within Kolkata and in North America's New Jersey, New York, Boston, etc. She has won many prestigious awards for her outstanding performance and contribution to the arena of music.
October 12th, Sunday
Mukto Mela
A variety program showcasing the immensely talented children of our local community.Bhalobhasa
A collection of songs depicting various types of love. Love for parents, friends, partner, nature, food and of course, the Almighty. Sanhita Moulik and local artists will present this collection of Adhunik bengali songs.
This will be followed by a spectacular Fashion Show.