BAV celebrates Durga Puja 2020 with online cultural programme

BAV celebrates Durga Puja 2020 with online cultural programme Bengali Association of Victoria (BAV), an organization of Indian Bengalis which keeps the Bengali culture alive in Australia by celebrating Bengali festivals like Durga Puja and Saraswati Puja; and by organizing various cultural programmes, sought the virtual platform this year to keep alive the festivities associated with the biggest and most sacred festivals of the Bengali community.

On the ninth day of Navratri- the nine-day long festival dedicated to Mother Goddess Durga, members of BAV organized a cultural programme in which a wide array of entertaining performances were presentedremotely via zoom thus, maintaining the tradition of annual celebrations. The programme commenced with a solo Odissi dance performance paying obeisance to Goddess Durga by the community group member, Ishita Mandal followed by a solo Kathak dance performance by Ramana Bhattacharjee on the song “Pujana chali Mahadeva” expressing how Goddess Parvati practiced asceticism and meditation by living in the mountains in order to win over the affection of Lord Shiva.

The virtual programme culminated with a comical play, “Modern Mahishasur Pala”

One of the most noteworthy dance performances was “Lockdown Agomoni” by the members of the Srishti school of dance that spread the message of solidarity despite the forced social distancing and a new dawn followed by the dispelling of darkness, which captured the current global scenario where a wave of optimism is imperative so that people do not lose hope. Another equally delightful dance performance by young community members, which was yet again choreographed by the Srishti school of dance, took everyone down the memory lane of simpler childhood days when Durga Puja celebrations were all about letting one’s hair down and enjoying the festivities. Other performances included a dance performance on an instrumental rendition of one of the songs of the popular Bollywood movie “Dil to Paagal hei” and two couple dances on the foot-tapping yet romantic numbers, “Rangamati” and “Kajra Mohabbat wala”.

“Lockdown Agomoni” by the Srishti school of dance members

The virtual programme culminated with a comical play, “Modern Mahishasur Pala”, in which community members dressed up as mythological characters gave a modern and comical twist to an age-old mythological play.

Solo Odissi dance performance Ishita Mandal