National Dance Festival "Barshamangal" Held in Santiniketan

The 141st National Dance Festival, Barshamangal, organized by Nandanik Manush Foundation, was held in Santiniketan, Birbhum, West Bengal. The event took place on July 4 at Srijani Shilpagram, where vibrant performances by dancers from different parts of the region created a lively festive atmosphere.

Continuing its annual tradition, the festival welcomed the monsoon through a series of solo and group dance performances. Veteran dancer and Visva-Bharati alumna Mrs. Pallabi Ruj was honored as a special guest. At the audience's request, she performed a dance to the Rabindra Sangeet Utal Hawa, captivating everyone in attendance.

The solo dance segment featured performances by Arpi Sarkar, Aritrika Mukherjee, Samadrita Dey, Sutandra Ghosh, Debarati Mukherjee, Pranamita Pal, Paramesti Mukhopadhyay, Riddhi Roy, Bratati Ghatak, Banshree Ghatak, Piyasa Mukherjee, and Papri Ghosh. Their performances received widespread appreciation from the audience.

The group dance presentations were equally impressive. Participating groups included Nritya Kalap, Nartan Kalakendra, Nupur Sai Kalakendra, Disha Dance Academy, Khalisani Sangeeta, Nrityargha Gurukul, Shreyasi Dance Academy, and Srijan Dance Group.

In addition, Rassphura, presented by students of the Department of Dance at Rabindra Bharati University, added a unique artistic dimension to the festival and earned special praise from the audience.

As recognition for their outstanding contributions to the field of dance, Shriradha Som and Mousumi Biswas Mondal were presented with the Nritya Guru Honor Award. The event was hosted by Rituraj Pramanik.