Kolkata :ARTH – A Culture Quest, a first of its kind initiative by Zee drew curtains on its first leg in Kolkata. The two-day extravaganza celebrated the rich culture and heritage of West Bengal and brought to the audience a wide range of activities including panel discussions, cultural performances, workshops, visual art installations, live art and an extensive food flea.
This two-day celebration witnessed more than 50+ artists, panelists, art & cultural performers, and writers actively participate in celebrating West Bengal’s deep-rooted ethos. Some of these included amongst others celebrated artists such as Ustad Rashid Khan, Bickram Ghosh, Lillete Dubey, who presented her play –Gauhar, and to top it all an Odissi performance by Dona Ganguly.
The culture quest also featured performances by Snighadeb Sengupta, poetry recitals by Bratati Bandopadhyay and Srijato, Rabindra Sangeet by Sounak Chattopadhyay and other regional forms, thereby taking the audience on a visual and sensory treat. Additionally, there were many intellectually stimulating sessions, some of which touched upon topics like ‘A re-look at Naxalism in Bengal’, and ‘Mainstreaming the LGBTQ community’. Meanwhile a specialized workshop curated for kids, showcased a variety of traditional arts and crafts – block printing, dokra, doll making, jewellery making amongst others.
Speaking about the festival, author, historian and Director – ARTH, Dr. Vikram Sampath said, “The two-day cultural extravaganza saw a mix of speakers dwelling on the myriad flavours of Indian history & culture peppered with performances featuring music and dance forms of WestBengal. There was a mélange of opportunities for the intellectually and culturally oriented Bengalis of Kolkata to come and soak in the best that our culture has to offer.Through this initiative, we are attempting to create a platform for lovers of art and culture to learn and celebrate Indian culture across all its dimensions.”
Mrs. Shreyasi Goenka Founder – ARTH and Director SaathSaath Arts Foundation, Jaipur Sculpture Park said, “It has truly been an enriching experience and we couldn’t have asked for a better way to commence ARTH – A Culture Quest than in the city of Kolkata. This isn’t merely a festival, but a culture quest that will keep alive the meaning and ethos of our culture.”
The festival will now move on to Pune on January 5-6 at Nikam Farms and will culminate in a gala national edition in New Delhi from 8-10 February 2019 at the lawns of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA).
