Ritachhanda is an experimental journey in the field of music and performing arts to transmit the cultural and spiritual heritage of India in modern forms to present-day aspirants. This is not just a music school but a voyage to explore the depth and richness of Indian music through sessions of learning and workshops by eminent artists and great masters to bring alive the past in the present for an enlightening future odyssey. The inspiration for this venture is the bigger umbrella of the SNB Foundation. The space is located in the heart of South Calcutta just opposite Lake Mall in Lake Market.

The motto of the foundation is Sa Vidya YaVimuktaye – Knowledge that Liberates.

The Flagship Programme is the Annual Cultural Event titled ‘Ritachhanda Festival’. The ‘9th Ritachhanda Music Festival’ is scheduled to be held on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at Uttam Mancha, South Kolkata. The program will be a Musical Extravaganza comprising of Vocal and Instrumental Music and Dance Performances from 2 PM to 9 PM.

The celebrated guests likely to attend the program and its Inaugural Session include Vidushi Alokananda Roy, the eminent Odissi dancer and social reformer, Debasish Kumar, MLA and MMIC, Kolkata Municipal Corporation, Pandit Ajay Bhattacharya, eminent Natyashastra Expert and Fellow, Sangeet Natak Academy Kalamandalam Piyal Bhattacharya, G. V. Subramanian, Director General, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kolkata, Ashis Kumar Giri, Director, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre, Meenakshi Mishra, Director, ICCR, Kolkata and Dibakar Chaitanya Maharaj, Chinmaya Mission, Kolkata among many others.

The program will begin with a Sitar Recital by Vidushi Sahana Banerjee accompanied by Tabla by Soumen Sarkar. This will be followed by Duet Vocal Recital by Anol Chatterjee and BrajeswarMukherjee accompanied on Tabla by Bibhas Sanghai and on Harmonium by Gourab Chatterjee.

The third offering of the evening will be a Musical Quartet with Dr. Nirmala Rajashekhar on Veena, Shankar Naraayanswami on Mridangam, Somnath Roy on Ghatam and Subhasis Bhattacharjee on Tabla.

This will be followed by a Flute Recital by Pandit Pravin Godkhindi accompanied on Tabla by Subhasis Bhattacharya.

The last offerings of the evening will be two Dance Performances- ‘Dashamahavidya’ by Angamantra, Institute of Bharatnatyam choreographed by Samrat Dutta.

The final item of the Festival is ‘Fire’ to be performed by the Dancers of Upasana Centre for Dance choreographed by Guru Ashimbandhu Bhattacharjee.

The entire program will be anchored by Tapas Chowdhury.

Priyanka Dutta