Known for its focus on culture, especially after Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee ascended to the chair just before the 2001 polls, every other Bengali thought that West Bengal would rightfully be put up on the cultural map of India. True to our nature, we, Bengalis, always think we are far more progressive than other states culturally, if not on the industrial front. Our superiority complex is simply unmatchable: we think people from neighbour Bihar has hardly any culture, we don’t even consider Maharashtra can also dominate the field like finance markets. Gujarat? That might be a developed state but ruled by a communal chief minister! Examples like these are abundant.
What is surprised to note that West Bengal — or Bengalis as a community — didn’t have any representation in Republic Day tableau fro several years. Critics would say why make a fuss about it? When other states had tableaux in this all-India cultural show on the Raj Path, why can’t West Bengal send a team to the annual New Delhi colourful extravaganza? Nobody had an answer, no one was bothered, at least those at the helm of affairs in Kolkata, the power citadel of communists in India. We had a chief minister — who had also been the cultural minister for decades — apparently inclined to writing plays, watching films, and moreover, spending times with culture vultures.
Yet, nothing changed much after we sent a team to the Delhi show way back in 1996! This January, something was different on the sprawling misty Army campus in New Delhi. A team of teenagers from Santiniketan was rehearsing steps for the Republic Day parade. They had just a fortnight to practise the dance to the tune of a Rabindrasangeet chosen by the person who had invited them for the national show. Their instructor was also not spared from the strict Army guidelines even during the practice sessions as this would be televised across the country besides thousands others, including the President, Prime Minister and other dignitaries, would watch it live.
On that chilly morning of January 26, the 15-odd youngsters, including girls, finished the 4.5km dance to the rhythm of “Oi Mahamanob Asey” to an overwhelming response of VIPs and enthusiastic spectators. Their performance was applauded by one and all as they were the only group, unlike other states, that did not use a tableau but represented the barefoot performance on the Raj Path. Sitting in her usual sari-chappal beside Sonia Gandhi, Mamata Banerjee was visibly happy with the performance ideated by herself. She was instrumental to invite Visva-Bharati students — who represented the Indian Railways — to the Republic Day show for a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore in his sesquicentenary anniversary celebrations. Incidentally, West Bengal did not send a single team this year also!
Whether we should take pride in our state of cultural affairs is a matter of debate but an Army officer present during the practice sessions said: “At last we have seen Bongs are not afraid to put up a show on Republic Day.” Isn’t it the time to ponder over our future as a community known for cultural supremacy? Can we hope to see a team from our state performing on the Raj Path in 2012? Questions are many.
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