Organised by the Arthy Ahmed Dance Academy, the 90-minute open-air programme began at 11am today (17 July) and featured more than 300 performers aged between three and seventy.
‘Ghonghota-2’ celebrates monsoon with dance and compassion at Dhaka University. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
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‘Ghonghota-2’ celebrates monsoon with dance and compassion at Dhaka University. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
As monsoon rains continue to drench Dhaka, hundreds gathered at Bakultala of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, where “Ghonoghota 2” transformed the season from a source of disruption into a celebration of culture, community and compassion.
For most people in Dhaka, the monsoon brings flooded streets, endless traffic and disrupted routines. Today at Bakultala of the Faculty of Fine Arts, University of Dhaka, rain became a celebration.
Organised by the Arthy Ahmed Dance Academy, the 90-minute open-air programme began at 11am today (17 July) and featured more than 300 performers aged between three and seventy.
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
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Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
Inspired by the spirit of the monsoon, the production combined dance with the poetry of Rabindranath Tagore, the works of Kazi Nazrul Islam and Bengal’s rich folk traditions.
The event was the academy’s first major production since its founder, Ekushey Padak-winning dancer and choreographer Arthy Ahmed, received the country’s second-highest civilian honour earlier this year.
Participants came from remarkably diverse backgrounds. Alongside trained dancers were doctors, engineers, teachers, journalists, researchers, homemakers and first-time performers, demonstrating that dance can be a shared cultural language rather than the preserve of professionals.
Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
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Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS
Beyond its artistic appeal, the festival carried a humanitarian message. Donation booths run by JAAGO Foundation collected funds throughout the programme for people affected by recent floods in the Chattogram Hill Tracts. Many visitors stopped to contribute, adding a layer of social responsibility to a celebration of art and beauty.
The audience reflected the same diversity as the performers. Families, students, photographers and cultural enthusiasts filled Bakultala, many dressed in shades of white, blue and green, creating a vibrant backdrop beneath the open sky.
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