TAGORE HALL SRINAGAR
( Photo Avtar Mota )
Started in 1958 to mark Rabindra Nath
Tagore ( 1861-1941 ) Centenary Celebrations , TAGORE HALL SRINAGAR was
inaugurated by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammed In 1961 . Shri Morarji Desai was the chief guest at the time of inauguration. It remains the main centre of
Cultural activities in Kashmir even though bigger events are held now in SKICC
on Dal Banks .
I have witnessed Many plays , Musical programmes , Theatre
Festivals , Mushairaas and Public functions in this Hall. Prior to Turmoil ,
this hall has been a breeding ground for almost all the actors and theatre
Personalities of Kashmir . This Hall has a seating capacity of 675 persons .
Remembering Tagore
Hall, Artist Bansi Raina adds ,
“Tagore hall taught us ,how plays can
be presented with the help of sets...lights..cyclorama .Tagore hall taught us
how an artist should react in a house full or huge gatherings. Prior to Tagore hall ...we
had facilities as Shivala, Women”s College , Teachers Training college...but
without basics. it had magic.The credit for revival of theatre in kashmir
valley goes to Tagore Hall.Tagore Hall was our Mandir.My association with it stated in
sixties with a play by ISJohar named Budh Kaam Shudh under the banner of a
theatre "Kalasangam situated at Wazir Bagh.Latter Bansi Parimu dragged me
from coffee house to help in arrangements for Ali Mohd Lone’s play TAQDEERSAZ presented by Rangmanch Theatre. It was annual Drama festival.The
play was a great success and remained a topic for discussion in coffee House
for weeks. Thereafter ,as a member of Rangmanch theatre, my association
continued with Tagore Hall till eighties with occasional absence because of
PAPI PEIT. The Incharge officer of
Tagore Hall was Padam Shri Moti Lal Kemmu and his deputy my friend Hasrat
Gadda.Yadoon ki Baraat.”
Many fond memories are linked with this Hall.
Memories of Assa singh Mastana and Surrinder kaur memories of Runa Laila
singing Damaa Dum Mast qalandhar , Memories of Begum Akhtar , memories of some Mushiaras
wherein poets like Firaq Gorakhpuri , Arsh Malsiani and Bashir Badr
participated . Mohd Rafi and Talat Mehmood performed in this hall . Pandit Birju Maharaj danced over here.
Dina Nath Naadim’s
celebrated opera Vitasta was also
performed at Tagore Hall with Mirza Afzal Beg as chief guest. He came to Dais
after the show was over to hug Makhan Lal Saraf and shower bouquets of praise
for Naadim ,G R Santosh ,Pran kishore
and the Artists. Makhan lal Saraf played the role of Neel Naag or father of
bride Vitasta at that point of time.
Adds Bashir Ahmed Siraj,
“This building was in its prime during the early sixties.
The stage was fully equipped with modern light and acoustic systems, curtain
operation and various other stage props commonly used in performances. I was
involved with production of a few performances of a play by Akhtar Mohidin, and
a play by Krishen Chander named Kitab Ka Kaffan. I also produced a magic show
in this hall, through a magician friend from Bombay. Makhan Lal Saraf, Omkar
Aima, Hirday Nath Gurtoo are some of the names that come to mind who acted in
the play by Akhtar. “
And this Tagore Hall is
currently closed .The Renovation of Tagore Hall was started in 2008 but I found
it incomplete when I visited the site in 2014. I do not know what further
damage the floods of sep 2014 did to this structure . We are now led to believe
that the Hall shall be ready by October 2015 .
And Similar lies the fate
of Abhinav Theatre ( Inaugurated in 1978 seating capacity 805 persons ) Jammu
that is closed for some repairs / renovation since long.
WHERE SHALL THE THEATRE
LOVERS GO ? WHERE SHALL OUR ACTORS PERFORM ?
( Avtar Mota )
PS
--This post was updated on 19.05.2015 .
--This post was updated on 19.05.2015 .
--Inside Jammu University’s
New Complex across Tawi Bridge , Prof Amitabh Mattoo the then VC built a
sprawling Modern Auditorium ( Zorawar Singh Auditorium ) , many times bigger
than Tagore Hall , in less than three years .
CHINAR SHADE by Autarmota is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 2.5 India License.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
Based on a work at http:\\autarmota.blogspot.com\.
