The Ministry of Cultural Affairs is set to host a two-day “Sharadiya Cultural Festival” on September 30 and October 1, organized by the Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy. The festival kicks off on September 30 at 6:30 pm at the Suhrawardy Udyan open stage with a jatra performance titled “Mahishasura Mardini, Devi Durga” by the Mata Majjulika religious theatre troupe, featuring Palakar Ujjal Kumar Byapari.
On the closing day, the event will move to the Nandan stage at Shilpakala Academy, starting with a traditional “Manglik Nritya” invocation accompanied by drum and dhol beats. The evening’s lineup includes Shyama Sangeet, devotional songs, patriotic tunes, and contemporary music, with solo performances by Anima Rai, Deblina Sur Dola, Rituraj, and Sinthi Saha.
The festival will be inaugurated by Culture Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki, with closing remarks by Tapan Chandra Majumdar, Bijon Kanti Sarkar, Ramesh Dutt, and Tarun De. All festival events are open to the public and free of charge.
This cultural initiative follows a series of successful programs organized by the Ministry and hosted by Shilpakala Academy this year, including Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha “Chand Rater Ananda” celebrations and a cultural event commemorating Buddha Purnima 2025. The Sharadiya festival aims to continue this trend, showcasing traditional performance art forms that are integral to the Bangla Durga-Puja culture.
The festival promises a diverse program spanning ritualistic performances and popular stage traditions, bridging urban festivities with age-old devotional and folk practices that hold significant cultural value in the country. Organizers emphasize the event’s focus on traditional performance genres and its accessibility to the public across the capital.
The two-day program is open to all attendees.