NorthEast comes into focus

Did you know that Maharaja of Tripura was the patron of Rabindranath Tagore? This is just one nugget from the history of one of the eight states of North-East India. Exciting facts like these will be unraveled at the upcoming event titled A Festival of the Arts since it’s themed on the North-East this year.

The annual event will have exhibitions, cultural performances, literary discussions and food. As part of the exhibition titled Tripura Past and Tripura Present, photographs from the Manikya dynasty will be on display. Pragya Deb Burman, curator of the exhibition says, “Many people aren’t aware of the rich history of Tripura. And, the contribution of the Manikya Dynasty has been immense. Maharaja Birchandra Manikya was the first ones to photographi this state in the 1860s. He was the second person to get camera after Raja Deen Dayal, and his wife Maharani Manmohini was probably the first woman photographer of eastern India.”

The culture of North-East, however, has been a part of this fest since its inception in 2004. “This year, it was decided that instead of presenting oneoff performances from the region, we would dedicate the entire fest to the North-East. The idea was to present not just the traditional aspects but also the contemporary and its intersections,” says a spokesperson from India International Centre.

There will also be a section devoted to the literature of the North-East. The day-long programme will feature talks, readings, presentations and conversations with some leading writers from the region. Urvashi Butalia, founder, Zubaan Books, says, “North-East has a very vibrant writing culture. Young women writers are experimenting a lot with form. They are very rooted in their cultures and at the same time their books are very universal.”