Sikkim surrenders to Astad Deboo’s enthralling performance

ANUSHA GURUNG
GANGTOK, 17 May: Padmashree Astad Deboo, along with his 8-member dance troupe, mesmerized Sikkim with his dance recital, ‘Interpretation of Tagore and his works’, today. The programme was organised as a part of the 37th State Day celebrations and also to commemorate the 150th Birth Anniversary of the Nobel Laureate, Rabindranath Tagore. Padmashree Deboo along with his group performed dances choreographed to 3 Tagore poems - Surrender, Ekla Chalo Re and Awakening.
Organised by the Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department at the Defence Auditorium here, the programme had Governor Balmiki Prasad Singh as the chief guest. The Governor in his brief address mentioned that Tagore is widely known through his poems, short stories, novels, paintings and drama and stated that Deboo and his cast through their astounding performance having given a new expression to some of the finest works of Tagore.
Notifying that 1860’s gave birth to three great men of the country namely Rabindranath Tagore [7th May 1861], Swami Vivekanand [12th January 1862] and Mahatma Gandhi [2nd October 1869], the Governor added that these three added a new dimension to the history of the nation. Lastly, informing about the 37th State Day he said that the day marks the start of a democratic era in the history of Sikkim for it connects with the hopes and aspirations of the Sikkimese people to become a part of democracy. The Governor also congratulated Deboo and his crew for a successful and a ‘never seen before’ performance.
Deboo, the main protagonist of today’s dance recital thanked the Governor, Cultural Affairs & Heritage Department and the Army for their cooperation and help in making the show a success. Introducing his troupe, Deboo mentioned that all of them belonged to underprivileged families. Further expressing that it was hard to train them in the beginning he informed that he along with this troupe gave their first performance on the theme ‘Breaking Boundary’, which was quite successful.