Dharmanagar, Tripura, 10th of March, 2026 : The cultural organization “Kothachitra” of Madhyanayapara, Dharmanagar, organized the “In Memory of Bishwabandhu Sen – Rajib Abhirup Memorial Kothachitra Theatre Festival 2026” on Sunday, March 8, at Ardhendu Bhavan. The day-long vibrant programme brought together theatre enthusiasts and culture lovers through activities such as theatre discussions, debates, painting competitions, and stage performances.The festival was divided into two segments. The first session began at 11 a.m. Since the day coincided with International Women’s Day, the festival was ceremonially inaugurated by former headmistress Rama Devi, paying tribute to the spirit of womanhood.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by veteran journalist Ajay Kumar Ray, convenor of “Ekjote Natya Charcha” Sumit Nath Choudhury, along with several theatre activists and members of the organizing body.Following the inauguration, a lively debate session was held in the Ardhendu Bhavan premises. The topic of the debate was “Theatre is a means of public education, not entertainment.” The session was moderated by veteran journalist Ajay Kumar Ray. Speaking in favour of the motion were playwright Dipankar Gupta, Swarup Ghosh, Ranjit Purkayastha, and poet Animeshnath. Opposing the motion were poet Madhumita Bhattacharya, elocutionist Debashish Das, playwright Pranjay Sinha, and poet Abhijit Chakraborty. The debate, marked by strong arguments and counter-arguments, received enthusiastic appreciation from the audience.The second session of the festival began at 3 p.m. with a children’s painting competition. The theme of the competition was based on the story of Rabindranath
Tagore’s play “Dakghar” (The Post Office). Students from nursery to fourth grade participated enthusiastically.Later, at 5:30 p.m., the play “Dakghar” was staged, produced by Classic Cultural Unit, Dharmanagar. After the performance, the second phase of the painting competition was organized, where students from Class V to college level created artworks based on their experience of watching the play.In the evening, a series of theatre performances captivated the audience at the Ardhendu Bhavan stage. The Bibartan Theatre Group from Hailakandi, Assam presented the play “Black Coffee”, written and directed by Sayan Biswas. This was followed by the Fourth Wall Theatre Group from Silchar, which performed the Hindi play “Bali Aur Shambhu”, written by Manav Kal and directed by Amitabh De. The staging of a Hindi play in Dharmanagar after a long time created special excitement among the audience.Throughout the festival, the atmosphere was filled with warmth and hospitality. Outside the auditorium, painting competitions and cultural performances continued simultaneously. Two well-known cultural institutions of Dharmanagar — Kolamondal and Tamalini’r Chhaya — also participated in the programme.
The Kothachitra Theatre Festival, which continued throughout the day, is being regarded by cultural enthusiasts as a memorable chapter in the cultural landscape of Dharmanagar.
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