By — Dilip Guha
On the occasion of the 165th birth anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, Delhi witnessed an evocative confluence of literature, music and theatre as Saanjhbaati Foundation, in collaboration with Swarchhanda, presented Beyond Silence: Tagore’s Women at the LTG Auditorium on May 9. Conceived as a multilingual and immersive artistic experience, the evening revisited some of Tagore’s most compelling female protagonists — women who questioned conventions, challenged silence and asserted their individuality long before such conversations entered mainstream discourse.
Far beyond literary nostalgia, the production reinterpreted Tagore’s women as enduring voices of agency and resistance. Through the emotional worlds of Binodini, Charulata, Mrinal, Bimala and others, the presentation explored longing, rebellion, dignity and selfhood with striking contemporary relevance. In an age still grappling with questions of identity, freedom and gendered expectations, the evening underscored how Tagore’s women continue to resonate across generations — not through loud rebellion alone, but often through quiet, transformative courage.
The evening brought together two artistic collectives deeply rooted in cultural expression. Swarchhanda, known for its choral excellence and emotionally layered musical storytelling, has carved a distinctive space through performances spanning Rabindra Sangeet, Nazrul Geeti, classical and semi-classical traditions, as well as Hindi compositions. Under the artistic leadership of Subrangshu Chakravarty, the ensemble has become recognised for blending musical precision with theatrical sensitivity.
Saanjhbaati Foundation, established in 2007, has emerged as one of Delhi’s notable multilingual theatre collectives with strong roots in Bengali theatre traditions. Led by Nandini Banerjee, Shuddho Banerjee and Neil Banerjee, the group has consistently focused on socially relevant and literature-driven productions. Its Hindi plays have been staged at prestigious festivals including Bharat Rang Mahotsav, Bharatendu Utsav and Bharat Muni Utsav, earning both critical appreciation and audience acclaim.
The musical segment by Swarchhanda unfolded like an emotional tapestry woven through Rabindra Sangeet, narration and theatrical expression. Under the artistic mentorship of Subrangshu Chakravarty, the ensemble sought to present Tagore not merely as a romantic poet or composer, but as a social thinker whose writings carried seeds of reform and awakening. The vocal ensemble included Dhriti Dam, Prantika Chowdhury, Rupanjana Chakravarty, Moushumi Chowdhury, Rama Chatterjee, Putul Chakraborty, Indrani Dam, Shayanti Arora, Tanusree Samanta, Madhumita Pal, Shrabani Ghosh Deb, Sonali Roy, Ayona Kar Dutta, Sumita Nag and Debashmita Aich. Guest vocal artist Rumpa Das added a special dimension to the presentation with her expressive performance.
The musical accompaniment enriched the programme, with Mihir Basu on keyboard, Dipankar Das on tabla and Amaresh Chakravorty on octapad.
Explaining the concept behind the production, Chakravarty said, “This initiative was actually to project Tagore beyond just being a lyricist or a poet. It was about bringing to light a different side of Tagore — as a revolutionary. And by revolutionary, I don’t necessarily mean rebellion, but someone who worked toward social reform, who stood up against certain norms of society through his work.”
Referring to the selected musical and literary pieces, he added, “Each one traced a journey — from awakening and realisation to resistance. That was the theme: to show that Tagore is much more than a romantic poet or the writer of Jana Gana Mana and Ekla Chalo. There is a lot more to explore in Tagore.”
Chakravarty also explained the decision to present the programme in Hindi. “We wanted to showcase it beyond Bengal. Bengalis may already know these works in some form, but many in the audience here had never experienced them before. People came up afterwards wanting to know more about Tagore, and that was exactly the intention,” he said.
The evening gained emotional depth through evocative renditions by Swarchhanda’s vocal ensemble, supported by nuanced musical accompaniment on keyboard, tabla and octapad. Songs such as Mana Jago Mangaloke, Bhango Baadh Bhenge Dao and the iconic Jodi Tor Daak Shune Keu Na Ashe transformed the auditorium into a reflective space where music became both memory and resistance.
Interwoven with the music were a series of compelling solo theatrical portrayals of Tagore’s women. Kritika Bhatia’s restrained interpretation of Soudamini from Badnaam captured the cruelty of social stigma, while Aranya Singh brought emotional complexity to Giribala from Manbhonjon. Naiswargika Das Haldar delivered a hauntingly intense portrayal of Manjulika from Nishkriti, exposing the suffocation of domestic confinement. Sangita Sanyal’s Anandamayee from Gora radiated compassion and moral clarity, and Tasmiah Hossain’s Nirupama from Dena Paona emerged as a searing reminder of the violence of dowry and patriarchal oppression. Together, the performances transformed Tagore’s literary women into living voices of resilience and dissent.
The second half of the evening featured Aapki Mrinal, Saanjhbaati Foundation’s Hindi adaptation of Tagore’s landmark short story Streer Patra. Marking two decades of production, the play revisited one of Tagore’s most powerful feminist texts through a layered and emotionally charged theatrical language. Scripted by Shuddho Banerjee and translated and directed by Nandini Banerjee, the play chronicled Mrinal’s journey from silent endurance within a patriarchal household to a profound assertion of autonomy and self-respect.
Minimal in staging yet emotionally piercing, Aapki Mrinal unfolded as both personal confession and collective protest. Structured around multiple performers embodying different shades of Mrinal’s consciousness, the production suggested that Mrinal was never a solitary figure, but a voice representing countless women confined within rigid social structures. The relationship between Mrinal and Bindu formed the emotional core of the narrative, with Bindu’s tragedy becoming the catalyst for Mrinal’s awakening and ultimate refusal to return to the life imposed upon her.
The performances by Nandini Banerjee, Kritika Bhatia and Tapasya Banerjee brought remarkable fluidity to the role of Mrinal, shifting seamlessly between memory, reflection and resistance. Paramita Ghosh’s evocative vocals further heightened the emotional landscape, while restrained lighting, sparse musical cues and poetic pacing amplified the production’s quiet intensity. The music, costumes, and direction were by Nandini Banerjee; lighting was by Ranjan Basu. Off-stage contributions include Diptesh Das, Shuddho Banerjee, Niladree Deb Chowdhury, Sanya Roy, Archana Singh, Sugato Bhattacharya, Debashish Chakrabarty, Tonmoy Chaudhuri, Ekpornika Banerjee, and Jyotshna Chakrabarty.
Reflecting on the play’s continued relevance, director Nandini Banerjee described Aapki Mrinal as more than a retelling of Tagore’s vision. She viewed it as a mirror to the silences, hierarchies and invisible struggles that still shape contemporary society, where Mrinal’s voice continues to echo as a collective assertion of dignity and freedom.
More than a commemorative event, Beyond Silence: Tagore’s Women emerged as a dialogue across time — between literature and performance, memory and modernity, silence and expression. By revisiting Tagore’s women through a contemporary lens, the collaboration between Swarchhanda and Saanjhbaati Foundation transformed the stage into a space of reflection and conversation, reminding audiences that the questions Tagore raised more than a century ago remain profoundly relevant even today.
