The phrase ‘Once a dancer, always a dancer’ may seem like a cliché, but it truly resonates with me. Dance has been a core part of my life for as long as I can remember.
খুব ছোটবেলা থেকে শুরু, my mother took me to the পাড়ার নাচের স্কুল—that’s where my journey of dance truly began. Although that journey lasted for a few years, coming from a middle-class background, my parents often reminded me, “মেয়ের পড়াশোনা আগে, নাচ তো কিছু দেবে না! হারিয়ে যাবে তুমি এই শয়ে শয়ে ভিড়ের মধ্যে।” urging me to prioritize my studies. পড়ল তালা সেই স্বপ্নে, তারপরে বইয়ের সাথে পথ চলা…
As fate would have it, someone once said that if you truly love something, it will eventually find its way back to you. This sentiment echoed through my college years when I had the fortune of sharing the stage with remarkable dancers—artists who danced as if the stars themselves had sprinkled their magic upon them.
তারপর শুরু হলো জীবনের পরের অধ্যায়, যেটাকে আমরা গৃহস্থ বলি! One fine morning, I packed my bags and moved to Helsinki. It was a leap of faith, fueled by the notion of manifestation. “What if,” I wondered, “this love for dance that I thought was lost could return?” In 2017, I resumed my journey, and I’ve had the immense pleasure of collaborating with fantastic dancers here. Together, we formed a tight-knit team that celebrated our shared passion for dance.
Incidentally, this year, I got the opportunity to organize the cultural activities of BAF. As a Bengali, we know how rich our literature & culture is and how crucial it is to share that wealth with the world and the next generation. It brings me immense pleasure that we are creating a platform where our বাংলা সাহিত্য can be appreciated by others. We, as a community, have a lot of things to share, and as the elders say, “দিলে কমে না।”
This year, we chose to celebrate রবীন্দ্রজয়ন্তী specially by inviting our Bangladeshi friends, who share a deep and abiding love for রবীন্দ্রনাথ and নজরুল. The beauty of our shared language unites us as a people, bridging borders and strengthening our cultural ties. This time, we invited other community members who performed in our language, and as a Bong, it was a proud moment for us.
When the Finnish delegate said, “Your Sandhya was really something special. It was one of the finest festivals that we have ever attended. The songs and dances were stunning, and the whole atmosphere was so deep and beautiful. I could feel his spirit!” এটা আমাদের বড় পাওনা, and it felt like our efforts were truly recognized.
As পুজো approaches, I hope we can celebrate it grandly. মা আসছেন… let’s hope that our good spirit prevails over any negativity. After all, as dancers, we know that life is all about rhythm, balance, and bringing people together through the art of movement. Let’s embrace this journey, as we dance through life, creating beautiful memories along the way!