Street Play Promoting Covid Awareness organized by Shantica NGO in Silchar’s Goldighi Mall

With the Corona pandemic still looming large and positive cases spiking all over the nation, maintaining strict Covid protocols is the key to survival. Even with the advent of the Bengali new year 1428, recklessness and lack of safety measures like wearing masks and maintaining social distance is a common feature seen in commercial and market places of Silchar. Bengali New year, ‘Poila Baishakh’ is an auspicious occasion in Silchar, and with this festival comes the very popular ‘reduction sale’ which has flooded the streets during the pandemic times. Last year, due to the Corona lockdown, the vendors couldn’t set up any business whatsoever, thus incurring a huge loss. But this year, even amidst rising positive cases, the Bengali new year is being celebrated with usual grandeur, with a huge crowd seen inhabiting the streets of Silchar. 

To raise awareness among people regarding Covid protocols, a Silchar based NGO named ‘Shantica’ in collaboration with the Nrityalayam Dance School, has organized a street play yesterday on April 14 in the Goldighi Municipality Mall in Silchar. Shantica is an NGO working for the betterment of humanity and has organized various awareness events and initiatives in the past. While talking about this beautiful initiative, Sucharita Dhar on behalf of the Shantica NGO said, “The objective was to conduct a street play on 14th April, considering we will see a huge crowd on the streets to shop for Bengali new year, we wanted to educate people on Covid protocols, create awareness on the usage of mask and sanitisers and deliver a strong message in the form of art.” 

The street play included a flashmob on Rang De Basanti, a dance drama focusing on the timelines of the Covid since 2020, followed by a beautiful rendition of a Rabindra Sangeet ‘Sokatore Oi Kadiche Shiokole’ showing the distress and sadness, then another two flashmobs on 2 songs. After that, a small classroom act was enacted, where a teacher appreciates all the students who are following Covid guidelines and requesting proactive vaccination to all her students and their family, followed by a dance on ‘Muskurayegi India’ aiming to spread a positive message that we shall see light in the near future provided we follow the Covid protocols. 

After the event in the Goldighi mall, the artists then went out and rallied the streets of Silchar calling for social unity and perseverance in fighting the Corona crisis. Further adding, Sucharita said, “We know we can’t stop people from going out, but the very least we can do is educate them to start taking Covid seriously as many people are suffering because of the carelessness of a few of us.”

Now it remains to be seen how perceptible & aware our citizens are when it comes to staying alert and responsible in the age of Corona.