With beats of dhak dholak and attired in traditional colourful costumes, artistes of Theatre Institute Chattagram appeared on stage and presented five dance-drama performances on the traditional folk form of Chittagong at National Museum Auditorium on November 8.

There are many myths and fables regarding the natural beauty of Chittagong -- sea, hills and the river Karnaphuli. Through the ages a diverse cultural heritage developed in this region, which features the interrelationship between man and nature. The dance performances also represented the heroic deeds of the inhabitants of the region. And these aspects were eloquently presented through the

dialect of the region.

In the first performance titled Anra Chantgaiyya nawjoan, the chorus presented a chronological history of the Chittagongians against the foreign invaders.

As Karnaphuli has a major impact on the people of Chittagong, the second performance highlighted the river and life around it. Through the colourful choreography, artistes staged the relationship between man and the river in the performance titled Sodo sodo dheo tuli.

Natin baroi kha was a folk performance by the choir. Another performance titled Bodor bodor heya presented the tumultuous lives of fishermen frequenting the sea.

The last performance featured renowned folk artiste Shefali Ghosh's song Malka banur deshe rey.

All of the dance-drama performances were directed and designed by Ahmed Iqbal Haider.

The event celebrated 80th birthday of Mahbub-ul-Alam Chowdhury, famed for Kandtey ashini kandatey eshechhi, the first published poem protesting the brutal action generated by the Pakistani regime on the 21st February 1952 on the mass who sacrificed their lives for our mother language Bangla.

The programmme was presided over by Professor Kabir Chowdhury. Cultural personalities and organisations greeted Mahbub-ul-Alam Chowdhury on his birthday.