Our Mission

The mission of the association shall be the promotion of Bengali culture and literature in the United States and to promote friendship and cultural exchange with other organizations and groups, American and foreign, in the United States. The association will be a meeting ground of Bengalees and their friends in Northeastern Ohio and will provide opportunity for the families and friends of Bengalees in Northeastern Ohio to learn Bengali language, culture, and traditions. The association shall be a non-profit organization and will exist as an incorporated association of its members. The association shall be non-commercial, non-sectarian, and non-partisan. The name of the association or the name of any member in office shall not be used in any partisan interest if not related to the objectives of the association.

এই সংস্থা যে পথ অনুসরণ করে চলবে, তার লক্ষ্য হবে বাঙালি সংস্কৃতি ও বাংলা সাহিত্য যাতে মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে পরিচিতি ও সেইসঙ্গে আরো উৎকর্ষতা লাভ করে, তার জন্যে সচেষ্ট হওয়া; তাছাড়া সংস্থা তৎপর হবে মার্কিন যুক্তরাষ্ট্রে, মার্কিনি তথা অ-মার্কিনি সংস্থাগুলির সঙ্গে উত্তরোত্তর দৃঢ়তর মৈত্রী সম্পর্কে আবদ্ধ হয়ে তাদের সঙ্গে সংস্কৃতিক যোগাযোগ রক্ষা করে চলতে। সংস্থা চায় উত্তরপূর্ব ওহাইও অঞ্চলে বসবাসকারী বঙ্গভাষাভাষীদের ও তাদের বন্ধুবান্ধবদের মিলনকেন্দ্র হয়ে উঠতে; সুযোগ সৃষ্টি করতে, যাতে এই অঞ্চলের বঙ্গভাষাভাষীরা সপরিবারে ও সবান্ধবে বাংলা ভাষা চর্চা করতে পারেন, বাঙালি সংস্কৃতি ও তার ঐতিহাসিক ধারাটির সঙ্গে পরিচিত হতে পারেন। সংস্থা তার কোনো কাজেই মুনাফা অন্বেষণ না করে সদস্যদের মিলন-সংঘ রূপে বিরাজ করবে। সংস্থা কখনো কোনো প্রকার ব্যবসায় লিপ্ত হবে না, কোনো বিশেষ সম্প্রদায় বা দলের অনুগত হবেন না। সংস্থার অনুসৃত পথের বিরোধী কোনও প্রকার দলগত স্বার্থে সংস্থা অথবা তার কর্মনির্বাহী সদস্যের নাম ব্যবহার করা চলবে না।

Announcements

LAKSHMI PUJA

November 3, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Nov 7, 2020 (Saturday)

5:00 PM – Prayer offering at Parma’s Shiva Vishnu Temple. The event will be telecasted live on Facebook.

6:00 PM – Premiere of BCS cultural program “Aji E Ananda Sandhya” . This is a virtual event showcasing the fine talents and artistic side of our own BCS friends and peers.

Nov 8, 2020 (Sunday)

11:30 AM – Virtual Live Concert by SaReGaMaPa star Sohini Mukherjee.

Links to all programs will be sent via email closer to the date.

Download Flyer

শারদীয়া

October 19, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

This is to inform you that due to the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in Ohio, we have decided to move the puja part of Durgatsov celebrations to the Shiva Vishnu Temple in Parma, OH. We made this decision keeping in mind the safety and well-being of all our volunteers. Only members of the EC, who are taking part in the Puja will attend. It will be a condensed version of the 3-day celebrations and will be streamed live for the benefit of the members of the community.

Titled Agomoni, the Durga Puja celebrations of BCS, Cleveland will comprise of the following programs for the three days:

1. Friday 10/23, 8 PM: Children’s Cultural Program, ChotoderAgomoni, will be broadcasted on YouTube. The link will be shared before the program commences.

2. Saturday 10/24, 11 AM: Durga Puja at Shiva Vishnu Temple will be telecasted live. Only participating EC members will be in attendance. Dinner pickup is scheduled strictly between 3 PM-5 PM from either of the two locations - Paradise Biryani Point, Mayfield Hts. or 6 Flavors Indian restaurant, Parma. depending on your survey response.
A virtual live concert by SaReGaMaPa famed Sourav Das and Sneha Bhattacharya, Gaane Gaane will begin for your viewing pleasure at 8.30 PM

3. Sunday 10/25, 1 PM: Pujor Shaaj Contest - We know how much this season means to us and our fresh new outfits! We're requesting all our members to send in your favorite clicks of your Pujor Shaaj. Dress up in your finest Pujo garb and send us your entries by 10/23, 5PM. Two entries per person are allowed. We will display this in a slideshow ahead of the GBM. You can also send in pictures of Durgatsov celebrations with your friends and family and for us to put on our Facebook page. Send in your entries for Pujor Shaaj and Durga Puja celebrations to Taniya (taniyatalukdar@gmail.com) by 10/23. Online GBM will begin at 2 PM on Zoom. The link will be shared ahead of the event.
This will be followed by Virtual Natok, “Bharate Chai”, at 4 PM.

We’d also like to inform you that Lakshmi Puja will be held on 11/7 and will be live-streamed. Virtual live concert by singer Sohini Mukherjee is scheduled for 11/8 at 11:30 AM. More details to come soon.

Download Flyer

BANGLA PODCAST – VIRTUAL LIVE CONCERT FEAT. ARITRA DASGUPTA

August 30, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Hello Friends, We hope you are all doing well.

In keeping with our endeavor to provide our members with rich and engaging virtual cultural experiences this year, we have planned a musical treat.

We present to you our first live digital concert on August 30, 2020 (Sunday) at 11:30 AM.

Artist and Zee Bangla SaReGaMaPa grand finalist, Aritra Dasgupta is all set to enthrall you with his magical voice.

… [READ MORE]

Virtual Live Concert

August 18, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Hello Friends,

We hope you are all doing well.

In keeping with our endeavor to provide our members with rich and engaging virtual cultural experiences this year, we have planned a musical treat.

We present to you our first live digital concert on August 30, 2020 (Sunday) at 11:30 AM.

Artist and Zee Bangla SaReGaMaPa grand finalist, Aritra Dasgupta is all set to enthrall you with his magical voice.

Please refer to the flier for more details, we will send you the link to the live program on the assigned date.

The program is sponsored by our very own, Bangla Podcast.

Bhalo thakun,

Sincerely,

BCS, Executive Committee, 2020

Download Flyer

জীবন, জয় ও প্রার্থনা

August 2, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Dear Friends,

We hope you are doing well. We miss our community dearly during the COVID-19 pandemic! To keep our spirits high in these trying times and celebrate our love for music and performing arts, we present to you জীবন, জয় ও প্রার্থনা – a virtual cultural program showcasing BCS’s deep reservoir of talents! Our sincere thanks to all the members who participated!

You can watch the entire program here.

Hope you will enjoy the program!

Bhalo thankun!

Sincerely,

BCS EC 2020

Thank You!

June 17, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Dear Friends,

We hope you are staying safe, healthy and living to the best of your spirits in these difficult times. Our fundraising for those affected in this situation has just ended, although the pandemic is far from getting over but these contributions will surely help the most unfortunate victims here and back home in India. We owe you a big THANK YOU to everyone who made generous contributions and an applause to our entire community for supporting the cause. We could not do this without your support.
Your contributions of $3908.00 collected by us are being sent out to:

Greater Cleveland Area Food Bank
University Hospitals COVID-19 Community Response Fund
Amphan Cyclone Relief Work by Bharat Sevashram Sangha
Ramakrishna Math & Mission Amphan Cyclone Relief
Sewa International Appeal for Cyclone Amphan

… [READ MORE]

Event Updates

April 8, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Hello Friends,

Greetings from BCS!

We hope this note finds you well. The Executive Committee is reaching out to you to let you know that owing to the impact of COVID-19 and the continued lock down, we have decided to cancel the Baishakhi Sandhya event.

As you all are aware, a lot of preparation goes into organizing the event, which includes dedicated rehearsals on the part of the participants for weeks together. As the social distancing continues, it is highly uncertain when we will be able to start the rehearsals. Under this ambiguous situation, considering the safety of our members and patrons we have taken this unfortunate decision.

… [READ MORE]

MESSAGE FROM BCS EC 2020 ON COVID-19

March 19, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

Hello Friends,

Greetings from BCS Executive Committee. We're all going through testing times right now and we wanted to check-in and hope everyone is being safe and taking care.

Though everyone should already have seen all the guidance, here’s a few useful links to stay on top of the latest updates from CDC, Ohio and local authorities:

CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prepare/index.html

Ohio Department of Health: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/

Cuyahoga County Board of Health: https://www.ccbh.net/coronavirus/

Summit County Public Health: https://www.scph.org/covid-19

… [READ MORE]

Saraswati Puja

January 12, 2020
BCS Executive Committee

We’re kickstarting the year with our first event, Saraswati Puja, and are looking forward to your active participation and support. It will be held on February 1, 2020 at the Shiva Vishnu Temple premises. The day long event will start with the pujo followed by different cultural activities and of course, scrumptious food.

The celebration is especially for children and will include activities like sit-and-draw competition to keep them occupied, followed by a cultural evening that will include individual performances by the child wonders and also two plays starring the child actors.

If you haven’t already done so, please get in touch with our cultural secretaries to submit the names of your children for individual performances and sit-and-draw competition.

Download Flyer

Greeting from Executive Committee

January 2, 2020
Rajlakshmi Ghosh, President EC 2020

The Executive Committee of 2020 wishes everyone a Happy New Year! We thank our community members for giving us the opportunity to serve you this year and look forward to a successful year of fun, festivities and cultural celebrations. BCS community has been growing over the past few years, and the increase in the number of members is reflective of that growth and prosperity. We sincerely believe that BCS community is a family, our family here in Cleveland and we are proud to be part of this growing family. We thank the outgoing Executive Committee of 2019 for their outstanding accomplishments in the past year.

The first event of the year 2020, Saraswati Puja, will be celebrated on February 1st, 2020 (Saturday) at Shiva Vishnu Temple located at 7733 Ridge Rd, Parma, OH 44129. Continuing our long tradition of offering our devotion to the Goddess of Education, we would also have a Sit-n-Draw Competition for the kids in the morning and Children’s Performance in the afternoon/early evening. Thank you to all members who have submitted their children’s names for participation. Detailed schedule of the day will be emailed to all in due course of time.

We request the existing and prospective members of BCS to pay the membership fees on February 1st, 2020 at the registration desk. Online payment and credit card payments are also accepted. However, we suggest membership fees to be paid with check to reduce transactional fees charged by Square/Paypal to process online and credit card payments.

Thank you.

Thank You

December 31, 2019
Mitali Das Singh, President EC 2019

As the year 2019 approaches its end, it's time to say adieu to the members of the existing EC and welcome the new members. But before we do so, I, Mitali Das Singh, on behalf of BCS EC 2019, would like to take the opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude to the members of BCS who gave us the opportunity to work for the community this year.

I am overwhelmed with the support and encouragement that we received from you all for each and every event we organized this year. Your support means a lot to us and without it, achieving success would've been tough.

There were numerous people involved in all BCS work through the year and the help and participation of the family members need a special mention. They went out of their way a lot of times to accommodate things and adjusted their schedules for BCS and I am truly grateful for the uncompromising hard work they put in through the year.

As we hand over the baton to the newly elected members, I hope that you will continue to offer the same support and encouragement to the EC members of 2020. We congratulate Mrs. Rajlakshmi Ghosh and her newly elected team for taking up the responsibility and leading us the next year. I wish them good luck

I also wish you a very happy new year and hope that you have a great year ahead.

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Patronage

We seek your continued patronage and support. We request all to pay their contribution for annual patronage online or on the day of the Saraswati Puja and take advantage of our special package rate for various events.

We are truly grateful for your support! We’ve now made it very simple to send your generous donations via Zelle to treasurer@bcscle.org, and remember to include your name along with the specific event or membership in the payment comments. Thank you!

For additional donations please click the button below. Donations to Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland are tax exempt under code 501(c) 3. Any and all donations are welcome and highly appreciated. Thank you!

All checks payable to ‘BENGALI CULTURAL SOCIETY‘