Announcements

Financial Report 2024

• April 22, 2024
• BCS Executive Committee

Upcoming Events 2024

• April 10, 2024
• BCS Executive Committee

Baishakhi rehearsals in full swing

• April 10, 2024
• BCS Executive Committee

Upcoming bengali movie on March 30th

• February 25, 2024
• BCS Executive Committee

Bengali Cultural Society is going organize the screening of this movie on 30th March at Atlas Eastgate Cinemas , please join to watch this movie all together.
You can pay by scanning the above QR code or transfer to zelle address treasurer@bcscle.org.
Standard ticket price 21$ (20$ if pad by zelle),
Economy ticket price 16$ (15$ if paid by zelle)
please contact either treasurer to get your ticket and acknowledgement.

Achievements and Awards!

"Bijoyar Pore" has received recognition as an "OFFICIAL SELECTION" at
29th KOLKATA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL in the Bengali Panorama section.
22nd DHAKA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL in World Cinema section & awarded as Best Audience Choice Film.
20th Third Eye Asian Film Festival in Indian Competition & awarded Mrs. Mamata Shankar as Best Actress for the film.
Official selection Telangana Bengali Film Festival, Andhra Pradesh
"Telangana Bengali Film Festival-2024" won 5 awards in 4 categories at the Telangana Bengali Film Festival:
Best Lead Actor for Mamata Shankar,
Best Supporting Actor for Swastika Mukherjee, (Jury & Audience Award)
Best Editor for Anirban Maity
Best Director Abhijit Sridas.
Official selection at Jagran Film Festival. Mumbai Edition.
Official selection Indo Padma Bengali Film Festival at Delhi.
Official selection Diorama International Film Festival, Dubai.

Saraswati Puja

• January 31, 2024
• BCS Executive Committee

Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland is celebrating Saraswati Puja on 17th February 2024, Saturday and cordially inviting you with your family on this special occasion.

Please, come and join us to celebrate Saraswati Puja.

Theater Festival 2023

• November 8, 2023

Durga Puja 2023

• October 25, 2023

USHA UTHUP : LIVE IN CLE

• October 2, 2023

Click here to book tickets !!

Sharadiya 2023 !

• September 22, 2023

Usha Uthup : Live in CLE !

• September 2, 2023

Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland Presents ‘The Queen of Indian Pop’ – Usha Uthup Live in Cleveland

• August 9, 2023

Usha Uthup Live concert, Friday October 20th, 2023 in Cleveland

BCS Cleveland Presents Bangla Film Festival 2023

• May 27, 2023

Hello Patrons,

We are thrilled to announce the organization of the Cleveland Bangla Film Festival 2023 by BCS. Over the course of three weekends in June, three popular Bengali movies will be showcased in theaters. This presents a remarkable chance for families and community members to come together and relish these films collectively. The following movies will be featured:

Movie Screening: Dostojee

• March 30, 2023

FOR THE FIRST TIME IN BCS, we’re glad to present an award winning movie, Dostojee!

Dostojee is a 2021 Indian Bengali-language drama film written and directed by Prasun Chatterjee.

Dostojee appeals to both children and grownups alike! It's about two 8-year old boys navigating a growing religious divide in this portrait of childhood set after the destruction of India's Babri Mosque. The film won the top prize, the Golden Shika Award, at the Nara International Film Festival for 2022

Date:  4/30/23

Time:  4:00pm ET

Location: 

Atlas Cinemas Eastgate 10

1345 Som Center Rd

Mayfield Heights, OH 44124

Tickets (75 seats total)

Tickets will be sold first come first served. We have a lot of interest already, so please reserve as soon as possible!

Upon receipt of your email, we’ll send your tickets via email and whatsapp.

Kindly bring payment via check or cash at the event.  

Thank you, we look forward to enjoying the movie together!  

Sangeete Sanglaape Baisakhi

• March 13, 2023

Saraswati Puja 2023

• January 14, 2023

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) Executive Committee is pleased to announce you that Saraswati Puja will be celebrated in-person on Feb 4th 2023 in the Bloomfield Hall, Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church (5312 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44124). 

In order to make the event a success and help our planning, we encourage for membership renewal and the new membership by choosing any of the following options:

Please RSVP by January 29, 2022 if you want to attend the event in-person using the following link

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeNrJUnhGJZIfgn_CPPtrdWF6LemORinkXovbcbqt7hxh0G_A/viewform?embedded=true

Yours Sincerely, 2023 Executive Committee,
Bengali Cultural Society
Cleveland, OH

From the President’s Desk

• January 11, 2023

Hello Friends,

On behalf of Bengali Cultural Society (BCS), Cleveland, the Executive Committee (EC) I would like to wish you A Very Happy New Year 2023. I will also take this opportunity to thank Ranjan Dutta & Team (BCS EC 2022) for their tireless efforts in creating and delivering exceptional program in the past year, and the BCS Golden Jubilee Committee for a worthy celebration through the theme - "Remember, Reconnect and Rejoice" . As we welcome another new year post COVID, we proceed with cautious optimism and hope to continue with the legacy of celebrating Bengali culture with our members in person.

Please mark your calendars for our first event, Saraswati Puja to be held on Feb 4th, 2023 (Saturday) in the Bloomfield Hall, Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church (5312 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44124). We are announcing a call for participation for kids for the following events:

As per GBM held on 12.10.2022, there has been a revision of membership fees, the main categories are below:

Full Membership - $300
Full Membership (individual) -$180
Basic Membership (Family) - $75
Basic Membership (Individual) - $50

Details of membership fee can be found on the membership & donations page.

We request members to renew their 2023 subscriptions through our website www.bcscle.org. Renewing your membership at the start of the year helps us a lot to plan and execute the forthcoming events successfully. We appreciate your continuous support in this regard.

We will circulate another email closer to Saraswati Puja with schedule details. Please feel free to reach out to any of our EC members for additional questions.

Stay safe!
 

Yours Sincerely,

Amiya Ghosh

President
2023 Executive Committee
Bengali Cultural Society
Cleveland, OH

Natya Mela & Bijoya Sammilani

• January 10, 2023

This year, as part of the BCS jubilee celebration, we are preparing for a grand finale of our year-long sequence of celebratory events. This will be part of the BCS Biyoya Sammelani.

On Saturday, November 5th, 2022, we will be hosting the first ever ‘Natya Mela’ (drama fest) in Cleveland featuring three captivating theatrical productions by three highly acclaimed drama groups from Washington DC, Chicago and Columbus, as well as our own production (the Bengali adaptation of a famous crime thriller).

Partially funded by an ‘ArtStart’ grant from the Ohio Arts Council, this event will take place at the Berkman Hall Auditorium of the Cleveland State University (1899 E 22nd St., Cleveland, OH 44115) and will also include an informative panel discussion by eminent experts in the field of theatre from some leading educational institutions in northeast Ohio such as Case Western Reserve University, Kent State University and the University of Akron.

Registration is mandatory for attending Natya Mela & Bijoya Sammilani. All are requested to register using following link by Nov 31st, 2022 (Mon). One registration per family is required.

Durga Puja – Golden Jubilee Year

• September 1, 2022

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) Executive Committee is pleased to announce that our Golden Jubilee Durga Puja will be celebrated in-person on Sep 30th (Fri), Oct 1st (Sat) and Oct 2nd (Sun) in the Bloomfield Hall, Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church (5312 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44124). We hope all will join us in celebrating 50th year of BCS' Durga Puja. Please mark your calendars accordingly. Details of the program will follow.

Durga Puja 2022 attendees are encouraged to exercise social distancing, wash their hands regularly and wear masks. We expect fully vaccinated people to attend the Durga Puja. Any exceptions must be reported to BCS Executive Committee. 

Registration is mandatory for attending Durga Puja. All are requested to register for Durga Puja using following link by Sep 10th, 2022 (Sat). One registration per family is required.

Together we keep it flowing

• April 2, 2022

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) Executive Committee is pleased to extend a warm invitation to our inaugural cultural event of Golden Jubilee celebration titled “Together we keep it flowing”.

The first event will be an in-person live performance reflecting a five-decade journey through dance, music & drama. The event will be held at Berkman Auditorium, CSU on April 16th, 2022 and attendance is free. Registration is mandatory. Please submit your registration by April 8th, 2022.

Program details:
Social hour and snacks: 5.00 PM
Doors Open: 6.00 PM
Program Starts: 6.30 PM
Dinner: 9.00 PM

Our second event (April 23-24) will be a virtual global extravaganza featuring multicultural, multigenerational programs including virtual get-togethers with celebrities, virtual concert LIVE from India, panel discussions on poetry, literature, drama, language, and food.

Please click here for more information.

Saraswati Puja

• January 22, 2022

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) Executive Committee is pleased to announce you that Saraswati Puja will be celebrated in-person on Feb 5th 2022 in the Bloomfield Hall, Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church (5312 Mayfield Rd, Cleveland, OH 44124). We hope all members will join us in celebrating 50th year of BCS.

Please mark your calendars accordingly.

Our decision was prompted by the encouraging data from Cuyahoga County COVID dashboard showing significant drop in the number of new infections with some of the projections indicating further drop in cases. However, members attending the Saraswati Puja 2022, are encouraged to exercise social distancing, wash their hands regularly and wear masks. Proof of vaccination is mandatory for attending this event. Any BCS office bearer, members of executive committee or volunteers will not be held responsible on any account of anyone contracting Covid-19. By agreeing to attend this this event, you’re acknowledging the risk of exposure to COVID-19 that exists in any public place. Please follow CDC guidelines and Ohio state guidelines during the event for your safety.

The event is limited to BCS members only. We appreciate your continuous support and encourage you to renew your BCS membership ASAP.  Non-members who wish to attend Saraswati Puja can also take membership for the year 2022.

Please RSVP by January 29, 2022 if you want to attend the event in-person.

From the President’s Desk

• January 6, 2022

On behalf of the Executive Committee members of Bengali Cultural Society (BCS), Cleveland, I
wish you all the best for 2022! Together with my fellow members, I feel honored to have been
elected to represent BCS Executive committee for the year 2022. This year marks 50 years of
BCS, only the fourth Bengali organization in North America to cross this historic milestone.
Apart from the regular BCS events, 2022 BCS Executive Committee will also be working hand
in hand with members of the Golden Jubilee Committee to commemorate this landmark
occasion through special events that will help us to remember, reconnect and rejoice 50 years
of BCS existence.

For the past two years, the world around us has been changing rapidly due to COVID-19 and its
variants. We would like to acknowledge and applaud the difficult task completed by 2020 as well
as 2021 BCS Executive Committees to conduct BCS events following local, state or federal
health mandates. We would like to assure all members that we would continue to adhere to
these guidelines when arranging scheduled events as the health, wellness and safety of our
community members and families will be our top concern.

The current pandemic situation had made us to change our plan for our first event of the year –
Saraswati Puja. We will soon be sharing our revised plan with the updated fee structure with our
members. BCS is a member driven organization and we therefore would like to take this
opportunity to appeal for your continued support through donations that has sustained and
grown this organization for the past 50 years.

As always, we thank you for your continued dedication and support towards our organization
and look forward to serving you in the year of 2022.

Ranjan Dutta

President

2022 Executive Committee

Click here to download President's message

2022 Executive Committee Election

• November 19, 2021
• BCS Executive Committee

As the year 2021 is coming to an end, we’re rolling out the Executive Committee (EC) 2022 election procedure with the nominations. This year, the Nomination Committee will comprise of the following members:

• Subha Sen Pakrashi (Chair)
• Soumitra Ghosh
• Sadhan Jana 
• Kingshuk Das (EC 2021 Representative)

The committee is now seeking nominations for next year's Executive Committee (EC 2022). If you are interested to serve in the EC 2022, please download the nomination form as below and submit your nomination by November 29th, 2021. Contact information of Nomination Committee can be found in the BCS Directory and in the nomination form.

Click here to download nomination form

Christmas Party

• November 9, 2021

[Members Only Event]

As the year is nearing its end, so are our yearly events at BCS.

The Executive Committee of 2021 will host the last event of the year, the Christmas Party, and it will be an in-person event!

When: December 11, 2021, 6:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Where: Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church, Bloomfield Hall, 5312 Mayfield Road, Cleveland, OH 44124

Please save the date and help us make it a successful affair by supporting it. We have some fun activities planned for children and adults along with a scrumptious dinner.

General Body Meeting

• November 9, 2021

[Members Only Event]

After a successful Sharod Utsav, it’s time for us to host the second General Body Meeting of 2021. Once again, it’ll be a virtual affair and will be hosted on Zoom.
Our humble request to all our members is to attend the GBM and make their voices heard - brickbats or praises, we’d like to hear from you either way.

When: Saturday, November 13, 2021, at 6.30 PM. The meeting will end at 8:00 PM.
Where: Zoom (Meeting link has been shared in email)

Please feel free to get in touch with us if you have any questions or concerns, or any issues you'd like us to address.

Durga Puja 2021 – Reminder

• October 15, 2021

[Members Only Event]

Venue: Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church, Bloomfield Hall, 5312 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, OH 44124

The D-day is almost here, and we can keep calm no more! We're super excited to see everyone tomorrow, many old faces with a dash of new ones. But in all this excitement, we don't want to forget the nitty-gritty. 

We, the BCS Executive Committee, have shared many communications with our members leading up to this day regarding the protocols that we have put in place this year. We understand, for many, these might have been a little overwhelming and confusing. But rest assured, we have adopted these policies being mindful of everyone's health and safety. All our members are dear to us, and we want to take care of you in the best possible way, so our approach is in everyone's best interest. 

Puja Schedule

.

Durga Puja Announcement

• October 10, 2021

Shubho Sharodiya, from the BCS Executive Committee.

It’s after a long gap of two years that Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland, OH will be able to celebrate Durga Puja in person again. All of us in the Executive Committee have been working very hard to make it as safe and enjoyable as possible.

Owing to the current pandemic situation, we’ve had to develop a protocol to be able to host a safe and successful event for all of our members. We’re extremely grateful to all our community members who have already registered online. Please accept our heartfelt gratitude.

There seem to be a few member families who've expressed their desire to attend the Puja but have not registered yet. We request you to complete it at the earliest possible as only registered members will be permitted to enter the venue. Online registration is not available anymore. Therefore, please contact one of our EC members to complete your registration. The registration is a must not only for your safety and the others around you but also helps us get an exact headcount for the food boxes. The venue this year is small and there are capacity restrictions due to Covid-19. Your continued patience is appreciated, hopefully, things will be fully back to normal next year!

We look forward to your continued support and cooperation, and most importantly, we look forward to seeing you!

Durga & Laxmi Puja 2021

• September 14, 2021

[Members Only Event]

We’re aware that the community has been waiting with baited breathe to know about the Sharodiya celebrations plans. We, the Executive Committee members, have been working hard to put the concrete plans together and now we are ready to share it with you. We appreciate your patience.

Please click on the following link to view the detailed information. It also includes the link for registration, we request you to go through the specifics and get back to us with any questions.

Durga Puja 2021

• August 27, 2021
• BCS Executive Committee

[Members Only Event]

It is with great pleasure that we’d like to announce Durga Puja 2021 celebrations to be a reality in Cleveland. Keeping everyone’s survey responses in mind, after much discussion and deliberations with the trustees and senior members of the community, the BCS Executive Committee 2021, has decided to host Durga Puja celebrations this year as a two-day affair, in a scaled-down format.

It will be held at: Lyndhurst Community Presbyterian Church, Bloomfield Hall, 5312 Mayfield Road, Lyndhurst, OH 44124 on October 16 (Sat) and October 17 (Sun) respectively. Please make a note that we are forgoing the usual Friday night puja this year. 

Durga Puja 2021 – Natok & Magazine

• August 14, 2021
• Cultural Secretaries

Please find below some updates on Bijaya Natok and Sharodiya Magazine.

Bijaya Natok:

Many of our members showed their interest in participating in Bijaya Natak this year. Thank you very much for your enthusiasm! Due to another surge of Covid-19 and uncertainties in near future, we have decided to showcase this year’s Bijaya Natak completely in virtual way. Those who have not formally sent your names, but would like to participate in Bijaya Natak, please contact any of our Cultural Secretaries by Aug 20, 2021.

Sharodia Magazine:

Though we are not sure about the format of Durga Puja yet, we are committed to publish the Puja Barshiki Magazine like in previous years. We are accepting submissions from our members in the following categories:

Emergency Fund

• July 15, 2021
• BCS Executive Committee

As per the discussion in our last GBM back in February 2021, an emergency fund has been created with an initial donation from a few members.  This fund is currently being managed by a committee comprising of Brojesh Pakrashi, Meera Chatterjee, Jaharul Haque, Bhaswati Bandyopadhyay, and the current BCS President, Kingshuk Das.

This fund is created to have readily available cash to help members in need right away without having to go through a bureaucratic process. There have been heartbreaking examples in the recent past when BCS members needed funds during personal emergencies. 

The aforementioned committee members are working on various fund policies, which will be presented at a future GBM for members' approval. We will keep you posted on how you can contribute to this fund once we finalize all policies on fund collection, maintenance, disbursements, etc.

Stay safe and enjoy the Summer.

Baisakhi Update

• June 8, 2021

This is to provide an update on Baishakhi Sandhya as stated in our earlier communication. It is clear that we are still reeling from the conditions ravaging India and the grave losses that each of us have experienced. In view of this, we have had to take the unfortunate decision to cancel Baishakhi Sandhya and its ancillary programs this year.

Nevertheless, on behalf of BCS, we extend a grateful Thank You to everyone who have sent in their videos for Baishakhi Sandhya. 

All submitted videos will be published on YouTube on a later date in the month of July 2021. We hope this short collation will provide you with at least some enjoyment and respite in the midst of these times.

The NEW FINAL DATE for video submissions is now 13th June, 2021. If you have not been able to send your performance video, please submit it to Gargi (nathgargi5@gmail.com) or Jayatu (jayikma@gmail.com) by 13th June , 2021. Please note we will not be able to accept any videos past this pushed back final date.

Donation for INDIA

• May 3, 2021
• BCS Executive Committee

This message comes to you at a time of insurmountable distress to our beloved motherland. We are all aware of the catastrophic events happening in India due to the recent surge of Covid-19 cases. All of us are deeply affected due to this alarming event. But whenever we have grappled with a crisis of this magnitude, our Bengali community in Cleveland has invariably always come forward to extend every help they can. In this regard, we would like to inform you about a very worthy fundraiser launched by the Federation of Indian Cultural Associations (FICA): the India Covid-19 Relief Fund. On behalf of FICA, we are forwarding their appeal to Indian diaspora. FICA website provides all the information on how to donate to this timely initiative. 

Many organizations around the globe are mounting similar efforts to alleviate the grave situation in India. We’re sure you are already doing all that you can personally and with your favorite charities. However, in case you are looking for a suitable aid initiative to contribute to, please go through the following news articles:

Rescheduling of Baisakhi

• April 28, 2021
• BCS Executive Committee

না, আমাদের মন ভালো নেই।

All of us have been deeply affected by the dire situation in India and the steady onslaught of concerning news that we have been getting about our near and dear ones across the shores. Our heart is heavy with sadness and worry as we anxiously pray for everyone’s safety back home. In view of these circumstances, we have postponed Online Baishakhi Sandhya 2021. We will reschedule Baisakhi Sandhya to a later date, and will update you with such details as and when possible.

আমাদের সবার মনই ভারাক্রান্ত, এখন শুধু এটুকুই যথেষ্ট আর এটুকু শুনলেই ভালো লাগবে যে আপনারা সবাই ভালো আছেন, আর দেশে আপনাদের প্রিয়জনেরা নিরাপদে আছেন। এই দুশ্চিন্তাজনক অবস্থার পরিপ্রেক্ষিতে, বৈশাখী সন্ধ্যা ২০২১ আপাতত স্থগিত রাখা হল। অনুষ্ঠানটি পরে একটি যথাযথ সময়ে আয়োজিত করা হবে, তার details আমরা যত তাড়াতাড়ি সম্ভব পাঠিয়ে দেব।  

Saraswati Puja 2021

• January 6, 2021
• Cultural Secretaries

শীঘ্রই দেখা হবে নিশ্চয়ই! In the meantime, we will celebrate Saraswati Puja 2021 at the Shiva Vishnu Temple on February 20, 2021, Saturday. We will livestream the Puja on the BCS Facebook page. Due to ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, regrettably only a minimum crew will be present at the temple.

Puja Nirghonto: Puja ~11:15 AM; Pushpanjali ~11.45 AM

If, due to inclement weather, we are forced to make any changes to the Puja schedule, the same will be posted on the BCS Facebook page.

Online Cultural Program: We request you to kindly submit your children’s names for the Online Cultural Program, which will be released on YouTube on the evening of the Puja. Their piece can be a:

• Drawing, painting, and
• Video of them performing a song, instrumental piece, dance, or poem (or maybe even a time-lapse of them drawing, like a sped-up Boshey Aanko; your imagination is the only limit!)

Greeting from Executive Committee 2021

• January 1, 2021
• Kingshuk Das, President, EC 2021

On behalf of the newly elected Executive Committee members of Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland and myself, I wish you all the best for 2021!
We are excited to take over the baton from the Executive Committee of 2020, and look forward to work with you all this year. We also want to take this opportunity to thank the 2020 Executive Committee for their hard work, commitment, devotion and energy for the Bengali community of Cleveland, OH during this difficult time.

The global situation in regards to COVID-19 is changing rapidly. In keeping with local, state or federal mandates, we might need to adjust our regular event schedule. Our plans for 2021 events will be in compliance with local, state and federal guidelines. We assure you that the health, wellness and safety of our community members and families will be our top concern.

Thank You

• January 1, 2021
• Rajlakshmi Ghosh, President EC 2020

As we come to the end of an unprecedented year, on behalf of the Executive Committee 2020, I would like to take the opportunity to thank all members of Bengali Cultural Society for allowing us to serve you this year. 

There were several people involved in all BCS related work throughout this challenging year. As we navigated uncharted waters due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the community showed tremendous support, helping us redesign our events and cultural programs and deliver them successfully. Whether it was our Baisakhi event - Jibon Joy O Prarthana, or virtual adda AajEktu Galpo Hok, or our global member collaborative – BCS Mahalaya Program, or our virtual natok - Bharate Chai, our members delivered flawless cultural programs one after the other. My sincere gratitude to our amazing Cultural Secretaries – Ambalika Dasgupta and Soumyajit Paul, for conceptualizing, organizing and coordinating the programs.

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.

Click here to access the show! The access code will be shared with members in email.

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

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

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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

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. 

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

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.

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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.

Holiday Party

• December 2, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

It feels like the year 2019 just flew past and before long the holiday season will be upon us. But before we wrap up the year, let’s all come together one last time - for the BCS Holiday party!

Parents, please do bring a wrapped gift for each of your kids, labeled with the child's name. It will be loads of fun for them to receive their gifts, straight from Santa.

We also want to take this opportunity to remind you about our donation drive. December 7 is the last day of collecting donations so please make sure to bring in your contributions in terms of: non-perishable food items, winter clothing, books and stationary items for kids.

Date: 7th December, 2019 (Saturday)
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Cleveland Heights Church, 12412 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106

Bijoya Sammilani

• November 5, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

The Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland cordially invites you to the BCS Bijoya Sammilani 2019 on 9th November, Saturday.

We'll start serving the snacks at 5.15 PM which will be closely followed by kids dinner. At 6 PM sharp, the first play সত্যসন্ধ, will start. This will be followed by a short tea break of 15 minutes and the second play, দেনা পাওনা will commence at 7.30pm.

Date: 9th November, 2019, Saturday
Venue: Solon Center for the Arts, 6315 SOM Center Road, Solon, OH 44139

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শারদীয়া

• September 20, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

Durga Puja will be hosted over three days during the weekend of October 04 - 06, 2019, at the Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134.

Hopefully by now you’d have registered for the cultural program and started with the rehearsals. Anyone looking to volunteer with the puja preparations can get in touch with the members of the executive committee. Options are open in the decor team, cooking team, pujo team and so on.

Looking forward to see you soon and celebrate with you.

Maa Ashchen!

Wish you a VERY HAPPY SHARODIYA in advance.

Venue: Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist
1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134
Date: Oct 04th, 2019 (Fri) - Oct 06th, 2019 (Sun)

Detailed schedule

The Anupam Roy Band

• July 10, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

Live In Cleveland

Get ready for Anupam Roy and his band to rock Cleveland!

Venue: Center For Performing Arts, 5407 Turney Rd, Garfield Heights, OH 44125

Date: October 11, 2019

Time: Dinner 6:30 PM, Seating opens 7:30 PM

Book your tickets online and grab early bird discounts

[Use the code earlybird8 to avail 15% off on tickets till August 15, 2019. Students can use student25 to avail 25% off on tickets (Admission subject to providing valid ID)]

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Picnic ও আড্ডা

• July 1, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

Now that summer is here, it's time to get out and soak up the sun! And to help you enjoy the summer weather, the Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland, is organizing a Summer Picnic on Saturday, July 27, 2019 (11am-5pm) to be held at Hudson Springs Park, May Pavilion, 7095 Stow Road, Hudson, OH 44236.

In order to help us plan better and get a clear head count, we kindly request you to pre-register for the picnic using the link below:

Pre-register for Picnic

While the picnic is free for the BCS members, non-members too can join us at a nominal fee of $10 per head.

Looking forward to see you at the event for some great food and adda session while summer lasts.

Nirmiti

• March 28, 2019
• Cultural Secretaries

With great pleasure we take the opportunity to announce a highly coveted dance workshop being organized by BCS on behalf of, dance exponent and guru, Sanjib Bhattacharya.

Aptly titled, Nirmiti, it is a unique training based on the rare combination of Manipuri, Contemporary and Martial Arts dance techniques. Perhaps for the first time Cleveland will witness such an exclusive experience that will provide a great opportunity for dance enthusiasts to learn some extraordinary techniques from the master himself.

Sanjib Bhattacharya will choreograph a piece with the participants and present the same at Baishakhi Sandhya, which in itself is a great feat other than getting to learn from a highly accomplished artist.

The 10 hour intensive workshop is priced at $125 per person and will be held from April 25 - 28 at Cleveland Heights Church, 12412 Cedar Road, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106. Interested participants need to have a basic background in dance to make the most of the workshop.

Meet and Greet – Somen Debnath

• March 14, 2019
• BCS Executive Committee

The Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland (BCS) would like to extend an invite to its event, Meet and Greet with Somen Debnath, between 6.30 PM - 9.30 PM, Friday, April 12, at Cleveland Heights Church (former ICC Building), 12412 Cedar Rd., Cleveland Heights, OH 44106.

The event’s mission is to raise funds for Somen, a fellow Indian from Kolkata, who’s on a World Tour on his bicycle, to spread HIV/AIDS awareness among the underprivileged people who have the lowest level of awareness about this deadly disease. In his quest, the daredevil globetrotter, is also conveying the message of peace and humanity, as well as promoting Indian culture worldwide.

Somen believes in humanity and Swami Vivekananda’s message and treats everyone as equals. The love and respect he shows others fortunately is almost always reciprocated. Each time he ran into a predicament - whether it was a stolen bicycle or lack of a place to sleep or food to eat - the locals came to his aid. The backing for his world tour has been mostly provided by patrons that he met on his way. Now that he’s stopping through Cleveland, let’s show him some Northeast Ohio love!

Baishakhi Sandhya

• March 4, 2019
• Cultural Secretaries

The Bengali Cultural Society, Cleveland, invites you to BCS Baishakhi Sandhya on the evening of Saturday, May 18, 2019 to be held at Berkman Hall Auditorium, Cleveland State University, 1899 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, OH 44115.

This is one of our signature events celebrating the rich Bengali cultural heritage that includes paying homage to the two literary giants of Bengal - Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam, apart from celebrating the Bangla Nobobarsho.

Local artists honor the vision for equality, dignity and social justice of the two composers through their creations in the form of poetry, music and dance. Woven into this highly creative evening are the lively beats of adhunik and folk music, and delightfully choreographed dance sequences that transport the audience into a different cosmos.

We look forward to seeing you all at the event.

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Saraswati Puja

• January 21, 2019
• Cultural Secretaries

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) will celebrate Saraswati Puja on February 16, 2019 at Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134.

We look forward to your presence and active participation in our first event, Saraswati Puja of the year 2019.

We wanted to reach out to all parents and would like to know if their kids would be interested to participate in the cultural program which will include solo performances - singing, dancing, recitation etc. We also plan to organize kids’ sit and draw competition.

Please submit all names to our Cultural Secretaries by 31st January 2019

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Greeting from Executive Committee

• January 2, 2019
• Mitali Das Singh, President EC 2019

The newly elected BCS Executive Committee of the year 2019 wishes everyone a joyous and prosperous New Year. We are looking forward to working with you to make it a success. We are very thankful to the outgoing Executive Committee for an overall outstanding accomplishment.

Saraswati Puja, the first event of the year, will be celebrated on Saturday, February 16 th , 2019 at the Cathedral of the St. John, the Baptist, located at 1900 Carlton Rd., Parma, OH 44134. Continuing our long tradition, the children’s performance will be the main attraction of the cultural program on this day.

We hope to present an entertaining cultural program comprising of: Morning Program- Sit and Draw (for children under the age of 12), Evening Programs Solo- and Group performance- Music, Dance, Recitation, Short Drama, etc. (no age limit).

Thank You

• December 31, 2018
• Soumitra Kumar Ghosh, President EC 2018

Thank you for allowing me to serve this community throughout this year. I am very grateful for the continued support and helpfulness from all, especially from the other exceptionally talented and dedicated members of the committee and their spouses who have put in so many hours of work together. Every success that we had is a testament to their hard work. You all are so wonderful. I am wishing best of luck to the new set of faces who shall take on the leadership roles in the coming year; may they receive the same warmth and support from all of you, so that they may succeed in all of their endeavors. I am excited to see what new perspectives can do to continue to improve upon and grow our future events and experiences. Lastly, I would like to extend my best wishes and prayers to all of you for a wonderful new year 2019.

Holiday Party

• November 29, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

After a blessed year of many joyous gatherings in your presence, finally 'tis the season to brave the snow and rock the final party of the year.

Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland, OH cordially invites you and your family to the BCS Annual Holiday Party. There will be activities galore, and also a DJ on the dance floor! Come dance your cares away as we bid goodbye to the year.

Parents, please do bring a wrapped gift for each of your kids, labeled with the child's name. It will be loads of fun for them to receive their gifts, straight from Santa.

Date: 15th December, 2018 (Saturday)
Time: 6:00 PM
Venue: Cleveland Heights Church, 12412 Cedar Rd, Cleveland Heights, OH 44106

Bijoya Sammilani

• November 5, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

The Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland cordially invites you to the BCS Bijoya Sammilani 2018 on 11th November, Sunday.

This year, the theater luminaries of our community will present not one, but two theater productions for your enjoyment: Pashupati Opera written by Bimal Bandyopadhyay and Parashmani written by Shyamakanta Das.

Date: 11th November, 2018, Sunday
Venue: Solon Center for the Arts, 6315 SOM Center Road, Solon, OH 44139

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Lakshmi Puja

• October 22, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

After celebrating the festivities of Durga Puja, Bengali Cultural Society cordially invites you to celebrate Lakshmi Puja on October 27, 2018, Saturday at Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134.

Debangana Sarker will present Rabindrasangeet and other Bengali songs at 7.30 PM.

Detailed schedule
A Musical Evening with Debangana Sarker

মহালয়া

• October 8, 2018
• Cultural Secretaries

Debipaksha, the most auspicious of fortnights, is finally here. And so is Ma Durga, in নব কলেবর; Ma has safely reached Cleveland along with her children.

To celebrate, the BCS Cultural Committee has published a very special podcast for your enjoyment.

Mahalaya Podcast

We do sincerely hope you enjoy this program. Members of our community have put it together with devotion, stringing together some অতসী blossoms of poems, some শিউলি flowers of reminiscences, some অপরাজিতা flowers of humorous takes, and of course, বিল্লপত্র of songs.

Even though we sit across the proverbial seven seas and thirteen rivers, playing this podcast will surely stir up all the devotion and fervor that we felt upon listening to our beloved Mahalaya radio program.

শারদীয়া

• October 3, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

Please join us to celebrate Durga Puja, to socialize, and to get nostalgic

There will be performances by local artists of all ages to make the event memorable. And of course, there will be the quintessential parts of Durga Puja - অঞ্জলি, সিঁদুর খেলা, ধুনুচি নাচ, ভুরিভোজ ........

Venue: Saint John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church
1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134
Date: Oct 19th, 2018 (Fri) - Oct 21st, 2018 (Sun)

Detailed schedule

SUR-RANJANI

• August 7, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

Bengali Cultural Society of Cleveland proudly presents Sur-Ranjani, an evening of Hindustani classical music and timeless Bengali songs with Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty on Saturday, 1st Sept., at 6 PM. On behalf of BCS, we are delighted at this opportunity to be able to host Pt. Ajoy Chakrabarty, one of the premier torchbearers of Indian classical music

You can become a Diamond Sponsor of this event at $1000, a Gold Sponsor at $500, or a Silver Sponsor at $250. All sponsors receive preferred seating and free reserved parking. Please call Mrs. Subha Pakrashi at (440) 498 0102, Mr. Soumitra Ghosh at (330) 714 8313, Mr. Soumen Bhattacharya at (419) 768 6362, or Mr. Amiya Ghosh at (330) 780 0248 to sponsor the event. On behalf of BCS, we extend a sincere Thank You to all those who have already sponsored the event.

General tickets are $30, and student tickets are $15 on displaying student ID

Venue: CSU Main Classroom Auditorium, 1899 East 22nd Street, Cleveland, OH 44115

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সংলাপে – সংগীতে

• June 7, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

BCS Cleveland is hosting a unique summer cultural event সংলাপে-সংগীতে (Sanglape-Sangeete) on Sat, July 14, 2018. This rare event will bring together two highly accomplished artists on one stage on the same day: Debshankar Haldar and Shovan Ganguly.

Debshankar Haldar will present the drama কাল্লু মামা (Kallu Mama). He is the recipient of the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for 2014 for his immense contributions to Indian theatre.

Shovan Ganguly will present the musical program নানা রঙের গান (Nana Ronger Gaan), with live orchestra. He is a prolific and versatile playback singer and the winner of 2013 Zee Bangla’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa.

Venue: St. Ignatius High School, Breen Center, 2008 W 30th St. Cleveland, OH 44113

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Baisakhi Sandhya

• March 29, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

We are just a month away from what promises to be an evening full of fun and festivities on the joyous occasion of Baisakhi.

The delectably chosen songs of Tagore and Nazrul, to the lively beats of Adhunik songs, the delightfully choreographed dance sequences and the timeless poems of our folklore, will surely transport you to the shores of Bengal.

Whether it’s a familiar face to greet, a new friend to meet, or talk to someone you share your roots with, BCS enables us all to celebrate such occasions we have cherished since our childhood with our family and friends. So, don’t hold yourself back, and come celebrate Baisakhi with us. You will have a blast!

Baisakhi Sandhya – call for participation

• February 13, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

Baishakhi Sandhya is scheduled for April 29th this year. As many of you know, this is a platform for BCS members to showcase their talents in the performing arts. If any of you are interested in participating in the program in music, dance or recitation and have not already been approached by the executive committee yet, please send clips of your performance to the cultural secretaries by February 20th, 2018 for consideration for inclusion ....

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Saraswati Puja

• January 20, 2018
• BCS Executive Committee

We cordially invite all of you to please join us in celebrating Saraswati Puja, on February 3, 2018, Saturday at Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134 ....

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Greeting from Executive Committee

• January 2, 2018
• Soumitra Kumar Ghosh, President EC 2018

The newly elected BCS Executive Committee of the year 2018 wishes everyone a very happy and prosperous New Year. We are looking forward to work with you to make it a success. Your active participation is extremely important to us ....

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Thank You

• December 10, 2017
• Utpal Datta, President EC 2017

It was a great pleasure to serve the community for the year 2017. Your unfaltering faith in us enabled us to execute our duties knowing fully well that we had your support. Have a great rest of the year and Happy Holidays.

Call for Participation

• December 8, 2017
• Soumitra Kumar Ghosh, President EC 2018

Bengali Cultural Society (BCS) will celebrate Saraswati Puja on February 3, 2018 at Cathedral of Saint John the Baptist, 1900 Carlton Road, Parma, OH 44134.
As per our Bengali tradition, we are planning to organize a cultural program. We wanted to reach out to all parents and would like to know if their kids would be interested to participate in the cultural program which will include kids’ play and solo performances - singing, dancing, recitation etc. We also plan to organize kids’ sit and draw competition ....

Read more