প্রিয় সুধীগণ

Bichitra Event Notifications

Bichitra Event Notifications 2019


Save the Date - Bijoya Sommeloni and Special Cultural Program on 26-Oct-2018, Saturday

Dated: October 21, 2019


Dear members,

Shubho Bijoya to all of you !!! Hope you all enjoyed our 40th. Durga Pujo this year!!!

We are excited to announce that our Bijoya Sommeloni gathering will be held on Oct 26, 2019 - Saturday, at Fort Garry United Church, 800 Point Road, from 5:30 pm onwards. As already mentioned in our Durga Puja 2019 invitation dated Sep 08, 2019 (Pt. 11), Bichitra has successfully secured funding from the government for a special cultural program. Due to time constraints, the committee has decided to merge the Bijoya Sommeloni with the special project on the same day.

We have lined-up an entertaining and fun-loving evening with guest performers from various ethnic backgrounds. The cynosure of attraction is our special guest performer Ms. Rishita Saha, a Bengali singer of national and international repute from Kolkata! She has been learning music since 2006 from Dr. Amiyaranjan Bandyapadhay. She also happens to be a student and disciple of Mr. Rathijit Bhattacharya from 2017. She was the finalist at Zee Bangla Sa Re Ga Ma Pa lil' champs in 2010. She performed in various TV channels like Zee TV, Sony, Akash Aath, DD Bangla, CTVN, Tara Music, etc. She was also a participant of Zee Bangla - Sa Re Ga Ma Pa - 2018.

Since we have a star-studded cultural night, we sincerely request all our members to be at the venue by 5:30 pm sharp, assisting us in starting the program on time.

Please visit our Facebook page for more details regarding the guest attraction.

PS: If you haven't got a chance to renew your membership for the current year, you can renew it during this event. We usually refresh our membership list at the end of the year and want to ensure you do not miss out on any of the exciting community activities lined up starting new year. If you are unsure about your membership status, please feel free to reach out to our Treasurer - Ms. Suchita Ghosh @ 431-336-6360.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Celebration of Shree Shree Kojagori Lakshmi Puja on 13-Oct-2019 (Sunday) at 7:00 pm

Dated: October 08, 2019


Dear members,

Wishing you all Shubho Bijoya! Hope you enjoyed the 40th celebrations of our Durga Puja this year!

As informed in the schedule, Bichitra will be celebrating Shree Shree Kojagori Lakshmi Puja on 13-Oct-2019 (Sunday) at 7:00 pm at the Hindu Temple at 999 St Anne's Rd. Bichitra cordially invites all members with their families to attend the Puja celebrations.


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Bijoya celebration and Sindoor khela timing

Dated: October 08, 2019


Dear members,

Due to conflicting schedules with Hindu Society's Sharad Navratri Celebration this evening, we won't be able to start our Dashami celebration & Sindoor khela until 8:00 pm in St. Anne's temple. So, all the members are encouraged to come by 8:00 pm (instead of 7:00 pm) at the temple. We'll have preeti bhoj after the Dashami celebration.


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Durga Puja 2019 invitation and IMPORTANT information

Dated: September 08, 2019


Dear members,

Please read the message below from the 2019 Durga Puja committee.
************************************************************************

Dear Bichitra Members:

Hope you’ve enjoyed the summer and are now gearing up for dresses, gifts, lights, and all the festive eats that we can handle as the countdown to Durga Puja begins.

A big thanks to everyone for their overwhelming, positive response to our earlier correspondence. The Puja committee appreciates your support and participation in making this year’s Puja extra special and memorable!

On behalf of this year’s Puja committee, it is our great pleasure to invite you, your family and friends to attend all cultural and ceremonial activities relating to this 40th year celebration of Shree Shree Sharadiya Durga Puja.

The following sections provide details regarding the Puja and all related activities:

  1. Invitation Card - Attached please find an electronic copy of the invitation card, along with its’ inserts, for your first-hand information. We will mail out hard copies of the invitation card shortly. Attachments include:
    1. Invitation Card for the Mahalaya program
    2. Puja Invitation Card - Front and Back
    3. Puja Invitation Card with the invitation message - Inside
    4. Insert for Puja Nirghonto/Schedule
  2. Mahalaya – We will be hosting a separate Mahalaya program for the first time in the history of Bichitra, to mark the beginning of this year’s Durga Puja. An evening extravaganza will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2019, at the Theatre Hall of the Fort Garry United Church, 800 Point Road, from 5:30 pm sharp. The show will feature a re-imagined Mahisasuramardini followed by various spectacular entertaining items presented by guest performers. The show will also be filled with lots of pleasant surprises.
  3. Volunteers Wanted for Rangoli Platters – We are currently looking for volunteers to make Rangoli platters for decoration. All materials will be supplied as needed. Please contact Prabal Ghosh as soon as possible.
  4. Puja Magazine "Agomoni": The Publication team is engaged in the back-end processing work for Agomoni. The team is working hard to honour the timely publication of the 40th edition of Agomoni. We expect printed copies to be ready for distribution on the evening of Durga Sashthi.
  5. Puja Bhog: Bhog to Devi Durga will be offered both in the morning and evening on Saptami (Oct 5 - Saturday), Maha Ashtami (Oct 6 - Sunday) and Maha Nabami (Oct 7 - Monday).

    Anyone interested in offering Puja Bhog may please contact Prabal Ghosh, Ashok Sarkar or Gaurisankar Roy with preferred dates and other details. Bhog offerings on multiple days are also welcome.

  6. Maha Ashtami Special Boxed Sweets Offer: $10 per box of mixed sweets will be available for purchase on Maha Ashtami morning. The sweet boxes will be supplied by the East India Company Pub and Eatery in Winnipeg.

    Anyone interested kindly contact Prabal Ghosh to place your order. Last date for placing orders is Durga Sashthi evening (Oct 4). Payment in cash only.

  7. Puja Hosting: Members of Bichitra have traditionally hosted lunch and/or dinner during the Puja days. Thank you to those who have already approached the Puja committee expressing their interest in hosting lunch and/or dinner on some of the Puja days. We currently have the following slots available for hosting:
    1. Durga Sashthi Dinner - Oct 4, Friday
    2. Saptami Lunch - Oct 5, Saturday
    3. Maha Nabami Dinner - Oct 7, Monday
    4. Bijoya Dashami Dinner - Oct 8,Friday and
    5. Laxmi Puja Dinner – Oct 13, Sunday
    We request members interested in hosting lunch/dinner to contact Prabal Ghosh, Ashok Sarkar or Gaurisankar Roy with your preferred date and to discuss other details.
  8. Cultural Events: The Puja committee carefully reviewed the time availability on the Puja days after the evening-Puja in the temple based on the historical records and experience. The committee realized that only 15 minutes could ideally be allocated to arrange cultural programs after the Puja Arati and before serving dinner; which is followed by cleaning and emptying the temple premises by 11 pm (as per the temple management's policy). Fifteen minutes is not sufficient to organize a cultural program as this is the minimum time required to set up the microphones and venue. In order to comply with the Hindu Society of Manitoba's time restrictions, typical cultural programs during Durga Puja days will be replaced by various engaging and fun activities and rituals such as fireworks, Dhunuchi Naach etc., in order to improve overall satisfaction of members and guests.
  9. Suggested Donation and Membership Fees: As we are all aware, even with maintaining the minimum standards – the Puja committee incurs a significant expense in organizing the Puja. We have been able to keep the spirit of celebration up and running every year only because of the generous donations made by the members, sponsors and well-wishers like you! The Puja committee sincerely thanks each and every one of you for your continued support.
    Suggested Donation – As in previous years, a minimum suggested donation of $150 is requested per family, excluding any additional guest(s), if possible. The donation amount goes towards overall Puja expenses. Members hosting lunch/dinner and our sponsors are exempted from this request.

    Donations can be made in cash or cheque payable to “Bichitra – The Bengali Association of Manitoba Inc.”. Please contact Prabal Ghosh, Ashok Sarkar or Gaurisankar Roy for making advanced donation.

    Membership Fees – Bichitra is sincerely hoping that members will be able to renew their 2019/20 membership before/during the Puja, if they haven’t already done so. As a member-driven association, Bichitra counts on your timely action to keep the organization running.

    Bichitra is also reaching out to those dedicated members who have relocated outside of Winnipeg, but still consider Winnipeg and Bichitra an inseparable part of their lives. Bichitra requests them to kindly renew their membership, if they haven’t already done so. This gesture and spirit will be highly appreciated by the Bichitra community.
  10. Volunteers Wanted: The Puja committee is still requesting more volunteers for various needs and activities. Please refer to August 23rd email for a list of requirements and submit your name directly to Prabal Ghosh.
  11. Bijoya Sammelani: Bichitra has secured fund for a special cultural program on Saturday, October 26th. Durga Puja runs from October 4th - 8th, followed by Laxmi Puja on the 13th (Sunday). The Hindu Society of Manitoba is celebrating Diwali Mela on Saturday, October 19th (Saturday). There won’t be any time left for Bichitra to host a separate Bijoya Sammelani before the special project on October 26th. Due to this time constraint, the Puja committee has decided to merge the Bijoya Sammelani with Bichitra’s special project on Saturday, the 26th. To make efficient use of time and to honor the special project initiative and funding agreement, Bichitra has decided to host this event by guest performers only. All Bichitra members, the invited artists and guests will be served with sumptuous, traditional Bijoya dinner. Separate email with details to follow.

    No words can express our sincere gratitude and appreciation for the indomitable support and kindness you showed us in our prep work for this year’s Durga Puja!

    Please let us know if you have any questions.
Prabal Ghosh Gaurisankar Roy Ashok Sarkar
Chairperson Co-Chair Co-Chair
2019 Durga Puja Committee 2019 Durga Puja Committee 2019 Durga Puja Committee
Tel./Text/WhatsApp: 204-269-3075 Tel.: 204-261-0672 Tel.: 204-488-6643
prabalkghosh@gmail.com gs.ra.roy@gmail.com asarkarcs@gmail.com
*** NOTE:This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Re: Call for Articles for Agomoni 2019 (40th Edition) - Last Date of Submission is Aug 15, 2019

Dated: September 05, 2019


Dear members,

A big THANK YOU to all who have submitted articles for Agomoni 2019. We have now closed accepting any new articles/artwork, etc. for publication this year. We are afraid we have to decline any further requests. Back-end processing work is in progress. Due to the volume of articles submitted and a short window for processing, there is a remote possibility that some submissions may have to be dropped due to non-compliance in standards outlined in our earlier communication. We'll do our best to accommodate as many articles as we can.

Thanks again for your contribution to the 40th. edition of the magazine.

*** NOTE: This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Call for Diwali Mela performers - Event Date: Oct 19, 2019

Dated: August 25, 2019


Dear members,

The Annual Diwali Mela celebrations hosted by The Hindu Society of Manitoba takes place this year at the RBC Convention Centre on 19th Oct, 2019. Bichitra has traditionally performed in Diwali Mela every year, and intends to do the same this year too.

Interested participants are requested to reach out to the President, Mr. Pijush Majumdar at 204-290-6332 no later than Sep 01, 2019, Sunday.

Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Fwd: Call for Articles for Agomoni 2019 (40th Edition) - Last Date of Submission is Aug 15, 2019

Dated: August 15, 2019


Dear members,

A big THANK YOU to all of you who have sent articles for the 40th edition of Agomoni ! On request from a few members, we are extending the deadline for sending in publication materials till Aug 31.

Please note that due to the immense amount of work that goes behind the scenes for publishing our annual magazine, this would the final deadline, and we will not be able to extend it any further.

Requesting members to send in their articles / drawings, etc. no later than 31-Aug-2019.

*** NOTE: This is a request only for members. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Final Update: Fundraising for Winnipeg Harvest

Dated: August 12, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

On Aug 10th, Saturday, we had a wonderful tour of the Harvest facility conducted by their Manager in-charge. It was a great experience to see all the great work done by this organization and how our contributed dollars are put into action. The youth members had a great time asking questions all throughout the tour!

The final amount donated to Winnipeg Harvest was $1,162.00. We thank our members once again for their contribution and making this endeavor a success!

The CEO of Harvest has reached out to us and expressed her appreciation for our initiative (email snippet below). Bichitra, as a community, will strive forward with similar noble initiatives in the future.

Cinque Terre


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Call for Articles for Agomoni 2019 (40th Edition) - Last Date of Submission is Aug 15, 2019

Dated: July 29, 2019


Dear Respected Members,

It's time to prepare our "Agomoni" magazine for Durga Puja 2019. This year being the 40th. year of Durga Puja of Bichitra, we would like to make our Annual Magazine attractive and would like to request all of you to send me articles, poems, arts, stories, etc. which you want to publish in this year's magazine. To make Agomoni 2019 remarkable, I would like to request all of you to adhere to the following guidelines:

  1. Keep the articles/stories to maximum 5 pages, and one article or story per family member. Please send one of each art, poem or any other document per family member.
  2. All articles i.e. document files should be Letter Size with .7" Top and Bottom margins each and 1" Left and Right margins each.
  3. For the convenience of preparing Agomoni, please send all English articles in a doc file with Font Verdana, Size 10 and Justify alignment.
  4. If you are writing an article in Bangla, please keep the font Kalpurush, Size 11andJustify alignment. Send .docfiles only.
  5. Send me any arts in JPG format with high quality and proper naming convention.
  6. Please send me the articles, poems, stories and any other document as soft copy.
  7. Please send all your materials directly to our official Agomoni email bichitra.agomoni2019@gmail.com ID with the subject line "AGOMONI 2019" and your message in short.
  8. Please avoid sending any articles in any other format.

I have attached a template, which includes all these formats. We are not accepting any photos for this year’s magazine. However, photos will be provided by the executive committee of Bichitra.

If anyone has any difficulty in preparing Agomoni 2019 documents, please send an email explaining your problem at the earliest.

Please assist us in designing this special edition of the magazine (40th. Year) by providing us with advertisements on your own or from any known person who wants to advertise their business.

The last date for submitting Agomoni materials is 15th August, 2019. If you want to update your contact details in Agomoni, please fill in the spreadsheet (Excel file) in the attachment and send it back to the above Agomoni email ID. Requesting everyone to adhere to the timelines as it takes lot of back processing work to have our magazine ready for distribution on time.

Please drop an email, if you have any questions or concerns.

Thanks and Regards,

Srijeet Saha
(Publication Secretary)
Bichitra

*** NOTE: This is a request only for members. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Fundraising Update for Winnipeg Harvest

Dated: July 27, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

We are excited to let you know that our final amount from fundraising towards Winnipeg Harvest is $1,112. Bichitra sincerely thanks all its members for their contribution to the fundraising event.

We reached out to the CEO of Winnipeg Harvest and she had thanked us for raising such a large sum of money towards donation to the organization. As a gesture of appreciation, she has offered us the opportunity to tour the facility with one of the Harvest volunteers. It is a great opportunity for all of us, specially the youth members of Bichitra, to know how the organization operates and learn how are contributed dollars are committed towards betterment of the community.

Children, 4 yrs and above, are allowed to participate. If the group size exceeds 25 members, they have graciously agreed to conduct 2 separate tours. The tour of the facility can take up to 40 mins.

The guided tour of the facility will take place at 8:30 am on Saturday, August 10th. We will be handing over the cheque to Winnipeg Harvest on the same day.

This is a mandatory RSVP event for planning purposes. Please confirm your participation by replying to this email no later than August 05 (Monday), with headcount, if you are interested to join the tour of Winnipeg Harvest. Confirmed participants will be communicated further with details of the tour.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and their immediate families. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Chairperson and Co-Chairs for 40th. Durga Pujo Celebration Of Bichitra

Dated: July 23, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Hope the magnificent short-lived Winnipeg summer is keeping everyone enthralled and excited. What also enthralls us is, our biggest festival - Durga Pujo, is around 10 weeks away - and this year marks the 40th. year of Bichitra's Durga Pujo celebration!

We are pleased to announce that Mr. Prabal Ghosh has graciously volunteered to honor the role of the Chairperson for Durga Puja 2019. We are also excited to let you know that Mr. Gaurisankar Roy (Manu Da) and Mr. Ashok Sarkar expressed their willingness to be a part of this milestone celebration, and will grace the position of Joint Co-Chairs for the event.

We thank all of them for their leadership and willingness to come forward, and assist us in the biggest Bengali celebration of the year.

Bichitra, at this historic juncture, is a strong organization of 85 families as of today. For all members who recently joined the organization, Mr. Gaurisankar Roy (Manu Da) and Mr. Ashok Sarkar were an integral part of the very first Durga Pujo celebrated by Bichitra in 1980. To celebrate the 40th year, we are fortunate to have the young and old (really?) generation join hands together to celebrate the homecoming of Goddess Durga in its true spirit. Let's all pull our helping hands together and support them as a team, and provide all assistance needed to celebrate this joyous festival.

More details regarding the Pujo will be communicated in due course of time. Stay tuned...

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Folklorama 2019 - Call for Volunteers

Dated: July 14, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Like every year, we are excited to announce that Bichitra would set up a stall to showcase Bengali culture and values at the Indian Pavilion in Folklorama this year too! The venue is RBC Convention Centre - South Building, 3rd Floor | 375 York Ave.

Bichitra is in need for volunteers to assist in setting up and managing our stall. We want to ensure that we have a kaleidoscopic and stunning display of our stall depicting the Bengali culture. We would need 2 volunteers / day as per the timings mentioned below to manage the stall. Both the volunteers would be provided with meal (dinner) tickets. In addition, we would need volunteers to setup the stall on 04-Aug-2018, Sunday, at 10 in the morning.

 Date  Day  Time
 4-Aug-2019  Sunday  5pm to 9:45pm
 5-Aug-2019  Monday  6pm to 9:45pm
 6-Aug-2019  Tuesday  6pm to 9:45pm
 7-Aug-2019  Wednesday  6pm to 9:45pm
 8-Aug-2019  Thursday  6pm to 9:45pm
 9-Aug-2019  Friday  6pm to 9:45pm
 10-Aug-2019  Saturday  5pm to 9:45pm

We will also need some arts/crafts/decoration that represent Bengali culture. If you want to showcase any of these, there cannot be a better opportunity. Bichitra takes ownership to return the items after the event closure on 10-Aug-2018.

We also have an opportunity to represent Bengali culture on the stage. Traditionally we have choreographed and performed dance numbers upholding Bengali culture and tradition. This is a group activity with minimum 4 participants. If anyone is interested to form a group and participate, please reach out to Pijush Majumdar at the earliest.

Please let us know / respond to this email if you are interested in representing Bengali culture in the world's largest and longest running multicultural event. Please note that the pavilion organizers have reiterated multiple times to strictly adhere to the timelines as mentioned above. It would be appreciated if we can enter the pavilion 15 mins before the stated timings.

Any questions, please feel free to reach out to any member in the current Executive Committee.


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Canada Day Picnic and Celebrations - 01-July-2019

Dated: June 24, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Canada Day is round the corner, and like previous years, Bichitra will host and celebrate Canada Day picnic and celebrations this year too. Details regarding the event are as follows:

When : 1st July, 2019. Monday, starting at 10 am.
Where : Birds Hill Provincial Park; Group use area# 1, zone# 4
Dress code : Red and/or White.
What to bring : Please bring enough for your own family.

  1. Marinated chicken- For CURRY chicken (which will be cooked in the park by volunteer members).
  2. Members who are vegetarian, please bring alternative option that can be eaten with fried rice.
  3. Lawn Chairs (there are some sitting arrangements in the park, which may not be enough for everyone)
Bichitra will provide for everyone to enjoy! 
  1. Fun activities for kids and adults (MAGIC SHOW).
  2. Sports activities for both kids & adults both & of course the Prize at the end of the activities.
  3. Jhal muri & tea/cold drinks at 10:00 am
  4. Fried Rice
  5. Canada Day Cake
  6. Watermelon

Please note, there will be short quiz on Canada (for kids only...up to 12 years old). Who will be answering the maximum number of questions correctly will get to cut the Canada Day cake :)
N.B. Please let us know your attendance by responding to this email or by calling or texting to either Pijush (204-290-6332) or to Rimi (204-232-1703) so that we can plan the event more efficiently.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Canada Multicultural Day 2019 - 22-June-2019 (Saturday)

Dated: June 3, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Bichitra will be celebrating Canada Multicultural Day on June 22, 2019, Saturday. The venue for the event is: Fort Garry United Church, 800 Point Rd, R3T 3L8. Our program is scheduled to start at 5:30 pm.

We will be having external guest performers showcasing their talent at this event. We are also planning to have:

  1. A non-religious choral inspirational song by our kids and youth members to kickstart the event
  2. Fancy dress parade by the kids (age not exceeding 12 yrs)

Interested participants are requested to reach out to our President, Mr. Pijush Majumdar (204-290-6332) no later than 06-June-2019 (Thursday).

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Annual Summer Camp from June 14 to June 16, 2019

Dated: May 10, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

It's almost summer in Winnipeg, and Bichitra, like previous years, will be hosting our annual Summer Camp this year as well from June14 (Friday) to Jun16 (Sunday), 2019. The details are as follows:

Location: Inter Varsity Circle Square Ranch, Spruce Woods, Austin, MB, R0H 0C0.
Schedule:

  • June 14 (Reaching the camp in the evening)
  • June 15 (Staying at the camp)
  • June 16 (Returning in the afternoon)

Distance: The camp is approximately 1 hr. 45 mins. drive from Winnipeg.
Boarding & Lodging Arrangements: Town Hall Bunkhouse Wing with a capacity of 48 ppl. There are 6 rooms. Each room has bed for 6-8 ppl and comes with attached 4 piece bathroom. There is a lounge area with fridge and a small kitchenette.
Dining Hall: There is a large Dining Hall with a seating capacity of ~150 people.
Misc. Facilities: There is a wood fireplace, lounge area, public bathrooms, and fireside rooms. Adjoining the main Town Hall dining room, there is a fireplace, pull-down screen and projector available.
Food: Food will be provided by the camp authority as follows:

  • June 14: Dinner on arrival
  • June 15: Breakfast (8-9 am), Lunch (12-1 pm), Dinner (6-7 pm)
  • June 16: Tea/Coffee/Cold Cereal (7-8 am), Brunch - 11:30 am

Activities: Heated Outdoor Pool, Basketball Court, Trampolines, Mountain Biking & Trails, Multi-Activity Play Structure, Large Playing Fields, Wooded Trails, Horse Riding, Zip Lining.
Cost to Join the Summer Camp:

  1. Adults (10 yrs & above): CAD 80
  2. Child (5 yrs to 10 yrs): CAD 55
  3. Child (below 5 yrs): FREE

The above is a subsidized cost for Bichitra members only, and includes food and activities. For non-members, the cost will be different. Please reach put to the President of the organization for details on cost for non-members.
Driving Directions: https://www.csranchsprucewoods.ca/contact/#map
Please confirm your participation no later than May 25, 2019. Please reach out to Mr. Pijush Majumdar (Cell: 204-290-6332 OR Email: pijush25@hotmail.com) for confirming your attendance OR if you have any further questions.


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

রবীন্দ্র-নজরুল জয়ন্তী - ১৪২৬ / Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti 2019 - 25-May-2019 (Saturday)

Dated: April 29, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Hope the gradually warming Winnipeg temperature is keeping you in the best of your moods and spirits. The feeling of the onset of ever-longing Winnipeg summer is indeed exciting!

Bichitra will be celebrating Rabindra-Nazrul Jayanti on May 25, 2019, Saturday (hopefully summer by then) from 5:30 pm onwards. Interested participants are requested to reach out to our Cultural Secretary, Mr. Surya Banik (204-963-7042) no later than 05-May-2019 (Sunday).

RSVP: Please note this is an RSVP event only for our existing members. We sincerely advocate RSVP-ing to the event. This would help us organize and plan logistics accordingly, and cater a quality program to our esteemed members. Please respond to this email to confirm your attendance no later than May 18, 2019 (Saturday). The venue for the event will be communicated in due course of time.

Membership Renewal: We thank all our members who renewed their membership during the Nabo Borsho event. If you missed out renewing your membership, please do so during the event on May 25th. Membership/Renewal membership forms will be available with the Executive Committee members present at the event.

Fundraising for Winnipeg Harvest: We are pleased to let you know that the total amount fundraised with matching contributions stands at CAD 900 today. We'll be donating the amount to Winnipeg Harvest shortly. We thank all our members for supporting us in this initiative.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Update 1: Thank You and Update on Fundraising

Dated: April 21, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Following up from the communication sent yesterday, we are excited to inform you that we had another generous donor who approached us and preferred anonymity, and expressed willingness for a matching contribution to the Fundraised amount for Winnipeg Harvest.

Hence, with three matching contributions for dollar-to-dollar fundraised, the total amount as of today stands at CAD 888.00. We will be donating this amount to Winnipeg Harvest shortly.

Team Bichitra could not thank enough for the support you've provided to the community!


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Thank You and Update on Fundraising

Dated: April 21, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

We would like to thank our members and participants for attending and/or performing in the Nabo Borsho event. We appreciate the effort and support from each one of you to help us organize the program in a grand scale.

Update on Fundraising: Bichitra sincerely thanks all its members who contributed to the Fundraising for Winnipeg Harvest. With your support and contribution, we were able to fundraise CAD 222.00 on the evening of the Nabo Borsho event. As informed earlier, we had a generous donor who agreed to match the amount fundraised. We are also pleased to announce that we had another generous donor from the floor (preferred to remain anonymous) who expressed willingness to match the fundraised amount.

With two matching contributions for dollar-to-dollar fundraised, the total amount stands at CAD 666.00. We will be donating this amount to Winnipeg Harvest shortly.

We thank you all again for making our humble initiative a great success!

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Reminder 1: শুভ নববর্ষ উদযাপন - ১৪২৬ / Bengali New Year 2019 Celebrations - 20-Apr-2019 (Saturday)

Dated: April 7, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Thanks to all of you who RSVP-ed for this event. If you haven't got a chance to RSVP yet, we sincerely request you to do so, no later than 14-April-2019, Sunday. This would help us ordering delicious food for the Bengali New Year event accordingly.

Special Announcement: As discussed in the AGM and unanimously approved, effort towards transforming Bichitra to a charitable organization is in progress. Towards this endeavor, we decided to host a fundraising effort on the day of the Nabo Borsho event. Fundraising tickets will be available for $2.00 per ticket, per member. We are excited to announce that we have amongst ourselves, a generous donor, who agreed to match dollar-for-dollar on the amount fundraised, and the total amount garnered (fundraised + matching amount) will be donated to Winnipeg Harvest on behalf of Bichitra. It's a humble initiative from Bichitra to reach out to the larger community for a charitable and noble cause.

We kept the amount to a minimum of $2.00 per member to make it affordable for everyone. Please note that donation to this fundraising effort is not mandatory, and is at the sole discretion of each of our valued members. This activity is separate from our usual Nabo Borsho event where we have the cultural program followed by dinner.

Membership Renewal: As we are all aware, Nabo Borsho marks the beginning of our Membership Renewal calendar year. Respected members are requested to renew the membership, if possible, during this event. Renewal membership forms will be available at the reception desk on the day of the event.

We sincerely thank all our members for supporting us in our endeavors to strengthen the organization!

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member. This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

শুভ নববর্ষ উদযাপন - ১৪২৬ / Bengali New Year 2019 Celebrations - 20-Apr-2019, Saturday

Dated: February 11, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Bichitra is all set to welcome the Bengali New Year on 20-Apr-2019 (Saturday) starting 5:30 pm onwards with a theme-based cultural program that pays tribute to five of the renowned poets of Bengal. The event is named as "পঞ্চ কবি প্রণাম" (Pancha Kobi Pranam). The five poets we decided to pay tribute to are:

  1. Atul Prasad Sen
  2. Dwijendra Lal Roy
  3. Rajanikanta Sen
  4. Kazi Nazrul Islam and
  5. Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore

We also plan to have kids' cultural attraction in our endeavor to groom the upcoming generation in Bengali culture and heritage.
Interested participants and/or parents for kids' program(s) may please contact our Cultural Secretary - Mr. Surjya Banik (204-963-7042) no later than 24-Feb-2019 (Sunday) for confirmation.

RSVP: Please note this is an RSVP event only for our existing members. Please respond to this email to confirm your attendance no later than April 14, 2019. The venue for the event will be communicated in due course of time.

Volunteers: As we all know, any event takes quite an amount of effort to setup and takedown for its smooth execution. We would need volunteers/helping hands for both setting up the stage and closing activities after the event. Interested volunteers are requested to respond to this email, and the support is very much appreciated.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member.
This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2019 of Bichitra - First Notice

Dated: February 1, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

It's that time of the year where the Executive Committee of Bichitra showcases the work done in the past year, discusses plans for the forthcoming events and suggestions from the members to improve and strengthen the organization and its heritage.

We are glad to announce that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) will be held on March 24, 2019, Sunday from 3 pm to 5 pm. The venue is yet to be decided, and will be communicated in due course of time.

Also - recognizing the contribution of the members over the past year and their continued commitment in organizational activities, we plan to host a Membership Appreciation Event post the AGM. All members present will be served with refreshments to appreciate their contribution to the organization.

Please note this is an RSVP event only for our existing members. Please respond to this email to confirm your attendance no later than March 15, 2019.

If you have any questions, please reach out to any of the Executive Committee Members.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member.
This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Shree Shree Saraswati Pujo - 09 - Feb, Saturday

Dated: January 27, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Bichitra would be organizing the Shree Shree Saraswati Pujo on 09-Feb, Saturday, this year. The venue is Dr. Raj Pandey Hindu Center, 999 St. Annes' Rd. The Pujo starts sharp at 10:30 am. We request all our members to attend the Pujo celebrations with joy and devotion.

A Brief History:
As many of you may be aware, the first Saraswati Pujo in Winnipeg was performed by Mr. Makhan Bal in 1970 at the residence of Late Dr. Ranen Sinha and Ms. Luella Sinha - 8 years before Bichitra was formally established. During that year, Mr. Bal had the distinct privilege of making the Goddess Saraswati idol with his own hands - first time in Winnipeg. After Bichitra was formally established in 1978, the first Shree Shree Saraswati Pujo for Bichitra was performed in 1979 by Mr. Bal. In that year, he had the privilege of building another idol of Goddess Saraswati - the idol that still resides in his basement in the current times. We have the honor of having Mr. Makhan Bal perform the 40th. Shree Shree Saraswati Pujo of Bichitra this year. This will also mark the 49th. Saraswati Pujo celebration in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Pujo Hosting:
We are glad to say that Mrs. Karabi Roy Chowdhury and Family have graciously volunteers to host the landmark Saraswati Pujo this year. This includes sponsoring flowers, fruits and providing home-cooked lunch for the event.

Volunteers:
As we all know, any event takes quite an amount of effort for setup and takedown for its smooth execution. We would need volunteers/helping hands to clean the dining hall after the event. Interested volunteers are requested to respond to this email, and the support is very much appreciated.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member.
This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra

Poush Parbon (Pitha Utsav)

Dated: January 2, 2019


Dear Bichitra members,

Happy New year! After the New Year, it is the time to enjoy Bengali pithas. Most of the Bengali people we know love pithas. This is why Bichitra decided to celebrate Poush Parbon (Pitha utsav) on January 26th, Saturday evening. It will be a potluck event where interested members are required to bring Pitha. Bichitra won't arrange any food but the rental facility will be arranged. The venue to be decided based on the number of respondents and will be communicated in a later date to the interested families. For those who cannot make pithas, they can bring chicken curry for about 10 people and for those who will bring pithas, they can bring pithas of your own choice for approximately 15 people. If anyone is interested to join the Pitha Party please RSVP to Rimi: karabi28@yahoo.ca or to Pijush: pijush25@hotmail.com by January 12th.

*** NOTE: This is an event only for members and invited guests. Any other guest(s) should be accompanied by a Bichitra member.
This email is not intended for public distribution. ***


Thanks
The Executive Committee of Bichitra
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