Guwahati: Over 1,100 artistes from across Assam, under the banner of Sanskritik Aikya Mancha, Assam, have urged the state government to expedite the renovation of the historic Rabindra Bhawan in Guwahati and reopen it for public use at the earliest.
In a memorandum submitted to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma through Chief Secretary Ravi Kota, the Mancha appealed for the reopening of Rabindra Bhawan along with the branches of Lalit Kala Akademi and Kala Bithika, which are located on the same premises.
The historic Rabindra Bhawan holds immense significance as one of the state’s premier venues for artistic and cultural activities in the state.
According to the memorandum, the Rabindra Bhawan has remained closed for over three years. The Public Works Department (PWD) ordered its closure due to the building’s age—nearly five decades old—and structural issues, including electrical faults and water leakage during the rainy season.
The memorandum pointed out that Rabindra Bhawans in several other Indian cities—many of them older than the Guwahati auditorium—continue to operate smoothly owing to timely maintenance and repairs.
“A number of veteran and eminent artistes of Assam began their careers on the stage of Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati. Its prolonged closure has adversely affected the cultural landscape of the State. We request that necessary repairs be carried out and the auditorium reopened within six months,” the memorandum stated.
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Additionally, the artistes urged the government to establish a cultural complex at Lachit Ghat in Guwahati and proposed that the renovated Rabindra Bhawan be redesigned with a seating capacity of around 400 to better host cultural events and activities.
