Kala bhavans finally ready at Purnia, Buxar

Patna: The state art, culture and youth affairs department has completed the renovation and construction of kala bhavans at Purnia and Buxar, respectively. The assignments were aimed at promoting art and cultural activities in eastern and western Bihar.
Sources in the department said the building construction department, which had been allotted funds for the renovation and construction work, has submitted the utilization certificates.
The renovation of Purnia Kala Bhavan, also called Sudhanshu Rangshala, and construction of kala bhavan at Buxar cost Rs 1.18 crore each, said an art, culture and youth affairs department official. Funds had been allotted to the building construction department for this purpose in 2014-15.
Since the trust that manages Sudhanshu Rangshala and oversees cultural activities on its premises has not raised any query, it means they are satisfied with the work, the department official said. Incidentally, Sudhanshu Rangshala has been named in the memory of former state assembly Speaker (1962-67) Lakshmi Narayan Singh Sudhanshu, who was instrumental in getting it constructed in the late 1950s.
A renowned Hindi writer and critic, Sudhanshu had impressed upon the scion of Kursela zamindari estate, Raghuvansh Narayan Singh, and Babu Molchand, head of the Molchand zamindari estate, to donate land for the purpose. They, along with others interested in the promotion of cultural activities at Purnia, had also made cash contributions to facilitate construction of the rangshala.
The old-timers recall that the decision to get a kala bhavan constructed at Purnia was first mooted at the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan held at Forbesganj (now in adjoining Araria district) in 1956. Purnia had been the home district of renowned literary writers and novelists like Janardan Jha Dwij, Satinath Bhaduri, Phanishwar Nath Renu and Anup Lal Mandal.
Similarly, the construction of kala bhavan at Buxar would be a tribute to literary writer and critic Shivpujan Sahay, as he was born in Unwans village, now in Buxar district.