Join us for the 3rd BILS Rockland Retreat and Book Fair in 285 Hungry Hollow Road, Chestnut Ridge, NY. July 26 – 27, 2025. Immerse yourself in a celebration of literature, culture, and community with inspiring literary sessions, cultural performances, outdoor activities, and heartfelt connections.
Explore bookstalls, enjoy Bengali Pitha, and participate in poetry slams, recitations, and more. This retreat is a unique blend of creativity, nature, and collaboration!
7:00 to 9:30 pm: Volunteer and donor reception and dinner.
10:00 to 10:30 am: Get Fit and Tiana with Gyana. Body tuning and stretching under the tree with Gyana Mella. Relieve stress, get into shape to enjoy the program with greater energy and concentration. Please wear relaxing clothes.
10:35 to 11:30 am: Hike with Josh or Mike through the woods. You can enjoy the serene beauty of the woods in the countryside, take a rest whenever you want, and jot down your best thoughts. Do not forget to ask Mike Sweeney about bee farming on your way, and the adaptive pull-ups up the hill. Bring your hiking shoes.
11:35 to 12:00 noon: Yoga with Ora and Make life Bora Bora. Enjoy Hatha Yoga with Ora Sucov, an experienced yoga instructor and meditation expert. Six to eight in groups on the green grass surrounded by shrubs and trees under the blue sky.
12:15 to 12:45 pm: Farm tour. Stroll through the farm where you can see the grazing cows, and horses, and may catch a glimpse of flying birds or grazing deer.
12:30 to 2:00 pm: Swimming. Bring your bathing gear and enjoy swimming in the outdoor pond with a manufactured beach and taste the ambiance of the sun and shade.
1:30 to 2:30 pm: Going to set up the tent if you are registered for camping, or to designated room to get ready for the main event.
3:00 to 3:20 pm: Welcome address: BILS Founder and President, the convenor of 3rd Rockland Retreat and Book Fair, 2025, Dr. Dhanonjoy Saha, Monsey, NY. www.bilsus.com
Inauguration and ribbon cutting: Dr. Santanu Das, Chairman, Das Family Foundation, Monroe, CT. Theme: Giving, the Soul of Happiness.
Bangladesh National Anthem: Galilee Damiao, Daphna Stern, Jeni Toth, and Natalie Hagay (Threefold Community, Spring Valley, NY).
Translation of Bangladesh National Anthem for English-speaking audience: Dr. Animita Saha, Monsey, NY.
US National Anthem: Pratham Chakraborty, Queens, NY, Jeanette Rodriguez (Spring Valley, NY), Nirvana Belfort (Spring Valley, NY), Shannon Young and Jon Carlos Young (Chestnut Ridge, NY).
Chief Guest’s remarks: Carolyne Wright, Distinguished Faculty, Hugo House, Seattle, WA. Theme: Translation from Bengali to English.
3:20 to 3:35 pm: Authors’ introduction and reception by BILS Committee. Led by Dhanonjoy Saha, Convenor of Rockland Retreat and Book Fair, 2025. YouTube
3:35 to 3:45 pm: Jeanette Rodriguez, Founder, Otto Specht School, Director, Endeavor 21+, and Daphna Stern, Chestnut Ridge, NY. Mandalas as artful self-expression. www.ottospechtschool.org
Jesse Webster, Threefold Philosophy of Food and its implication in creative writing, Threefold Café www.threefoldcafeny.org
3:45 to 4:00 pm: Pitha (Cake) in Bengali Culture and Literature as Impacted by Regional Influence by Belal Beg (Brooklyn, NY) and Lizi Rahman (Jamaica, NY).
Endeavor 21+ Writing Program participants’ work www.endeavor21.org
Lead by Gyana Mella and Dave Buckner
4:00 to 4:25 pm: Poetry reading by Rockland Poets Group in English. Lead by Bryan Roessel. www.rocklandpoets.org
4:30 to 5:25 pm: Opening of the authors’ bookstalls, local crafts (made by Endeavor 21+ special needs participants) and Pitha stalls by Titania Gupta (Briarcliff Manor, NY. lipilekha.org) and photo session.
5:25 to 5:30 pm: Reflection on 2nd Rockland Retreat and Book Fair. Dr. John Damio, winner of BILS 2024 Boner Majhe Lekhar Khonje Competition.
5:30 to 6:00 pm: Short story, poetry and chhora (rhyme), Bengali and English. Led by Farhana Elias Tuli (Queens, NY)
Short Story by Poly Shahina (Bronx, NY); Poems by Faqir Elias (Queens, NY), Vidya Muralidhar (Charlotte, NC), Elenora Levin (South Palm Beach, FL), William Tyler (Spring Valley, NY), Pratham Chakraborty (Jamaica Estate, NY), Dr. Dipa Saha (Columbia, MD), and Oishorik Saha (Queens, NY).
6:00 to 6:15 pm: History of Bengali Literature and Culture in North America by Lucky Khaleque Chowdhury (Hollis, NY), and Ferdous Khan (Whitestone, NY).
Music (Tagore songs) by Anamika Saha, Chappaqua, NY.
6:15 to 7:00 pm: Dinner and social time at Threefold café. Organic food (American), most of it is grown on a biodynamic farm next door. threefoldcommunityfarm.org
7:05 to 7:20 pm: Cakes in American Literature and Culture. Daniel Carter (West Point, NY).
Poems and Chhora and articles on Pitha by Lizi Rahman (Jamaica, NY) and Dhanonjoy Saha.
7:25 to 8:55 pm: Poetry – Bengali, English, Polish and Spanish. Led by Vidya Muralidhar (Charlotte, NC)
Dave Buckner (Spring Valley, NY), Bella Freuman (Spring Valley, NY), Poly Shahina (Bronx, NY), Suma Rozario (Glen Oaks, NY), Farhana Hossain (Edison, NJ), Achala Saha (Enola, PA), and others.
8:00 to 8:25 pm: Recitation, Song, Dance, and Music. Led by Gautam Saha (Mechanicsburg, PA).
Poetry by Suma Rozario (Queens, NY), and Songs by Galilee Damiao, Daphna Stern, Jeni Toth, and Natalie Hagay, Bithi Saha (Queens, NY), Udichi Shilpi Gosthi (Queens, NY), and others.
8:30 to 9:00 pm: Bangla Shruti Natok (Bengali Recitative Theater) Dhusturi Maya by Anupras Group (NY and CT)
9:05 to 9:30 pm: Open mic and adda (social mingling). Led by Sahid Raju (Brooklyn, NY)
Songs by Deep Peace Music Group (Spring Valley, NY)
8:30 to 9:00 am: Breakfast
9:15 to 9:45 am: Welcome address by Dr. Howard Rankin, Neuropsychologist. Author, and Publisher. Theme: How not to think and write effectively. Hilton Head Island, SC. www.drhowardjrankin.com (via Zoom).
Bangladesh and US national anthems by Jeanette Rodriguez and Dr. Sabita Das, Nabina Nir Saha (Mechanicsburg, PA), Prina Nandi, Tapas Banik, Purnattom and Progga Saha, and Tonmon Banik (Queens, NY).
Translation of Bangladesh National Anthem for English-speaking audience: Gautom Saha (Mechanicsburg, PA).
Keynote Address by Juan Pablo Mobili, Poet Laureate, Rockland County, NY Topic: What Cakes and Poems Share-Mobili New York.
9:45 to 9:55 am: Writing for Children a discussion session by Vidya Muralidhar (Charlotte, NC)
10:00 to 10:15 am: Discussion and Recitation of Kazi Nazrul Islam’s Poems by Stephen Watts (London, UK) Arc Biographies and David Lee Morgan (London, UK) Morgan: biography via Zoom.
Constructing Prose, Poetry and Poems by Jessica Jewel, Writing Coach and Editor (PA) via Zoom
10:15 to 10:25 am: Clearing your mind through meditative living. A reflection by Dr. Dipa Saha (Columbus, MD)
10:30 to 11:30 am: Tea and Bengali Pitha (Cake) break. Bookstalls, crafts and pitha stalls reopen by Ibrahim Choudhury (North Brunswick, NJ). Social and photo session
11:30 to 11:55 am: Ex-tempo Writing in the Woods Competition. Boner Majhe Lekhar Khonje. Led by Ashim Saha (Hollis, NY)
12:00 to 12:30 pm: Poetry and chhora (rhymes). Led by Sahid Raju (Brooklyn, NY) and Suma Rozario (Queens, NY).
Daniella Alexandra Rosario (Peru), Dr. Dipa Saha (Columbia, MD), Bella Freuman (Spring Valley, NY), Jacque Belfort (Spring Valley, NY), Nabina Nir Saha (Mechanicsburg, PA), Banani Sinha (Bronx, NY), Proggattom Saha, and others.
12:30 to 1:15 pm: Lunch and social hours. Enjoy organic American food most of it is locally grown on a biodynamic farm next door. threefoldcommunityfarm.org
1:15 to 1:30 pm: Introduction of SEEN Foundation. Introduction and announcement of innovative programs by BILS
1:30 to 2:00 pm: Articles, essays, poems, and stories. Led by Ashim Saha (Hollis, NY)
Dr. Sabita Das (Queens, NY), Vidya Muralidhar (Charlotte, NC), Bonani Sinha (Bronx, NY), Madalasa Mobili (Valley Cottage, NY), and Nahid Sultana (Brooklyn, NY), Shaheen Dilwar (Queens, NY), and others.
2:00 to 2:30 pm: Poetry, stories, and songs from the special needs talents (Endeavor 21+ and Music for Life). Led by Galilee Damiao and Jeanette Rodriguez
Participants: Anan Saha, Asaf Sucov, Danson Wambua, Vineet Redy, Vivek Mukherjee, Jon Carlos Young, and others
2:30 to 2:45 pm: Reflection on last year’s program as seen by a special needs participant by Bonny Mukherjee (Ardsley, NY).
2:50 to 3:30 pm: Introduction to selected books displayed in authors’ stalls.
Anuradha Mahapatra, (India), Dhanonjoy Saha, Farhana Elias Tuli, Faqir Elias, Poly Shahina, Suma Rozario, Carolyn Wright, Juan Mobili, Kajal Chakraborty (India), Ibrahim Chaudhury, Dr. Dilip Nath, Banani Sinha, and authors from Rockland Poets Group.
3:35 to 4:00 pm: The award ceremony
BILS US Award
Boner Majhe Lekhar Khonje Award
4:05 to 5:00 pm: Closing ceremony: song, dance, music, and recitation. Led by Mun Mun Saha (Queens, NY)
Dance – Anup Das Dance Academy led by Alpna Guha and Sumitra Sen. Participants: Adrica Sen Bhaumik, Ashimita Das, SaborrnI Debnath, and Sonjucta Debnath
Songs by Dr. Sabita Das (Bonhishikha Sangeet Niketon, Queens, NY), Mulberry Music Group (Chestnut Ridge, NY); Poem by Ishrat Bokhari (Monsey, NY) and Sumitra Sen (Queens, NY), and Dr. Shrabonti Saha (Mechanicsburg, PA).
4:05 to 5:00 pm: Vote of Thanks by Dhanonjoy Saha
Four options available on a first-come, first-served basis:
Register: Register on Eventbrite
Contact: Call +1 917-693-9291 or visit our website.
