Pawan Dhall files a photo-report on a visit to Birbhum district in West Bengal to record a film-making initiative on Bhadu Devi. The film, much like the goddess herself, has intrinsic links to many aspirations for personal fulfillment and a better life
Uchpur
village is about an hour’s drive from Sainthia town, nearest railhead after a four-hour journey from Kolkata. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall |
The Bhadu festival and folk art form of Birbhum and
neighbouring districts in West Bengal has its origins in the story of
Bhadravati, a princess who lived sometime in mid 19th century Bengal. According
to one version of folklore around her, she gets separated from her lover because of the evil designs of a
jealous king. Her search for her lover proves fruitless and she commits
suicide. Bhadravati or Bhadu Devi is worshipped through songs, dance, fairs and
cultural programmes in the month of Bhadra (mid August to mid September). On
the last day, her idol is immersed in a river. Songs, mainly on fulfillment of
wishes for a happy marriage or birth of children, form the main attraction of the
festival in which both professional artist groups and amateurs take part.
Debgopal Mondal in his kitchen
garden in Uchpur.
Photo
credit: Pawan Dhall
|
While the festival is largely observed by women, including
unmarried ones (Bhadravati too was unmarried), it has been adopted over the years
also by trans women, some of whom join small Bhadu artist groups as performers (particularly
in Birbhum district). This process has its share of hurdles posed by social
stigma and marginalization around gender non-conformity. But today the bigger
concern is the survival of both Bhadu as an art form in its original essence and
that of its performers (whether trans women or others). The onslaught of
modern-day entertainment seems all encompassing and apart from some efforts by
the artistic community and the government, Bhadu seems to be losing out to
cinema, TV, internet and mobile phones.
One contribution towards sustaining Bhadu as an art form is
that of Debgopal Mondal, 26, a filmmaker still learning the ropes in Kolkata.
His roots are in Uchpur village, near Sainthia town
in Birbhum district. Not only is he a ‘son of the soil’ but also identifies and
bonds closely with the transgender Bhadu artists in terms of gender
non-conformity. Debgopal Mondal is making a feature film that apart from focussing
on Bhadu, also tells the story of a few trans women who face countless trials
and tribulations both as trans women and as transgender Bhadu artists. The
story (as it stands now) has a sad ending, but not without a strong glimmer of
hope that social attitudes towards gender diversity will change.
Debgopal Mondal with his extended family in Uchpur.
Photo
credit: Prosenjit Pal
|
Debgopal
Mondal is supported by the Change Looms youth social change initiative of Kolkata-based
NGO Prantakatha,
though he started work on the film even before Change Looms started. As his
Mentor for the film project, I had an opportunity to visit Sainthia, Uchpur and
neighbouring village Nandulia on May 9-10, 2015 and keep a promise made to him
a long time back. An earlier interview conducted with him can be accessed in
the November 2013 issue of
Varta. Debgopal Mondal and fellow traveller Prosenjit Pal have also contributed
photographs to this photo-report.
Bhadu
idols in the making for Debgopal Mondal’s film – the popular form of the deity is like that of Goddess Lakshmi, but the Bhadu artists prefer to portray her as a dancer. Photo credit: Pawan Dhall |
Debgopal
Mondal on a guided tour of the planned film shooting locations in Uchpur and Nandulia. Photo credits: Pawan Dhall |
There is much to soak in and think about in Uchpur and
Nandulia.
Photo credit: Pawan Dhall
|
Till the next time . . .
Photo credit: Pawan Dhall
|
Pawan Dhall aspires to be a rainbow journalist and believes
in taking a stand, even if it’s on the fence – the view is better from there!
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