A troupe from Chattisgarh has landed in Bangalore with a bit of reality they'd want you to know. Catch them doing puppetry and theatre all across the city
A troupe from Chattisgarh has landed in Bangalore with a bit of reality they'd want you to know. Catch them doing puppetry and theatre all across the city
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In town: Jurmil Morcha performed earlier today at Indian Social Institute on Benson Road |
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Trying to make a difference: Jurmil Morcha at a recently organised movement in Raipur |
Tribals in Chattisgarh have a difficult future. They've had a difficult time pre-independence and the present seems even less hopeful than their sordid past. With a government bent on showing the world an illusion of prosperity, the only people to be really affected are these tribals. Urban Chattisgarh (as small as that area maybe) lives a life drastically different from the rural parts of the state and this disparity is something that nobody wishes to document.
The tribal areas in the state are also on the wrong end of government policies because they are often dismissed as naxal-prone areas. This is factual to a certain extent and cannot be refuted in several cases, but the irreconcilable problem is that tribals all over the state are now being stereotyped as Naxals and thus quite simply, as 'enemies of the state'.
State governments in Chattisgarh and Jharkhand have been on a merciless spree to rid tribals of their land, living and all possible means of income. In September earlier this year, Operation Green Hunt began in most of central India. Paramilitary and special forces like COBRA were encouraged by respective state governments to 'sanitise' these areas of Maoist-naxal influences. What didn't catch anyone's attention however, was the presence of several huge industrial titans that seemed far too precariously connected with this mass displacement.
Put two and two together and you know what this big secret is.
What makes it even scarier is that this massacre continues in several areas even after a recent directive from the Supreme Court that ordered all such activities to be stopped immediately. Monetary gain seems to supersede law, all over again.
In a situation like this, tribals from the area have decided to make their collective voice heard. Unlike the eons of quiet un-debated, un-documented and un-challenged suppression, the people of Chattisgarh's fertile heart have decided to let the world know of their plight and get the government in the centre to react.
Jurmil Morcha (United Front) is an organisation of dalits and tribals from Ambagarh Chouki block of Rajnandgaon district in Chattisgarh. The organisation aims at telling the world, and other Indians especially of what the people of Chattisgarh have to live through in these trying times. They believe that with more support from people across the country, faster changes can be made.
A group of four performers have come down to Bangalore to share this tale of suppression with us. They will perform using the indigenous tribal art forms of life-size puppets and the raw and rustic, yet extremely moving song-theatre form of Pandvaani.
"All we want is for people to ask the questions that need to be asked. If people want to help they just need to get their voice heard," says Ajeet Bahadur, a member of the troupe.
"People have already promised to join us on our Chalo Dantewada movement in Chattisgarh, but just coming to watch us, listen to us, and spreading the word within your own groups of friends and colleagues is enough of support for now," he adds. Also in the troupe are Pandvaani artist Budhan Bai, Bhan Sahu and Yashwanta, representatives of different organisations from the same area.
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Catch them at:
December 4: 6u00a0to 7 pm at Sanchaya Nele, Anekal
December 6: 1 pm at Cubbon Park, 6:45 u2013 7:15 pm at Rangashankara
December 7: 2 pm at Christ College, followed by Street performances around the area
December 8: 1u00a0to 2 pm at St Josephs College of Arts and Sciences, 6 - 8 pm at Samsa Rangamandira, behind Ravindra Kalakshetra
December 9: 12:30 pm at the City Railway Station
For more information contact: +919538958177 or +919880755875
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