New armour for an age-old battle
Alas, slowly will Tamil perish/As languages of the West flourish.” This was a Tamil poet's fear in the early 20th century.
On the day of Rath Yatra, Fanibhushan Bidya Binod Jatra Moncho invited the minister of state, Aroop Biswas who is also the chairman of Jatra Academy, to announce that the allowances of the jatra actors have been hiked from Rs 6,000 to Rs 15,000 as proposed by the chief minister of West Bengal.
Mr Biswas also released the state government-initiated Jatra Darpan, a booklet that contains information on jatra groups and their schedules. Copies have been given to all the district magistrates and police superintendents with the intention to rejuvenate jatra culture in the state.
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The booklet has the contact numbers and addresses of several reputed operas and jatra groups along with the names of jatras performed by those groups that are listed with jatra sammelans Mr Biswas said: “The government is trying to bring back the old glory of jatra culture and performances.” Paschin Banga Jatra Academy has selected 50 candidates this year from the auditions among 200 applicants.
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The Academy initiates a workshop that lasts for 15 days since 2011, that trains the candidates with proper guidance and lessons under prominent, skilled teachers. The workshop has started from 4 July and will end on 19 July. Mr Biswas stated that pervious schemes have been changed with the purpose to regain the grand status of Jatra. This year, the first prize awarded by the Paschim Banga Jatra Academy, was won by Prabhash Opera, for their Meghla Rate Ekla Pothik. The show has completed 153 days which is considered as a great achievement.
They were awarded Rs 50,000, which was handed over by Mr Biswas and KMC ward No. 7 counsellor, Bapi Ghosh. The programme ended with distribution of medals to the teachers of the academy. The entire hall was filled with people wearing traditional dresses that mirrored the bright and promising occasion of Rath Yatra.
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