Author: Priyanka Gupta, CNN-IBN
Publication: IBNLive.com
Date: November 2, 2011
URL: http://ibnlive.in.com/news/west-bengal-iit-alumnus-revives-folk-art/198340-3.html
The IIT Kharagpur alumnus Amitava Bhattacharya
has quit his cushy job in the Silicon Valley to give a new lease of life to
a dying art form in West Bengal.
Bhattacharya's 47-year-old housewife Swarnalata
Chitrakar now has a new identity, that of a Patachitra artist. Chitrakar,
along with 200 others from her village Pingla in West Midnapore, has taken
this ancestral art form overseas.
A collage of colours drawn from natural sources
like fruit and leaves, this ancient Indian art form was dying in neglect.
Till 45-year-old computer engineer Amitava Bhattacharya gave folk art a fresh
lease of life eleven years ago and started Banglanatak.com.
"Rural India has traditionally been seen
as a place to get daily workers. But it is also a warehouse of ancient Indian
art forms. We thought can we use that as an opportunity can we tweak it make
it a source of livelihood for their social development," said Bhattacharya.
Bhattacharya and his team have worked with
more than three thousand folk artistes from across six districts of Bengal.
Through self-help groups and specialised training, they have converted this
art into a legitimate source of income for these artistes.
Traditional artist Gurupada Chitrakar said,
"Many people had left this profession because there wasn't any money.
Now more and more people are coming back, thanks to Banglanatak.com."
"I was just a normal housewife and never
thought I would visit places like Paris. As a simple villager I never even
dreamed that people will appreciate my art," said Swarnalata.
Gorbhanga, a little-known village in Nadia
district is home to 150 baul fakirs who earlier practised farming. With resource
centres and training modules these Sufi artists now pursue their passion full-time,
leading the once obsolete Bangla Qawwali band.
Qawali artist Arman Fakir said, "Bangla Qawali as a genre had become
obsolete 100 years ago. The organisation has made great efforts to spread
this music. Now more and more people are getting to know that such a genre
even exists."
From Pat to chau, to domri, to baul art now
means respect for these men and women.