Valmiki Pratibha : Dance Drama

The ‘Culture Therapy’ programme has resulted in remarkable changes in the lives of the prisoners. We noticed that it has led them on a journey from the pit of darkness and ignorance to the pinnacle of light and knowledge.

The phenomenal success of ‘Brotherhood Beyond Boundaries’ encouraged us to come up with another dance recital by the prisoners. While scouting for a theme for this programme we thought it proper to choose something that would in someway reflect this journey from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge.

And perhaps no other work of literature more appropriately reflected this journey than Tagore’s musical drama ‘Valmiki Pratibha’, which traces the transformation of Ratnakar from a dreaded dacoit to a holy sage, Valmiki, the creator of Ramayana. The story of Valmiki symbolizes the propensity for both good and evil in the human psyche and the tremendous ability of the human will to crush the demonic self with penitence. That, in a nutshell is what ‘correction’ in the correctional homes is really all about. Alokananda Roy also thought of some novel experiments while finalizing the concept. For the first time this classic ‘geeti natya’ of kabiguru was conceived as ‘nritya natya’. The Director also used

Jatra is a form of folk-theatre in West Bengal. Jatras are usually epic four-hour-long plays featuring loud music, harsh lighting and dramatic props played on giant outdoor stages.

In 2008 two such folk theatres – ‘Godhuli Belay Shes Dekha’ and ‘ Sat Takar Santan’ were prepared and staged at Midnapore Central Correctional Home with participation of 22 inmates.

In 2009 another two such folk theatres – ‘Ma Mati Manush’ and ‘Rakta Diye Boner Biye’ were produced and staged at Midnapore Central Correctional Home with the participation of 25 inmates under the direction of our own staff and inmates.

Public performances of the jatras are under consideration.

State Level Art Workshop

A State Level Art Workshop was organised at Art & Craft School of Alipore Central Correctional Home under the guidance of Sri Chitta Dey of ‘Flight to Harmony Foundation’. Sri Biswanath Chowdhury, MIC, Jails and renowned artist Sri Ramananda Bandopadhyay inaugurated the programme on February 01, 2008. The workshop continued for eight-months. The Birla Academy of Art & Culture, Kolkata is a partner in this venture. An exhibition of the paintings and other art works including clay modeling was held at its premises after the workshop was over. The Academy has also promised to help convert the Art & Craft School of Alipore Central Correctional Home into a Modern Art Gallery.