Bhubaneswar
Movies challenge it. Television dares it. OTT platforms threaten it. When Santali opera is trapped in the cobweb of such multifarious adversities, mismanagement and intra-party friction and feud toll the death knell for several troupes. Despite being in the pretty pickle, Santali Opera in districts of Odisha, particularly in Mayurbhanj, pants along to regale its tribal audience.
While nearly 40 Santali jatra troupes were alive more than two decades ago, only about 15 in Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Balasore districts still fight on against the conspiracy of circumstances to stage their shows. Each of them still earns between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 1.5 lakh per show per night that shoots up to Rs 2 lakh to Rs. 4 lakh during the peak period between October and April.
“The shows, particularly during the peak period, paints a rosy picture of Santali Opera in Odisha. But beneath all its glitz and glitter, its entire edifice is in a shambles, threatening to collapse into the oblivion,” Kamraj Hembram, an artiste of Santali jatra party ‘Adim Owar Jarpa’ in Mayurbhanj, told The Indian Tribal.
“Most shows are organised between October and April because it during the time of festivals and several sports events that have cultural events as their major component,” he added.
Ominous signs are said to have been first signalled for Santali opera when a boom in tele-serials set in after Doordarshan (DD-I) started telecasting ‘Hum Log’ in 1984. Then entertainment in different doses came in on the social media, queering the pitch for the opera. Even movies in Santali and Odia began loading the dice against it. In time of turmoil and turbulence, several Santali jatra troupes like ‘Ranchali Opera’ were down and out.
Santali opera also received a major jolt when stalwarts like Chandan Baskey of Mayurbhanj bade adieu to forge a tie with Santali music and film industry. Chandan detoured to form his music party ‘Chanda Sakhi’ in late nineties.
“Earlier, the kitty of Santali jatra parties were so packed with assignments that they were not able to adjust time for extra assignments, even if they were offered more bucks,” said Chandan, who is credited to have lent a new makeup to music for Santali opera in the nineties. He touched up the opera orchestra with a tinge of modern music, keeping its traditional tone and tune intact.
Though Santali opera is in doldrums, the young tribal blood has not yet evinced any interest to pump in a fresh life to it. For example, young men like Bhagabat Soren, a resident of Balikotha village of Mayurbhanj, has opted to make short and feature films, as he does not entertain any fancy for Santali opera. Some years ago one of his short films ‘Taras’ was screened at Baripada (district headquarters of Mayurbhanj) Indigenous Short Film Festival organised by Santali Art and Film Development Association of Odisha.
“I have no interest in opera. I like to make short and feature films,” said Bhagabat, who has done engineering in computer science from Bhubaneswar-based Modern Institute of Technology and Management.
When such discouraging scenario prevails, a few jatra teams are said to slash the fee to keep themselves afloat in the existential whirligig. “Earlier, while a few jatra teams charged nearly Rs.80,000 per show, they have slashed it down to about Rs. 60000 now only to have countable buyers,” shared Chandan, who has had 12 years of experience by working for seven jatra teams.
Financial constraints sometimes spell doom for some parties, as the organisations that book them finally renege on paying their fee mutually agreed upon. A field manager of a jatra party, who requested anonymity, cited this factor as one of the main factors for the collapse of several jatra troupes. Several jatra parties like ‘Ganga Sagun’ in Deuli village of Mayurbhanj district and ‘Eastern Adivasi Party’ in Dubri of Jajpur district had to down their shutters under the duress of financial strain.
“Our team staged more than 150 shows last year. This year it has been booked to stage 60 shows till now. By the end of year, its number of shows is expected to exceed 180. Though the number of shows presents an upward swing, at times we incur an annual loss of over Rs.3 lakh. This is only due to non-payment of fee promised in the verbal agreement,” he said. He, however, refused to disclose the names of the organisations that have welshed on paying the mutually agreed fee.
Climate also plays the role of a spoilsport. Heavy rains stall shows, and scarce water during summer pushes jatra parties into hibernation. Even the troupes that earn substantially by performing in tribal-populated areas of neighbouring Jharkhand and West Bengal go into deep freeze during these phases.
However, the artistes, musicians and other workers of the troupes are paid their remuneration only to keep the team intact. When the flow of revenue generation grounds to a halt, expenditure trend still goes on. This creates sometimes fund crunch that forces some owners to disband their parties.
Despite all adversities plotting to derail Santali opera, some still have a glimmer of hope. They admit that much of the past glory has faded, but it has not yet been totally eclipsed. If well-wishers and government come forward to pose a bulwark against extinction, Santali opera will breath in fresh air to live even if it may not be able to gain back its full-fledged past glory, according to him.
“The past aura of Santali opera has dimmed much at present, but darkness is yet to engulf it. It still presses on, refusing to pale or perish,” said Laxman Soren, who has his own opera party ‘Jatra Jogaddhala’ in Jamsola of Mayurbhanj. Laxman has also made three feature films under the banner of his production house ‘Sagan Sarna Films, Odisha’.
Some ardent lovers of Santali opera plead for floating a Santali television channel that can play a major role to help it get back on track.
“If a channel comes up for Santali populace and telecast shows of Santali opera, as some Odia channels do for Odia jatra, it will definitely help it cling to its lifeline,” said Kanauj Hansda, a resident of Baripada.
