Jailbirds stage dance drama on robber king’s reform

KOLKATA - Valmiki, legendary author of the epic Ramayana, was said to be a reformed robber, a subject on which poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote the dance drama “Valmiki Pratibha”. Now it is being staged by convicts who have found in it their own route to reform.

“Valmiki Pratibha” (Valmiki’s Genius) is being staged in various parts of West Bengal by 55 jail inmates and four police personnel to huge applause wherever they go.

“If we really call jail a correctional home, we have to implement such things that help transform convicted inmates,” state Jail Minister Biswanath Chowdhury told IANS. “We have received very good response after starting this cultural activity for the convicts.

“They (prisoners) are very happy now and have become one cultural family. They visit several areas in West Bengal as well as many neighbouring states to perform this dance drama.”

Chowdhury has been part of the prisoners’ cultural troupe in the past, reciting a poem by Tagore on how light emanates from darkness (”Andhokarer utsho hote utsharito alo”).

The troupe performs plays, dance dramas and elocution shows on various cultural occasions. They participate in sports and cultural activities inside the jails. They go to various places on request and get huge applause whenever and wherever they perform.

Not many in the audience are even aware that the cast members are convicts, including some with multiple criminal records.

Chowdhury said: “They have started a new journey towards life. They are now better individuals than they were earlier.”

In many ways, the script of “Valmiki Pratibha”, one of the earliest dance dramas penned by Tagore, is particularly apt for this cast. Tagore described the spiritual transformation of dreaded robber Ratnakar into saint Valmiki through the play in song and verse.

The dance drama is famous in Bengal’s literary history. It was one of the first to be staged in Tagore’s ancestral home Jorasanko, and many members of his extended family were in the cast. Tagore himself played the title role — Ratnakar turned Valmiki.

Danseuse Alokananda Roy, who directed the prisoners for “Valmiki Pratibha” and has been holding dance therapy lessons for them, termed her experience “very special”.

“We started rehearsing for ‘Valmiki Pratibha’ in March 2007. I found them very sensitive and enthusiastic about the whole initiative. Frankly speaking, I had a very different take on these prisoners as I was fed wrong information before I met these individuals. But once I met them I realised those were all incorrect,” Roy told IANS.

The troupe has prisoners, including some women, from various jails including Presidency and Alipore jails in Kolkata.

“These jailbirds simply changed my approach towards life. They call me maa (mother). The love I received from them I never got before,” Roy said.

She said the team had already performed at South Dinajpur district’s Balurghat, Santiniketan in Birbhum district, Kalyani in Nadia district and Orissa capital Bhubaneswar.

“At least 15 prisoners, who were once a part of this cultural team, have now been released from the correctional home. But they are still in touch with me,” Roy added.

“When those who are still serving prison terms go out of jail for the performances, they go almost unescorted. But none of them has ever tried to escape.

“They go out, hang around like normal people and return to their jails. If this is not reform what is?” Roy asked.

(Soudhriti Bhabani can be contacted at soudhriti.b@ians.in)