Glorifying Kanyashree through Bengal's very own folk theatre

The achievement of Kanyashree Prakalpa, the Bengal government's initiative to financially assist and help educate and empower women, won the prestigious United Nations Public Service Award at The Hague. India was named first in the Asia-Pacific group for the category: 'Reaching the Poorest and Most Vulnerable through Inclusive Services and Participation'.

This is indeed a great feat for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who received the award at the event.

Lauding this story of success and accomplishment, there were widespread celebrations held throughout the state. To observe the grand adulation at the world stage, Bengal's very own jatra production houses are planning to immortalise the attainment through folk theatre.

Work is on to initiate all arrangements to script a jatra based on the UN moment.

According to the producers, the jatra based on the Chief Minister receiving the first prize at the event and her struggle to make girls

self-reliant through "Kanyashree" will surpass all set records till date.

It may be mentioned that "Kanyashree" was adjudged the best out of 552 initiatives from 62 different countries. Unesco India has congratulated the Mamata Banerjee-government for getting the award. The Chief Minister, who was visibly emotional after receiving the award, dedicated it to the nation. All these moments will be incorporated in the jatra and it will be scripted accordingly.

Moreover, how the initiative that the Chief Minister had taken soon after coming to power and regularly supervised to implement it properly so that the benefits reach the grassroot level will also be highlighted in detail during the jatra. The changes brought by "Kanyashree" in the lives of girls in Bengal will be another important part of the jatra.

It may be recalled that jatras have been scripted on the life and work of the Chief Minister earlier. A few months before the Trinamool Congress had come to power, a jatra named Banglar Khamotae Ebari Mamata had become immensely popular in the end of 2010. Again, after the change of guard in the state, the groups at Chitpore had come up with several such jatras including one like Didi Tomar Jabab Nei. Artists performed at least 100 shows for each of the jatra based on the life and work of the Chief Minister. There is a huge demand for jatras based on current incidents and developments. So the groups do not let any such important happening go without being performed on stage. The ill-effects of the hasty decision of the Modi government of demonetising Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes had also become a theme for jatras which have gained much accolades.

Kanak Bhattacharya, the secretary of Paschim Banga Jatra Sammelani, said: "We are going to take up the achievement of our Chief Minister in The Hague as a theme for a jatra. There are many tasks that need to be done like finalisation of the script and artists for the characters. Rehearsal will start accordingly."