KOLKATA: The jatra para is abuzz with activities now that full-fledged rehearsals are on before the performers take on the stage next month. The organizers have their turnaround hopes pinned on the upcoming festive season. The preparations started after chief minister Mamata Banerjee announced that performances at open-air theatres, including jatra, could be resumed, but with not more than 50% occupancy at a time
Subhalakshmi Opera and Nagmata Jatra Sanstha conducted their ‘Muhurat’ on Friday, inaugurated by Kamarhati MLA Madan Mitra; it was followed by an indoor script reading session at a banquet hall in Shyambazar. Sonar Bangla Jatra Sanstha have started their closed-door rehearsals. Other organisers, like Lakshminarayan Opera and New Jatralok Opera, will start rehearsals from next week.
“Grappling with losses running into several crores of rupees owing to the shutdown during the pandemic, jatra organizers said they were doing everything to turn the scene around. Aggressive marketing policies, large discounts, roping in tele-faces to popularize their plays and booking as many dates as possible during the Pujas and the rest of the festive season were some of the measures they have taken.
After the first wave of the pandemic had waned, the groups had done brisk business with back-to-back shows in rural Bengal between December and February but the second wave swept away all their efforts. Aiming to repeat last winter’s performance, the organizers pray that the predicted third wave does not halt their run again. “We are hoping for business during and after the Pujas. We already have 12-odd confirmed bookings for winter and are in talks with rural clubs for shows during the Pujas and on Lakshmi Puja and Bhaiphota. But all depend on the Covid situation in the next two months. We have our fingers crossed,” said Nepal Dutta, manager-cum-director at Sonar Bangla Jatra Sanstha, who are ready with their new play, ‘Shib Thakurer Bou’. According to organisers, clubs in Midnapore, Burdwan, Purulia, Bankura and the Sunderbans had done most of the bookings so far.
Bapi Ghosh, owner of New Jatralok Opera is also hoping for a turnaround. “Many of our artists and technicians had to do odd jobs and sell vegetables for a living. We hope business is better this year and all our staff can have a proper living,” said Ghosh, who has a few bookings in rural Bengal, where he will take two of his plays, ‘Bouma 420’ and ‘Sindur Poro, Bouma’. Ghosh hoped that the chief minister would consider reviewing the night restrictions as most plays were performed late at night, starting only after 9pm in most of the rural belts.
