Tripura’s weekly ‘Sanskritik Haat’ turns a hit, brings smiles on rural women ‘entrepreneurs’

The weekly bazaar called ‘Sanskritik Haat’ is one of the many projects of Bangla Sanskritik Balay, a socio-cultural organisation that champions for Bengali local sub-cultures in different parts of Bengali-speaking areas, including Tripura, West Bengal, Bangladesh and Assam.

The ‘Haat’ opened on December 10 with the inauguration by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha.

The ‘Sanskritik Haat’ offers ‘biyer geet’ or customary musical pieces that were sung during Bengali weddings in the past or other songs that would accompany wedding rituals. (Express Photo)

Two weeks later, scores of people throng the weekly Haat every Sunday afternoon at Senpara grounds of Debram village, a small hamlet barely 10 km from Agartala city..

The ‘Sanskritik Haat’ reminds of Shantiniketan’s Sonajhuri Haat, where local communities come together with handmade clothes, clay toys, Baul or mystic minstrels, who deal with mixed elements of Sufism, Vaishnavism and Tantra, and tribal women who perform their traditional jhumur dance.

Satwata, who is the organising secretary of Bangla Sanskriti Balay, said, “We want to provide the taste of local Bengali culture in the age of western culture. In the midst of blaring DJ boxes, we hope to give children a chance to grow up knowing the lost cultural traits of Bengalis from different parts of the country and beyond”.

Over 300 members of the local community have joined with the Sanskriti Haat, according to Sebak Bhattacharya, one of the brains behind Bangla Sanskriti Balay. ‘Sanskritik Haat’ is grounded on the concept of traditional parab (festivals) of Bengalis. (Express Photo)

The ‘Sanskritik Haat’ offers ‘biyer geet’ or customary musical pieces that were sung during Bengali weddings in the past or other songs that would accompany wedding rituals such as ‘panokhilir gaan’, ‘basorer gaan’, ‘jolbhora gaan’ or day-to-day Bengali traditions such as baking an assortment of ‘pitha’ or rice puddings, cooking in clay ovens using firewood, putting up haystacks as cow fodder for the winter, making cow dung cakes.

“We mainly work with local communities such as children of tea garden workers of Debram Para village. We have trained them for the past six months in music, dance and other performances and now they sing and perform jhumur dance, dance drama with biyer geet, display rural culture through small acts of forgotten past. We are getting tremendous response from people who are coming from all over Tripura to enjoy the state’s own cultural Haat,” Satwata said.

He said a large number of renowned local artists and cultural activists such as Ambalika Bhattacharjee, Anindita Ray, Banasree Debbarma volunteered and lent their hands in training and organising the initiative.

Over 300 members of the local community have joined with the Sanskriti Haat, according to Sebak Bhattacharya, one of the brains behind Bangla Sanskriti Balay. ‘Sanskritik Haat’ is grounded on the concept of traditional parab (festivals) of Bengalis.

“Local communities from nearby tea estates, who never participated in any cultural programmes, were exposed to cultural training. They never performed anywhere. They are what you can truly call the subaltern. They form the centerstage of performances here. We are trying to bring a change in the locality with biyer geet, jhumur gaan etc. Our end goal is to uphold our own culture which will develop our thoughts, our traditional lifestyle and economy,” explained Bhattacharya, who also runs a local TV channel.

He added that they are “planting saplings of thoughts” in children against the backdrop of history, culture and tradition.

So far, the ‘Haat’ has been developed with an investment of Rs 10 lakh, much of which came from the local area development fund of the MLA, who had set up an open air stage, and sheds for setting up food and handmade traditional garment stalls – all by members of the local community. (Express Photo)

Bhattacharya shared the plans to open 00 such Haats in Barak, West Bengal, Tripura and Bangladesh in the next five years. “We want to involve NRI Bengalis as well. Discussions are underway with people from the community in Delhi, Chennai, Pune and Jharkhand, where Bengalis reside in large numbers,” he said.

So far, the ‘Haat’ has been developed with an investment of Rs 10 lakh, much of which came from the local area development fund of the MLA, who had set up an open air stage, and sheds for setting up food and handmade traditional garment stalls – all by members of the local community.

A portion of the assistance came from the state government through the Information and Cultural Affairs (ICA) Department.

Meanwhile, local women contributed by providing embroidery items, palm leaf fans and chain flags cut from clothes to turn the rustic countryside of Debram village into a festive destination.

Over a hundred people from the locality, Agartala city and other parts of Tripura thronged the ‘Haat’ with children jumping on the open air stage and reciting poems or singing songs.

Tanuj Kachari, a Class 2 student at the nearby Nandannagar Higher Secondary School, said he lives just 5 minutes away from the ‘Haat’ venue and had come to watch the performances for the last two weekends. “I can’t sing, nor play an instrument or do anything on the stage. But I want to learn something. It is nice to see them perform,” he said.

Class 4 student Ramkrishna Debnath said he was excited to be at the ‘Haat’as he has not yet got an opportunity to showcase his dancing talent in his hometown.

“I had performed earlier at school. It’s nice to have such a stage here”, he said.

Mrittika, a kindergarten student from Agartala city, who was accompanied by her mother, ran up to the organisers, requesting them for a chance to sing a few songs at the open air stage.

At least 35 Self Help Groups (SHG) have set up stalls every Sunday when the ‘Haat’ settles in. They have an assortment of traditional Bengali delicacies like paanta bhaat, dry fish chutney or tribal delicacies like bangwi (sticky rice cakes), wahan mosdeng (pork salad) or traditional garment stalls showcasing ‘taant’ sarees etc.

Sexagenarian Mumtaz Begum, who lives in the vicinity, had set up a stall of plastic and earthen wares. She said she loves to work and earn money with dignity, even though her son, a mason, is the main breadwinner of the family.

Sebika Saha, a housewife who knows how to cook traditional fritters and rice cakes, is making good business at the ‘Haat’ bazaar.

Women, who have made good business at the Haat stalls, said the idea of ‘Haat’ has brought empowerment and financial independence to them whilst catering to the cultural satisfaction of people.

With plans to expand the ‘Haat’ with a variety of other attractions like a bullock cart, a well and selfie points, Tripura’s ‘Sanskritik Haat’ seems to be on a joyride to success.