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Lost tunes of bauls
Statesman News Service
JOYDEV, Jan. 18: The famous Joydev mela usually starts on Makar Sankranti to commemorate the auspicious day on which the author of Geet-Govinda, kabi Joydev, took bath at the Kadaambokhandi ghatof the Ajoy river at Kenduli. But with the passage of time, the mela which is popularly known as the greatest baul mela in the state is gradually losing its character. This is because the bauls have been cornered as kirtanhas gained more popularity here.
Mr Gautam Ganguly, the Birbhum district information and cultural officer, said that the Joydev mela has now turned into a favourite hub for the famous kirtanias (kirtan singers) of the state. “Most of the kirtanias perform in the mela to gain popularity. For this, they even perform free of cost to make themselves known," he added. Mr Ganguly also admitted that the mela acts as a platform for Kirtanias by making them popular and giving them an opportunity to earn.
The members of the Joydev mela cultural committee said that Kirtanias get contracts for the whole year. This is the sole reason as to why they gather here form various parts of the state.
According to the mela committee, this year kirtanias have got contracts worth Rs 2 crore. Mr Dulal Mukherjee, a kirtan lover said: “From February to April week-long kirtan utsav are held in various villages. The organisers of these committees throng the mela to watch the performances of Kirtanias.
“This year nearly 2,000 kirtanias came to attend the mela and took shelters in akhras and each one of them has signed more than three contracts," Mr Mukherjee said.
Mr Mukherjee who is very popular as the secretary of the Sriniketan Kirtan Utsav Committee said: “Usually Kirtanias demand Rs 5,000 on an average for a day’s performance, but the rate is much higher for those who are famous." He also said that Suman Bhattacharya, Arun Chatterjee, Supriya Halder Santa Das and others have often visited the Joydev mela when they were not popular.
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