Champaran Satyagraha movement gets a musical touch

Image: Kalpana Patowary

New Delhi: On the occasion of 100th year of Champaran Satayagraha, the first Satyagraha movement initiated by Mohandas Gandhi, in the Champaran district of Bihar, Kalpana Patowary, a folk artist initiated a musical movement as she released a musical travelogue inspired by it, on Tuesday. Kalpana has dedicated this project to the Land (Bihar) and the Legend (Gandhi) so that the colloquial dialect of the region, Bhojpuri can be recognised as an Indian language. Champaran, is a district in the state of Bihar wherein tens of thousands of landless serfs, indentured labourers and poor farmers were forced to grow indigo and similar cash crops by the British East India company and subsequently, the British government in colonised India. This indigo was bought from them at a very low price. That was when Raj Kumar Shukla, an indigo cultivator, persuaded Gandhi to go to Champaran and thus, the Satyagraha began. The musical event also brought to the fore how Bhojpuri was the soul of Champaran Satyagraha and also the main tool used by Gandhi to connect with people of Champaran hundred years ago. However, unfortunately Bhojpuri is still not included in the 8th schedule of Indian constitution. Through this musical movement the artist requested the government to give a respectable place to Bhojpuri. Talking about the musical travelogue Kalpana said, “Champaran Satayagarha was important for farmers who were exploited by Britishers. Actually Champaran Satayaghara was the real freedom movement initiated by people in rural area like Champaran.” She further said, “The Satyagraha connects with the rich Bhojpuri culture including the melody of Bhojpuri traditional Ramleela folktune through this project i have made and effort to make Bhojpuri as the language of intellectual literature world.” Meanwhile, Neelam Sonkar, Member of Parliament under whose patronage the event was initiated said, “Kalpana’s musical contribution towards Champaran Satyagraha is laudable. Despite belonging to Assam she has spent the past 16 years in musically trying to revive Bhojpuri languages which is also the language of the people of Champaran. No one has taken such an initiative and I extend my heartfelt appreciation and support in her quest towards this musical expedition.” Interestingly, as the country celebrates the 100^th year of the Champaran Satyagraha on the 14th April, Bollywood movie Begum Jaan starring Vidya Balan, wherein Kalpana rendered her voice for the song, “O Re Kaharo”,  is all set for release on the same day. It is a folk based song composed by none other than Annu Mallik where the heart cries out for the pain of letting go. The film is about the trauma of displaced women in a brothel during partition. Begum Jaan brings to light the much talked-about, controversial partition between India and Pakistan. Union Minsters and Parliamentarians like Parsottam Rupala Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Jual Oram, Union Minister of Tribal Affairs, Ramdas Athawale, Minister of Social Justice and Women Empowerment and Krishna Raj, Minister for Child and woman, were present.