This photo-feature takes a deeper look beyond the colorful disguise of the ‘Bahurupi’ community, a dying art form in the rural parts of West Bengal. Their culture is less known today in the rat race of life. By bringing their story to the world, the author of this documentary work hopes to ignite curiosity toward this community that can lead to their upliftment. Bahurupi is a unique folk art form where the performers transform into various mythological, historical, or social characters through intricate makeup, costumes, and props to entertain the public and earn a livelihood. Documenting one such community holding on to this dying tradition, Aritra tries to unfold the many untold stories behind its disguise. “Growing up surrounded by stories, rituals, and folk practices, I have always felt a strong pull toward documenting the voices and lives of those who keep such heritage alive”, he says.
Despite their talent, “Bahurupis belong to a marginalized section of our society” who continue to struggle to make ends meet. It is a sad but truthful reflection of the value of traditional art forms in our modern society, bound by capitalism, Aritra opines.
As a father or a son gets ready to perform, they don disguises they have known since childhood and have inherited through generations. Resisting extinction, their devotion to keeping this art form alive, despite all the hardships, remains unscathed. Behind these lively painted faces, lie stories not of mythology where good triumphs over evil. It hides the dream of a child of going back to school, the worries of a father anxious about providing for his family. “The struggles of daily survival off stage reveals the fragile line between art and livelihood.” These words echo through every performance, where art becomes both a shield and a burden.
These age-old Bengali folk performances are not just expressions of art, but legacies of identity, faith, and resilience. Yet there is little urgency to preserve them, leaving the performers to walk an uncertain path where they are burdened to prioritise heritage over their own comfort and stability. Even so, their spirit does not falter. Through each stroke of paint and every performance, they carry forward the timeless essence of storytelling; a testament to endurance, creativity, and hope. Drawn to this spirit of perseverance, Aritra looks at this project as “both a responsibility and an opportunity to capture their fading world and to create an archive that connects the past with the present”.
