January 2, 2015
WB CM inaugurates 19th Jatra Utsav at Barasat
West Bengal Chief Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee inaugurated the 19th edition of the annual Jatra festival today at Barasat, North 24 Parganas.
Ms Mamata Banerjee had been instrumental in reviving the age old art form of jatra, the traditional musical plays of the State. The West Bengal Jatra Academy has also been rejuvenated.
Ministers, Aroop Biswas, Jyotipriya Mullik, Upendranath Biswas, Bratya Basu, Purnendu Bose, Manjul Krishana Thakur and many other dignitaries will be present on the occasion.
Last year, the state government published ‘Jatra Darpan’ – a booklet consisting of various Jatra groups and has given a copy to all district magistrates and police superintendents in the districts in an effort to rejuvenate Jatra culture in the state.
The booklet has contact number and addresses of several reputed operas and jatra groups.
Excerpts of the Chief Minister’s speech on the occasion:
- Culture is an essentialal part of the civilization. Jatra is an important part of our culture.
- We will form a databank which consists the names of all Jatra artistes.
- We will institute mediclaim for Jatra artistes, we will also increase the pension for the aged Jatra artistes by Rs 1000.
- The Jatra season last for six months in a year. In the rest of the year we will promote Jatra on behalf of the Govt.
- I want the Jatra industry to flourish all over the State.
- We have already helped for than two hundred Jatra artistes.
