Jatra’s honour can be restored over time: Swapna Mallick
Renowned jatra artiste Swapna Mallick reflects on her journey, challenges in the industry, and her hopes for reviving the traditional art form with modern relevance
In December 2024, a week-long jatra festival in Khulna featured Swapna Mallick as a lead performer, followed by performances in Pangsha, Rajbari. Known for her powerful presence, Swapna remains one of the most sought-after artistes in the traditional jatra community, consistently receiving invitations from across the country.
Despite challenges in the jatra community, she continues to earn a respectable fee, reflecting her professionalism and dedication.
She started her career with Adi Rong Mahal Opera and is now a prominent member of Surjotorun Opera in Khulna, while collaborating with other troupes from time to time.
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"Early in my acting career, I earned a monthly salary of Tk30,000 working with a jatra troupe, as performances were available almost year-round. However, with the decline in shows, I transitioned to being paid per performance," Swapna reflected.
In 2024, she earned Tk4,000 per show, performing six to seven nights monthly. Swapna considers this a respectable income in today's circumstances and hopes for more opportunities in the future.
Over her career, she has performed in over a hundred jatra-palas, with notable performances like 'Maa Holo Bondi', 'Jail Theke Bolchi', 'Debi Sultana', 'Maan-Obhiman', 'Jibon Nodir Tire', and 'Anarkali'.
I've noticed new-generation performers entering the industry, and I believe this number will continue to grow. I earnestly wish for jatra to regain its former prestige and secure its rightful place in society.
Until the age of 20, Swapna was widely celebrated as a dancer in the jatra world, where dancers were endearingly addressed as "princesses". Despite her thriving career in dance, she deliberately transitioned into acting.
"I stopped dancing when vulgarity began infiltrating jatra shows. I have always valued clean and tasteful performances," explained Swapna.
As a jatra actress, Swapna has garnered nationwide acclaim for her versatility. She takes pride in performing diverse roles, refusing to be confined to a few characters.
"An artiste should not be limited to one kind of role," she explained. "I adapt myself to every character I play."
The jatra industry now faces significant challenges, with performances restricted to the winter months. Despite these struggles, Swapna and others have managed to sustain their careers. However, ongoing issues continue to threaten the survival of this traditional art form.
"As a jatra actor, I don't face many personal difficulties," shared Swapna. "However, we are usually allocated around four hours on stage. Sometimes it is cut to just an hour because audiences prefer dance performances. This is disheartening for us as actors and disrupts the traditional essence of jatra."
Although she comes from a family deeply rooted in jatra, Swapna has not encouraged her children to pursue the art form. Instead, she prioritised providing them with modern education, noting their lack of interest in the industry. Reflecting on earlier times, she recalled how skilled jatra artistes were once held in high esteem, a respect that has since diminished.
"Jatra was once valued for its portrayal of societal narratives," she said. "This earned artistes great respect. Unfortunately, vulgarity has tarnished the art form, but I believe its honour can be restored over time."
Swapna remains hopeful about the future of jatra, noting that more educated and cultured individuals are joining the industry. This change has fostered the creation of troupes with modern resources and the production of contemporary plays. Additionally, social media has emerged as a powerful platform for promoting performances, introducing this traditional art form to a younger audience.
She also highlighted the growing participation of younger artistes in the field. "I've noticed new-generation performers entering the industry, and I believe this number will continue to grow. I earnestly wish for jatra to regain its former prestige and secure its rightful place in society."
Originally from Dumuria, Khulna, Swapna now resides in the city. Her parents, Bimal Haldar and Shubrada Haldar, were also professional jatra artistes, and she grew up in an environment deeply rooted in the art of jatra. This nurturing background naturally paved the way for her career in the industry.
