Celluloid bid to preserve Assam’s Ojapali and Deodhani dance forms

GUWAHATI: Two folk dances of Assam — Suknani Ojapali and Deodhani — will be featured in an Assamese film to be released during Durga Puja in October in a bid to create awareness about the unique but neglected art forms. The film revolves round the life and the plight of the artistes associated with these dance forms.
Rajen Das, assistant professor of philosophy of NH College in Barpeta district, has directed and produced the film “Iron Girls”.“Assam is culturally very rich. Its social life is incomplete without its traditional and unique folk art forms like Ojapali, Deodhani dance and puppetry, among others. Unfortunately, the rush to become a modern society by neglecting tradition and traditional folk arts over the decades has affected their popularity and posed a threat to their identity. I doubt if youths know what are Suknani Ojapali and Deodhani dances. These folk art forms will become extinct if nobody comes forward to promote them among the new generation as well as on the international platform and thereby help in their preservation,” said Das. Das, who made a film “Life in a Puppetry” on the dying string puppetry form of the state last year, said “Iron Girls” is a humble effort to capture the performing art forms, which originated in undivided Darrang district, and the hurdles faced by the artistes to keep them alive.
Suknani Ojapali is one of the ancient traditional art forms of Assam. It is a half dramatic performing art. The Suknani Ojapali recites songs of goddess Manasa from the Padma Puranas composed by Sukavi Narayan Deva. On the other hand, Deodhani is a folk dance performed solo or in a group. This dance form is associated with the worship of goddess Manasa.
On the title of the film, he said, “Deodhani dance is performed by women artistes. The artistes have faced and tolerated insults and slander over the decades. Society hesitates to give them recognition that they deserve. Despite all these hurdles, they stood firm and kept the art form alive. This is the reason why the film has been titled ‘Iron Girls’.” Bishnu Prasad Rabha Award winner Drona Bhuyan, an Ojapali performer from Darrang district, along with other artistes are featured in the film. Apart from them, Assamese actor Asha Bordoloi also has a part in the film. Das said the budget is around Rs 15-20 lakh and claimed that making films on such subjects always bears the risk of loss. “But I believe it is my duty to bring these dying art forms into the limelight so that something can be done to save them from extinction,” he added.