Poush Mela: Jatra Artists Mourn Fading Tradition, Colorful Days Now Just Memories

• Bhuvan Danga artists feel regret as Poush Mela approaches, lamenting the decline of traditional Jatra performances.
• Jatra, featuring characters like Nawabs and Begums, was once the primary entertainment in rural Bengal before television.
• The 'Ma Mansa Opera' troupe, comprising Visva-Bharati staff, regularly performed Jatra at Santiniketan's Poush Mela.
• The art form is now on the verge of extinction, with most old artists gone or in other professions, leaving only a handful.
• Artists like Ashok Kumar Majhi and Shambhunath Singh express deep sadness and concern for Jatra's future.

Why It Matters: Poush Mela artists mourn the near extinction of Jatra, a once vibrant cultural tradition.