[Reader-list] Synopsis of my project

[Averee Chaurey]

The song of the baul.-  Averee Chaurey
As I come to the end of the road, my path probably has diverted to an 
extent. I started off to know the lives of the bauls but today I end up 
mourning their lives, especially the baulanis. After researching and 
interviewing bauls and baulanis I have written and re-written a play based 
on their lives. In the process I have written and got translated two plays 
to be precise.
Initially I was mesmorized with the lives of the bauls. For them Mandir, 
Masjid, Brahmin, Mulla are all a farce- for them the body- self plays a very 
important role. According to them both Radha Krishna and Vrindavan dwell in 
their hearts. For them ‘Moner Manush’ (the man of the heart) is supreme 
sadhana. To reach the man of the heart or beloved they need the Guru.
Interestingly women are held in high esteem. Without the help of the woman, 
a baul cannot reach his destination- Shore. Yet when I interviewed the women 
bauls, I realized their insecurity and loneliness. They are mere ‘Sanginis’ 
(companion). They can be shunned any time, any day. The bauls sometimes 
exploit them even beat them up. While my research was on, I found there were 
young girls who were barely in their teens, married to old bauls who were 
probably above seventy years old. Throughout my play I tried to pen down 
their thoughts to an extent. I now feel there so mych to be done.
My play is like a diary where a baulani is pouring her mind, there is no 
solution, just bare facts. I am still looking for an appripriate name, may 
be ‘scribbles by a baulani’ or ‘memoirs’. I am confused.
While talking to them I was pained- I am sure when you hear the play you 
will also feel the same. Amazingly when they perform there is so much of 
vigour and love that one cannot imagine that deep inside them lives a 
reservoir of turmoil.
I am grateful to two of my friends without whom my play would not see the 
light of the day. Maneesh Ji who will perform with me has relentessly sat 
through and translated the two plays in hindi from bangla. Yes I wrote the 
play in my mother tongue. Badal, another very very good friend and a fellow 
actor helped me to chalk the plot and was a constant support.