LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 23:12 December 2023
ISSN 1930-2940

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         B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         T. Deivasigamani, Ph.D.
         Pammi Pavan Kumar, Ph.D.
         Soibam Rebika Devi, M.Sc., Ph.D.

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Empowering Women through Theatre:
The Role of Budhan Theatre in Promoting Gender Equality and Social Justice in India

Abhishek Kumar Gupta

Abstract

Budhan Theatre is a renowned theatre group in India consisting of members of the Chhara tribe, who are one of the many Denotified tribes (DNTs) in India. They were previously known as ‘Ex-Criminal tribes’ and still carry the colonial stigma of ‘Born Criminals.’ Budhan Theatre focuses on social issues about DNTs in India like the stigmatization of Chharas and other DNTs as ‘Born Criminals’, social segregation and marginalization, Police atrocities, continuous negligence by the state even after their Denotification, etc. Budhan theatre uses theatre as a means of creating awareness towards Chharas and other DNTs and initiating social change. In addition to addressing issues related to Chharas and other DNTs in India, they are also raising voices on behalf of women in the community. This paper intends to discuss how women play a crucial role in Budhan Theatre, both in terms of their participation in the group and the themes that the group addresses. The group actively encourages women's participation in theatre, both on stage and behind the scenes. Many women have been a part of the group's productions, and some have even gone on to become leaders in the group. This theatre has addressed various women's issues in its productions, including violence against women, gender discrimination, and patriarchal societal norms. Through their performances, the group aims to challenge these norms and bring attention to the struggles faced by women in society. The purpose of this article is to examine how Budhan Theatre has been instrumental in promoting women's rights and empowering them through theatre and how the group's work serves as a reminder of the importance of women's voices in creating a more equitable and just society.

Keywords: Budhan Theatre, India, Women, Empowerment, Gender equality, Social justice.

1. Introduction

Empowering women and promoting gender equality and social justice are critical goals in societies around the world. In India, one impactful avenue for achieving these objectives is through theatre. Theatre has long been recognized as a powerful medium for raising awareness, challenging societal norms, and sparking meaningful conversations on social issues. Theatre remains any society’s sharpest way to hold a live debate with itself. If it doesn’t challenge, provoke, or illuminate, it is not fulfilling its Function (Hall 5). Budhan Theatre, a notable theatre group in India that primarily deals with the issues related to the Chharas and other Denotified Tribes in India, has played a significant role in empowering women and advocating for gender equality with its foundation by G N Devy and Mahashweta Devi. Budhan Theatre was established in Chharanagar of Ahmedabad in Gujrat, India, with its origins dating back to the efforts of G N Devy and Mahashweta Devi in the year 1998. The founder of Budhan Theatre herself, Mahasweta Devi, had many powerful statements regarding the role of literature and theatre in addressing social issues. One of her famous quotes is:

My India still lives behind a curtain of darkness. People still live in abject poverty, oppressed by landlords, moneylenders, and middlemen. They are still bound by caste prejudices. They are still being exploited by a whole battery of demons like the police, the forest guards, the revenue officers, and the irrigation officers. The dams built for irrigation have killed their lands. (45)

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Abhishek Kumar Gupta
Research Scholar
Department of English
Banaras Hindu University
Varanasi, 221005 (U.P.)
Email ID: abhishekkumargupta69@gmail.com
Mobile no. 8005279303
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