Description
The story of Chhiattor-er Monnontor is based on academic sources and research which were discussed with the artists before they began composing the narrative poem and pattern for the scroll. The conversations about the famine took place over several days at Naya and Jadavpur University. A summary of what was discussed is given below.
Creator
Chitrakar, Dukhushyam
Chitrakar, Rahim
Source
William Hunter, The Annals of Rural Bengal (New York: 1868), chapters 2 and 5, appendices A and B.
Hunter, Famine Aspects of Bengal Districts, p.26 (cost of 1770 famine).
John Shore, "Still fresh in memory's eye the scene I view", in Hunter, Annals, p.28, and Memoir of the Life and Correspondence of John Lord Teignmouth, by his Son (London, 1843), Vol. i. pp. 25, 26.
Anonymous, "Nad nadi khal bil shob shukailo", in Suprasanna Bandopadhyay (ed), Itihasashrito Bangla Kobita, 1751-1855 (Calcutta: 1954). Famine and Dearth in India and Britain, 1550-1800.
The Famine and Dearth in India and Britain, 1550-1800 database.
Publisher
University of Exeter
Date
2019-12
2020-01
Contributor
Dutta, Shrutakirti
Halder, Bhagirath
Holding, Richard
Mondal, Sujit
Mukherjee, Ayesha
Rights
CC BY-NC
Language
Bengali
Type
Conversation
Coverage
Bengal, India; c.1700
Interviewer
Mondal, Sujit
Mukherjee, Ayesha
Singer, Wendy
Interviewee
Chitrakar, Dukhushyam
Chitrakar, Rahim
Summary
In this conversation, the timeline of the Bengal famine was discussed first, followed by the climate and soil conditions of Bengal. By 1770 the administration of the Bengal province, comprising Bengal, Bihar and Orissa, had come under the East India company. Bengal’s agriculture and produce were largely dependent on rainfall and floods, both of which were absent during the famine years. At this time, instead of decreasing taxation, the East India Company levied a ten percent increase on land tax. Approximately, 10 million people died from the Bengal famine.
The conversation with Dukhushyam Chitrakar focuses on the literary outputs, the historical records, and the government’s exploitative policies during the famine, including those documented by William Hunter. Among other things, the records enumerate the ways in which starving farmers from Bengal struggled to stay alive during this time, including selling their children for profit, and at the very end, eating the flesh of the dead.
Dukhushyam Chitrakar reflected on famines of varying magnitudes which have occurred throughout history. The translated summary of the research notes was given to him. Based on this he wrote the first draft of the poem. Further discussions followed to improve upon the poem’s rhyme scheme and musical variations. Once the final version of the poem had been set to song, he gave an impromptu performance alongside the completed scroll painting.
The conversation with Dukhushyam Chitrakar focuses on the literary outputs, the historical records, and the government’s exploitative policies during the famine, including those documented by William Hunter. Among other things, the records enumerate the ways in which starving farmers from Bengal struggled to stay alive during this time, including selling their children for profit, and at the very end, eating the flesh of the dead.
Dukhushyam Chitrakar reflected on famines of varying magnitudes which have occurred throughout history. The translated summary of the research notes was given to him. Based on this he wrote the first draft of the poem. Further discussions followed to improve upon the poem’s rhyme scheme and musical variations. Once the final version of the poem had been set to song, he gave an impromptu performance alongside the completed scroll painting.
Location
Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
Naya, West Bengal, India
Original Format
Photograph
Video