RUPANTAR/Rupantar Method
RUPANTAR METHOD OF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION
The development communication methodology of Rupantar comprises of the following three forms:
- Folk Drama
- Pot song
- Popular publication
- FOLK DRAMA
Rupantar has incorporated folk drama in Alternative Living Theatre (ALT) form, a third generation theatre. To perform Rupantar Method Folk drama there is no need of decorative light, heavy make-up, costly props and stages. Script is prepared through participatory method with the performers. It is possible to perform this type of drama for large number of audience at low cost. It is one of the strongest media that help audience enjoy the drama interestingly. This form of drama is for education and communication and usually issue-based and the desired messages are conveyed in attractive style and rhythmic form that allows everyone understand the theme. The ALT finds the issue (subject) from real life and tries to show the ways to overcome the problems.
Rupantar has developed a number of folk dramas on various issues like women rights, human rights, civic education, voter education, environment, water resource management, conservation of the Sundarbans, Prevention of trafficking, Reducing vulnerability to climatic changes etc.
POT SONG
From the ancient time, the media on which information has been communicated to the people in the rural Bengal is the folk song. The rhythms of the songs are so catchy that even today the satellite media are using such music. There are some songs found in some area that are very popular in particular area and are localized.
The Pot song performed by Rupantar has been accepted by millions of the audience. This form of folk song has been collected from southern parts of the country. This form of Pot song is a historical event of some area practiced by the rural performers. Rupantar has made some improvements of the Pot song and use as a media for mass awareness. This living media has the direct effect on the people towards motivating them on specific messages in a rhythmic and catchy nature.
Pot song is performed by a number of performers using a Pot that is a pictorial view of what is being sung. The picture is painted on canvas that specifically indicates the messages that are intended to be focused for the audience. The Pot song has the duel effect of audio and visual and is usually quite attractive.
Moreover, the Pot songs performed by Rupantar in BTV, ATN Bangle and in many national and international seminars/occasions have been praised very much. Rupantar has developed the capacity to perform folk songs for any development issues.
Rupantar has so far developed 40 Pot songs on specific issues like women rights, gender and development, water resource management, conservation of mangrove forest, civic awareness, democracy and governance, voter education, strengthening local government, reducing trafficking of women and children, reducing vulnerability to climate change, Arsenic mitigation and management, cooperative, conservation of environment etc.
POPULAR PUBLICATION
What is popular publication?
Several types of printed books are found in our country from city footpath to extreme rural areas. These books are quite interesting to the general people and are popular. The Hawker, peddler, religious-book seller and others sell these popular publication in Trains, Bus, Launch and Steamer passengers directly in exchange of low price. The price of these books varies from Taka one to take twenty. The price is within readers' reach. The essence of these books is apparently useful to the target readers.
Having studied upon the urban and rural readers and sellers we find different types of popular publications. Among these, publication on Religion is the best seller. The old and middle-aged persons, the semi-literate and post-literate students of both sexes are the buyers of books based on religion.
