One of the oldest martial dances of India, Raibenshe is on the verge of extinction in Bengal. State governments have done little to preserve the folk art

One of the oldest martial dances of India, Raibenshe is on the verge of extinction in Bengal. State governments have done little to preserve the folk art

Raibenshe, the popular martial dance of the lathiyals (private militia) who were employed by the zamindars of undivided Bengal to protect their fiefdoms in 19th and early-20th century, is on its deathbed. Practiced by the devotees of Shiva, this art form has no takers now.
Raibenshe, meaning ‘royal bamboo’, is a folk martial dance performed by males only. It was once very popular all over Bengal. Now, it is performed only in Birbhum, Burdwan and some parts of Murshidabad district in the state.
This dance involves vigorous athletic movements of the body and rapid bamboo stick work, called araibansh, from where its name originated.
Performers enact episodes from mythology, that include drawing a bow, throwing a spear, and show speedy swordplay too. The dancers wear nupur (brass anklet) on their right ankle and the martial dance recital is accompanied with dhols (drums) and kanshis (cymbals).
Gurusaday Dutt, the celebrated ICS officer who came across this art in Birbhum in 1930s, first documented it in a book. He collected the bolbani (narration) of Raibenshe from East Bengal, cultural activist Khirul Anam informed.
When Dutt was the district magistrate of Birbhum, he introduced brotochari (an exercise regimen) and Raibenshe among localities here. These were to make the children and youth physically fit and disciplined. An employee of the British government, he used these art forms to strengthen India’s freedom struggle. He believed that without fitness and discipline, one couldn’t achieve anything.
Raibenshe was principally practiced among the lower class of the society. Gradually, they started performing it in functions and festivals to earn money. “In fact, at that time it was a status symbol to have a Raibenshe performance in functions,” Anam said.

Meanwhile, there were many who criticised Raibenshe. For instance, writer Tarashankar Bandyopadhyay wrote: Dadar biye jemon temon/ Didir biye Raibenshe / Aai dhoka-dhok mod khese… (Dada could marry, no matter how/ But a Raibenshe is must in Didi’s marriage/ Come, let’s celebrate.)
Today, a few villagers of Bonogram, Murundi and Charkolgram of Nannor Police Station in Birbhum are practicing this martial dance. “I don’t know how long I would be able to do it,” said Sunil Thunder, a renowned master of Raibenshe who lives in Charkolgram village.
Thunder said, “This martial dance requires immense practice and outstanding body fitness. Younger generation are not willing to go through this regime. There are 108 types of dance format and style in Raibenshe. All are tough,” he said. Above all, this traditional art is suffering due to monetary constraints. State governments have not encouraged and promoted Raibenshe. During practice, many artists get injured and fracture their limbs. But they don’t get treatment due to lack of money.
“I have broken my limbs twice — first my leg and then my hand. My mother tells me to stop doing Raibenshe,” said Bipad Thunder, a Class VII student, who is practicing Raibenshe for the last three years. Thunder informed that a performer earns R300 from a function inside West Bengal and
R600 outside it. District information and cultural officials admit Raibenshe practitioners are facing exis
tential and financial problems due to lack of government initiatives.
“At times, we have given them programmes so that they could earn some money. But I must admit that is not enough,” said Surya Banerjee, sub-divisional information and cultural officer, Bolpur.