LEGACY

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By Mandira Chattopadhyay, Ohio

Ifeel an incredible bond with Shaoli Mitra. We both attended Rabindra Bharati University (though not at the same time) when it was in Jorasanko Thakur Bari, we acted on the same stage, and participated in the annual intercollegiate drama competitions. Those competitions were vigorous, and the teams were judged by eminent drama ‘gurus.’

In Tagore’s drama ‘Dak Ghar,’ Shaoli Mitra gave a stellar performance. That was indeed a classic work of Shaoli Mitra. She took acting as her meditation. She was fully committed to her acting. It is interesting to note how both Shaoli Mitra and Alice in ‘Alice in Wonderland’ go through similar struggles and adventures in their lives.

Shaoli Mitra was privileged to be raised in a family of drama icons with Shambhu Mitra and Tripti Mitra as parents. She however, steered her own path. Of course, we have to admit that she grew up in a drama community. It is said that her mother,while struggling as an actor, and getting tired of her midlife, admitted that she was groomed by her husband Shambhu Mitra who pushed her to the edge. But Shaoli Mitra was probably a born artist who wanted to go through all the challenges and adversities. So, she mastered all the skills needed to be an actor in true sense.

At a very young age she realized that drama and music are interconnected. The true singers have to be deeply involved when they sing, otherwise they become stereotypes. Shaoli Mitra, therefore, practiced music vigorously so that she could feel the emotions needed in her acting, and to make sure that her voice did not crack while she performed.

‘Dak Ghar’ was staged many times by other actors. Shaoli Mitra realized she lost the tender voice of Amal despite her extensive voice practice. So, she taught other actors the nuances of the drama. Before she acted out any role, she would strive to master the characteristics of the role to be played. Then, when she began to act, it came out like a waterfall. Even in her young age she realized that very well. The holy book Gita refers to something similar: “Thinking should be embedded in our brains, and when the action is imminent, it would arrive spontaneously.”

We cannot deny that when actors play different roles, they develop communication skills and understand the human beings better. The perfect example is none other than Vladimir Zelenskyy, the current president of Ukraine who as a successful actor has won the hearts of all Ukrainians and the world.

Shaoli Mitra was a superb makeup artist. As she grew older, she did not want to play the role of Amal in ‘Dak Ghar’ anymore. When her students commented, “Shaoli di, you are an outstanding makeup artist. You can cover up your age with makeup”. She denied that she could cover her age. Instead, she taught them the dramatic skills very religiously. Her the beginning, like Alice, she did not realize what was happening to her. As she moved on through the full circle of her life, Shaoli Mitra like Alice had to face all sorts of obstacles. students would comment that she was weaving a garland of flowers as she taught them the artistic skills.

Tagore once commented that acting should always be believable. Shaoli Mitra was very good at it. In ‘Dak Ghar’ she mesmerized the audience by acting the role of Amal. She was a very kindhearted woman. When she was directing a play, if she was not able to include someone, she would personally go to the person and apologize as to why such decision had to be made.

She was a highly spirited woman. She was superb in portraying the anger and fury. In the dramatic monologue she showed her anger like Nandini in ‘Rokto Karabi’ saying to the king about his fragility, “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

Ever since the first showing of ‘Dak Ghar,’ Shaoli Mitra was nurturing in herself the seeds of artistry of drama. For her, acting was an emotion suspended in disbelief, a concept also held by Tagore. Tagore once commented that the business of acting was not a mundane affair, but a very serious endeavor. Shaoli Mitra took acting with full sincerity, and when people did not appreciate her sincerity, with all the social forces she had to face, she succumbed into illness both physically and emotionally. She started moving around with a closeknit group of friends and became extremely private. That circle of friends was her sole comfort zone.

I see a great parallel of her life struggles with those of Alice in ‘Alice in Wonderland.’ Life is like a maze, and you must go through it. In

Lewis Carroll, the author of ‘Alice in Wonderland’ wanted to say in a nonsensical way all the idiosyncrasies, dogmatism in the church, the eccentricities and ruthlessness of the world. Alice would face all sorts of harassment from the Red Queen and the Knight, and became scared of the impositions and limitations imposed on her. Similarly, Shaoli Mitra was cross with the authoritarianism of the society. She realized that like Tweedledeeand Tweedledum in ‘Alice in Wonderland,’ people are fighting for nothing. Shaoli Mitra felt pressure from the outside world and realized that we are all prey and preyed upon.

‘Alice in Wonderland’ ends with the Red Queen saying, “Off with your head!” Hearing that Alice did not shed her tears nor did she make a pool of tears like she did earlier, and told the Queen that it was all nonsense. Shaoli Mitra probably wanted to say the same thing as she was tired of the nonsense from the society. She moved into oblivion far away from the public and stayed with her close-knit circle.

People might question why Shaoli Mitra and her father Shambhu Mitra did not want any publicity following their deaths but left the world quietly. Shaoli Mitra’s last wish was that the news of her death would only be announced once her cremation rites were over. Both father and daughter did not trust how the social media would react to the news of their deaths. They might have just announced them as a routine event. When Tripti Mitra passed away, only ‘Doordarshan’ announced her death, that too very casually. That was a great insult.

Shaoli Mitra was afraid that the energy she spent on the drama would not be appreciated by the society. But she was always respected by eminent members of the drama circle. Following her demise, the legendary theater personality Rudra Prasad Sengupta remarked, “An era has ended! The superstar is gone!” during the severe COVID pandemic. COVID or not, elders would be hungry, or worse go without food if I did not deliver the meal to their doorstep. There were risks involved, and I had to take all necessary precautions like wearing masks and maintaining a safe distance (still in practice, but somewhat relaxed). Yet, I managed to deliver freshly prepared meals and enquire about their general well-being.

It is said that anapple does not fall far from the tree. Our younger son, Karna lives in Brooklyn, NY. He is a socially conscious and politically left-leaning person. Prior to the end of 2019, he worked for a non-profit company for several years till he gave up his comfortable job to follow his passion of becoming a full-time musician. But, with the emergence COVID pandemic with its severity, his wish was cut to the quick before it got off the ground.

The Borough of Brooklyn in New York City is home to countless poor and elderly people, and people of color. They were hit the most by the pandemic. Elderly people could not go out to buy food and literally starved. Karna and a few of his friends banded up to obtain fresh food and delivered it to the doorsteps of hundreds of poor and elderly. I do not exactly know where money and other resources came from to run this massive effort, made extremely dangerous by the pandemic. Lately, he and his co-workers have taken the stop-gap measure to the next level by forming a cooperative to distribute fresh and nutritious food to the poor and elderly, much like the MOW program. This is his vocation, at least for now. Therefore, today he is a benevolent entrepreneur, carrying on his passion for music on the side. He would have made his grandmother very proud if she were alive today.

1. https://mowtampa.org/ history/

2. Photo credit: https:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Meals_on_Wheels (Delivery of Thanksgiving meal in Montana, 2011)

3. https://www.theseniorlist.com/blog/meals-onwheels-funding/. Also, photo credit.