Pujo, Theatre, and Streets - A Public Woman's Journey

Enter the world of the public realm - but with an invisible woman entertainer. In this immersive experience we travel through not only the lanes of Calcutta but also through time.

We re-live the late 1700s to mid 1800s - when Calcutta was a land of grandeur, baiji dance, intoxication and a cut-throat show of wealth during Durga Puja. We then travel to the advent of public theatres - Star, Minerva, among others.

The unseen baiji walking with us is now a theatre artiste of the late 1800s. In the walls of these great theatres, she silently scribbles her story of triumph, independence, and downfall.

We will traverse the lanes where the first printing presses of Calcutta sprang up. Literature on love, betrayal, and scandal, suddenly became accessible to the common folk.

We will move towards the shadowy realms of our woman companion who now works in Calcutta's red light areas. How did she lose the status of wealth and dignity from her time as the medieval courtesan?

Even with all lost, she refuses to be in the shadows. We end with a homage to her.

If you are interested in this walk, please also look out for my virtual experience of Public Women. It sets the stage for the actual walk but is an experience in itself.