STATE BLIGHT

THE dimly-lit room has little to show of the glitzy remains of the previous night. At 11.30 a.m., its 100-odd occupants, tamasha artistes...

THE dimly-lit room has little to show of the glitzy remains of the previous night. At 11.30 a.m., its 100-odd occupants, tamasha artistes, are just rousing themselves from sleep as they gather their sheets and pillows from the benches that till 12 hours ago seated raucous patrons who responded to every step on stage with whistles and applause. Post midnight, they simply double up as beds for the exhausted performers.

Today is a Thursday and at the Arya Bhushan Kala Kendra located in the heart of Pune, the tamasha artists are waking up to this weekly health camp. A corner room at the far end of the wada, the Pune equivalent of a Mumbai chawl, is seeing a flurry of activity as a partition screen, some boxes and bottles are carried inside. After living for years with health problems like hypertension, arthritis, cramps, anemia, sexually transmitted diseases and even heart ailments, they now understand the need to take stock of their health. And of late, the warning bells are getting ominous as they are up against another scourge: HIV/AIDS.

The tamasha has declined as an art form patronised by the royalty during the reign of the Peshwas in the 17th century to its present state where it has to battle several stigmas. Dwindling audiences, lack of state support and the poor health of the artistes have all spelt misfortune for the performers.

In many cases, it has also made the line that separates them as performers from sex workers a diaphanous one. From having one malak who 8216;owned8217; the dancer and whose children she conceived in return for maintenance, tamasha artists today are known to have varied relationships and multiple partners, putting them in a 8216;very high risk8217; HIV category.

While Pune has not reported any HIV cases yet, there have been instances from places like Narayangaon and other areas. This compounds the problems the artistes are already grappling with8212;of social stigma and a host of medical ailments thanks to their vocation that demands long hours on the dance floor and irregular eating patterns.

Meera Nagarkar is only 35 but suffers from a chronic heart ailment. She says the condition of her heart doesn8217;t allow her to dance but she has to do it for the sake of her family back home. At 30, Mala Jalgaon complains of persistent pain in her feet the ghungroos weight about 10 kilos together, acidity and anemia. These and many other instances that remained hidden for years are addressed every Thursday at this wada.

Crowded together in the make-shift clinic, the women have only recently learnt to accept and trust the camps initiated by Pathfinders International, an NGO. 8220;Our main thrust is teaching them about hygiene, nutrition and safe sex practices,8221; says Dr. Shabnam Khan who conducts the health tests in 10 theatres in Pune district.

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Traditionally, Tamasha started as the rural theatre of Maharashtra and is amongst its oldest folk arts. Incorporating theatre, song, dance, political satire and political commentary, there are two types of tamasha groups8212;theatre-based and mobile ones that perform in tents in the hinterland. The robust and risqueacute; Lavani is a vital part of the performance. With each troupe comprising both men and women, Maharashtra has about 50 such troupes based mainly in Satara, Kolhapur, Sangli, Pune and Ahmandnagar. Each tamasha has eight to 10 parties headed by women while the tamasha owner is always a man. The performers mostly belong to poor families from the interior of the state like Jalgaon or Narayangaon. None of the women marry but all have children from their patrons, whose names are never revealed.

8220;It8217;s sad that this rich heritage of the state is being allowed to fall prey to changing socio-economic forces when all efforts should have been on to preserve it well. What we are trying to do is ensure its continuation through a certain degree of empowerment to the artistes,8221; said Michelle Andina, project director of Pathfinders International.

While the performers continue with the only vocation they know despite all these odds for the Rs 4,000-5,000 that it earns them every month, none of them is willing to have their children follow in their footsteps. Almost all of them have ensured proper education for their children back home and proudly talk of a certain tamasha worker8217;s son who became a doctor, another whose daughter topped and yet another who is training to be a nurse at a local college in Pune.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More