Election time is when the phrase ‘writing on the wall’ also assumes a literal meaning in West Bengal, with artists and wordsmiths joining hands to paint catchy slogans. But there is one village in the State where, in spite of the forthcoming panchayat elections, walls are completely free of political graffiti.
In Lalbazar, located on the western fringes of the State, about 4 km from Jhargram, the walls of all the homes are adorned with paintings, something that makes the settlement a tourist spot. This was not the case until 2018, when the village, like most others, saw its share of political messages on the walls.
That was when Mrinal Mandal, a Kolkata-based artist in search of folk art of Bengal, was so captivated by the charm of this tiny village of about 100 people that he decided to make it his second home. With the support of Chalchitra Academy in Kolkata, he began arranging workshops in the settlement to teach art to its inhabitants, most of them farm labourers or owners of small farms.
