DASARATHI SETH - "1..2..3..STATUE"

As kids, each one of you must have played the popular children’s game “1..2..3..STATUE”. It is where one has to make his body still for a while to beat his competitor. But can you imagine to stand still like that in a  posture for hours together.  This is exactly what Dasarathi Seth of village Kumbhari, Odisha is doing as a vocation. He dresses himself as none other than the Father of the Nation i.e. Mahatma Gandhi. You could find his shows in different jatras (fairs) of Orissa and the adjoining state of Chattisgarh.

Barely when he was twenty years old, he was inspired to perform as a statue after watching a scene from the movie Coolie. Instead of being an entertainer, he thought to pay tribute to the Father of the Nation and took the avatar of Mahatma Gandhi. In the last 15 years he has performed at different places be it Sitalsasthi Jatra of Sambalpur,  Balijatra of Salepur, Dhanujatra of Bargarh or Gaja-udhara Mahatsov of Jajpur. He explored this nischal-kala (static-form) to be an art, which is otherwise unknown to the world. He thinks this art form is on the nascent stage and needs to be promoted by the media to get the attention of the mass.

Now at the age of 37, he had to shave his head for each and every show. In an average he had to tonsure his head 50 to 60 times a year, which made him a virtual bald-headed man at the middle age of  his life.  He applies silver varnish on his bare body for each show. At times he develops skin allergy and irritation of eyes because of  the hazardous chemical substance that is present in these paints.

He stands unmoved for three to eight hours on stage for each show. Once he even went to the extreme of 12 hours show without drinking even a glass of water. At Himgiri  of Sundargarh he stood  barefoot on  ice  for three hours with Gandhiji’s costume. He had to face quite a few difficulties during  his shows. The most common being the flying insects  which  cause trouble to his eyes. On the other hand the hot weather that gives unavoidable sweating. He recounts an event. While doing a show at Barpali College a student pricked a pin on his body to break his sadhana (penance). 

When he undo his make-up he returns his village to assist his father in the family vocation of washing clothes, as he is a  dhuba (washerman)  by  caste.  This is how an ordinary Indian attempts to stand for the cause of art. He confess many times he failed to stand still even for 15 minutes with the costume of Bapu. So God knows how Gandhiji was able to stand a life-time on the path of  truth and non-violence.

Here he goes for the next show 1..2..3..STATUE…….

kiranbima@gmail.com

E. KIRAN MOHAN,

C\o. Dr.E.R.Rao (M.D.)

Tehsilchowk,

At\PO – BARPALI – 768 029

Orissa, India

Cell: 91 – 99 371 20565