On February 11, arts enthusiast and Staff Writer Trisha Karmakar viewed “Maati Katha (Earth Stories)”––a performance sponsored by the South Asia Institute and Dasha Epstein Visiting Scholars and Artists Fund at the Glicker-Milstein Theater.

Recently, I had the opportunity to attend Maati Katha (Earth Stories) at the Glicker-Milstein Theater. What began as an ethnographic research project documenting Bengal’s doll-making traditions evolved into a mesmerizing blend of live pottery, puppeteering, and music unlike any production I had witnessed before. Maati Katha was performed by object theater practitioner and director Choiti Ghosh, alongside Abhisar Bose and Mohammad Shameem.

Ghosh’s dolls conversed as she held them up to talk to each other. Her pottery transformed into snakes, goats, and people as she molded her clay in smooth, fluid motions. Through her artistry, she explored the deep interconnectedness between people and their land—particularly in the ecologically vulnerable Sundarbans, the vast delta spanning eastern India and Bangladesh.

I found it especially striking that everything in the performance—from Ghosh’s traditionally crafted dolls to her clay mask—was derived from mud, staying true to the production’s name, Earth Stories. This choice felt symbolic, as though everything in her play was rooted in the earth, much like how all life in the Sundarbans depends on the soil.

Ghosh frequently referenced the legend of Bonbibi—the guardian spirit of the forest—through her interpretation of Jatra Pala, a traditional form of Bengali theater incorporating music and dance. She projected short vignettes depicting life in the Sundarbans: Rimi, a prawn seed farmer attacked by crocodiles, or a villager grieving a son lost to a tiger. I couldn’t help but wonder if Ghosh’s voiceless dolls served as metaphors for these marginalized villagers, powerless against the forces of nature.

Her Jatra Pala was infused with Bengali folk songs, and the dialogue was peppered with Bengali phrases, making the performance feel deeply authentic. What I appreciated most was that Ghosh remained true to her Bengali roots rather than adapting her art to cater to a Western audience. 

As a Bengali, Maati Katha resonated with me on a personal level. The stories of villagers navigating the forests reminded me of the bedtime tales my grandmother would recount from her own childhood in Bengal. I believe that if there’s one lesson to take away from Maati Katha, it’s to remember your roots—whether in nature or in culture. I really enjoyed this performance! Anyone seeking a profound reflection on the environment, tradition, and identity is sure to enjoy it!

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