Women’s Songs from Haryana & Bihar

About

Films on Rural Women’s Songs from Bihar and Haryana

We are pleased to present a special screening of three films by Rajat Nayyar, an anthropologist and filmmaker whose work captures the deep connections between women’s singing voices and their social and spiritual worlds. These films explore how women use music to navigate patriarchal and inter-caste relationships, preserve oral traditions, and engage with their communities:

Jakari | Life Songs of Haryanvi Women (2015) — 40 mins
This documentary captures the everyday songs of Haryanvi women, reflecting pivotal life moments — from adolescence and marriage to motherhood and the delicate balance of conjugal and natal relationships.

Ropani (2017) — 26 mins A sensory ethnographic film following Aaji, a singer, spirit medium, and retired rice farmer from Bihar’s Kushwaha (OBC) community. Through her vast repertoire of Ropani songs — some passed down through generations and others developed to summon the spirit of the Devis — Aaji’s voice becomes a bridge between labor, spirituality, and tradition.

A Serious Wedding (जे सी बी रवनवा) (2024) — 20 mins
An unconventional eco-activist ethno-fiction created in collaboration with Aaji and her village community. This film highlights Bhojpuri vocal traditions through wedding songs performed for unions between humans and trees, offering a unique reflection on ecological and cultural practices.

About the Filmmaker
Rajat Nayyar is a Vanier Scholar and PhD Candidate in Theatre & Performance Studies at York University, Toronto. His work at the intersection of film, ethnography, and performance studies collaborates closely with rural communities to reimagine vocal traditions and enact new futures. Through his avant-garde media project, Espírito Kashi, he uses ethno-fiction filmmaking to preserve and evolve these rich cultural expressions.

This program is part of IME’s Women’s History Month — a festival curated to honor and amplify the vital, yet often under-recognized contributions of women in shaping India’s music landscape.

Date:
15th March 2025
01:00 PM Saturday

Venue:
IME Performance Theatre,
IME Museum,
Brigade Millennium Avenue,
JP Nagar 7th phase,
Bengaluru – 560078

Registration:
Register Here