Little Magazines, Street Theatres, Local Bands — How Niche May Survive in the Cultural Cauldron?

I am aware of Borno Anonyo (https://www.facebook.com/bornoanonyo), a talented musical group based out of Kolkata. I had been catching up on their content on YouTube for a while, and though I have a limited understanding of music, I did like what I heard so far.

So when one of the co-founders Rajarshi Ghosh updated me on an online concert, I joined. Lo and behold about it, even though I registered. But I could catch up — and enjoyed it.

The music aside, some of the performers spoke about some pertinent issues and challenges that small bands like Borno Anonyo face in an age of corporatization. And I suppose that is not an isolated case.

The big money has entered every space of creation. It is not a new phenomenon, but a growing one for sure. Identification of talent (primarily based on potential business success), covering the cost of guided creations, and then using marketing power to make it a success is the name of the game.

So does that mean that the small niche players, may not be keen to toe the corporate lines (at least blindly)? As one said during the show, it is like Matsya Nyaya, where the big fish eat the small ones.

But that is a reality in business, whichever name we call it (well monopoly, duopoly, chaebol — it differs based on the language), and possibly inevitable when the same methods and metrics will be applied to art.

But probably there is a difference. Art by definition is about catering to our senses, and long-tail is more important than the mass market.

Good stuff to talk about — but where is the money? And there is the puzzle that needs a look.

In the good old days, society considered specific people as custodians — Brahmins for knowledge, Kshatriya for valor, Vaishyas for wealth, and Sudras for skills. And since Brahmins (or the ones who were involved in election professions) were who were responsible for cultivating and carrying forward what is cerebral, society devised ways for their well-being.

So some emperors or kings or zamindars will be patronizing the art through his courts. Akbar’s Nav Ratna is famous. But we still have rituals where the Brahmins are called for food and sent off with rice, clothes, and cash. The idea is they should not be bothered about the well-being of the family while having higher pursuits. Such arrangements are there in other religions too.

The caste system is now collapsing (rightly), and so-called Brahmins are more into grabbing than any higher pursuits. But who will ensure that the ones who want to follow the lonely path are supported?

With state and public funding retreating everywhere, probably the ones are on the Aam Janta, the common people. Like buying books by unknown authors, or subscribing to the little magazines — so that at least they cover the cost and survive.

May the model Borno Anonyo and other such art custodians propounding succeed. It will only make us richer.