Folk artists, percussionists and traditional pyatkar painters across villages of East Singhbhum, whose income depend on tourism, are at their wit’s end.

The coronavirus pandemic and the lockdown have left these with no earnings for around a month now.

Taking note of their plight, Jamshedpur NGO Kalamandir, which for 21 years has been working with folk artists and painters to give them more mainstream exposure, started distributing non-perishable food items to these performing artists, painters and their families.

On Saturday, Kalamandir representatives visited seven villages under Dhalbhumgarh and Ghatshila to distribute rice, lentils, cooking oil, matchboxes, salt, sugar and other grocery essentials.

Kalamandir has also asked people to donate money to help these performers and painters.

Amitava Ghosh, vice president, Kalamandir, underlined the difference between daily wage labourers and folk artistes in villages.

“The difference between daily wage earners and these folk artists is that the former will have a readymade market once the situation becomes even a little normal. But even in normal times, social workers have to create a market for tribal paintings and dances and so on. These people are entirely dependent on tourists who appreciate offbeat entertainment or art. So we don’t know whether the demand for their performances and art will revive even once the Covid-19 threat subsides. There will be a big gap in their earnings before tourism revives,” Ghosh said. “That’s why we decided to pitch in and help them, and we appeal to all to help with whatever they can.”

NGO Kalamandir has so far identified 497 such artistes in East Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharsawan.

“Beside food grains, we are also donating masks, sanitisers, gloves, and mobile recharge coupons for village and panchayat level volunteers,” Ghosh said.

Ganesh Gyne, a pyatkar artist from Amadubi in Dhalbhumgarh, said he was grateful to the Kalamandir volunteers for giving them the basics at a time they had no source of income.

“We have no money and our food stocks are dwindling. Our entire livelihood depends on tourism but who will buy a painting or watch a dance during the coronavirus pandemic?” he asked.