The irony of ink: Rabha Divas Begins With Protest by a Cartoonist

The pen of Nituparna Rajbongshi, one of Assam's most well-known editorial and political cartoonists, has already broken through the ceremonial silence as the state silently welcomes Rabha Divas today, the day of remembrance for the revolutionary artist and thinker Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha.

In a series of scathing, satirical cartoons published early in the morning, Rajbongshi has produced a visual protest that honors Rabha's history while also reclaiming it from amnesia, tokenism, and appropriation.
Rabha's well-known lyric "two goats," which was first inscribed on a college wall during the liberation movement, has been brilliantly reworked by Rajbongshi. Rabha had penned those lines to caution that while the poor will continue to be sacrificed on the altar of elite politics, India's independence might only serve to alter the color of the ruling class.

Remembering Kalaguru Bishnu Prasad Rabha

Rabha, who was born on January 31, 1909, was more than just a performer. Actor, musician, poet, dramatist, dancer, filmmaker, and most importantly, a revolutionary Marxist who stood with the oppressed, he was a multihyphenate talent. Disillusioned by the Congress's lack of interest after independence, he stood with farmers, laborers, and tribal tribes as the "Sainik Silpi" (Soldier-Artist).
He famously remarked, "The people must be awakened by true art." However, his politics are now buried, while his work is honored.

Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan had given him the moniker "Kalaguru" for his Tandava performance in Varanasi, but his poems, such as "two goats," still offers a chilling critique of treachery and power.
Rabha Divas, which is celebrated on June 20, 1969, is a day that is frequently devoted to photo ops and flower tributes, forgetting the fire that once fueled Rabha's soul.