INDIA: A theatre workshop explores marginalisation of Dalits, its impact on their mental health

The Blue Line project hopes to build connections and sustainable support systems within the Dalit student community in the age group of 18-24 across educational institutions within Bengaluru. It will use drama and video diaries to explore their lived experiences and respond to their emergent needs. It is an eight-week-long series, which opened to the public on April 7. The project will be facilitated by Padmalatha Ravi, who is a mutli-disciplinary artist and therapist, and Sri Vamsi Matta who is a theatre artist. His practice is influenced by his Dalit identity, experience and location.

The Blue Line Project is apart of a larger initiative called 'The Conversations in Drama' which revolves around five community-based group drama interventions with underserved groups including neuro divergent children, college students from marginalised caste backgrounds, LGBT folk, caregivers of loved ones challenged with mental health conditions or mental illness, and caregivers in the context of geriatric care. The aim is to create a space for dialogue in action around issues the groups are dealing with, building networks and resources, helping participants connect with their own agency.

The project is supported by the Museum of Art & Photography, and it is part of Wellcome Trust London's international cultural programme about mental health, Mindscapes. For details, please write to padma@nanasu.in and srivamsimatta@gmail.com

Read the full article on The Blue Line Project here

Read the full interview with drama therapist Maitri Gopalakrishna on the The Conversations in Drama initiative here