Buti Bai

Buti Bai is a 45-year-old singer from Sarhat, a remote village in the Chitrakoot district of UP. She is a Kol Adivasi and performs folk songs unique to her tribe. She started learning to sing at a very young age, taking inspiration from her grandmothers on both her paternal and maternal sides, who were both singers and dancers. Outside of music, she is involved in an association that works towards the upliftment of Kol women and teaches Math and language at a primary school in her village. She earns about 3 to 5 thousand a month doing this. She is a former member of the District Panchayat and is active in social and political causes around the district. Having lost her husband a few years ago, Booti Bai embodies grit and determination through her music and social work. She was one of the 75 women felicitated by the UP government on Mahila Diwas this year. She has performed in Delhi, Varanasi, Lucknow, Haryana and many other places. She has even travelled abroad to raise awareness about her community’s issues. Alongside music, she is a playwright and writes on topics like domestic abuse and poverty in her region. She has staged Nukkad performances of her plays.

Today, the Kol people work as wage labourers on farms and construction sites, collect wood from the forests, and sell it in Allahabad. She believes it is essential to increase the visibility of Kohl’s music because it is a testament to its history and the progress they have made. The Kohl people lived in extreme poverty, away from society, and feared law enforcement officials. The songs prove this aspect of their history and preserve the anecdotes of the previous generations. The situation has improved a lot today, but she believes it is essential not to forget their past and derive strength and determination to improve their lives.

• Bundelkhand
• Uttar Pradesh