Civil Ritual, NGOs, and Rural Mobilization in Medinipur District, West Bengal

This article seeks to investigate the effectiveness of non-governmental organizations in their dealings with rural populations in West Bengal, India. It focuses specifically on one case study having to do with a group of itinerant scroll painters, known as Patuas, and their interactions with a variety of organizations who have sought their assistance in disseminating information in a traditional manner concerning numerous topics pertaining to health and hygiene, ecological matters, gender equality, as well as a host: of other social issues. The tentative conclusion reached is that however well intentioned such schemes for development might be, they have only a limited impact on engaging people to act collectively to bring about developmental change. The goal of modernity, however conceived, is not something that can be achieved overnight. To be more successful, long-term engagement is therefore necessary to bring about the desired consequences.