Our society is characterized by a complex social system with different classes, caste, tribes, and creeds. The maximum rate of illiteracy and poverty added to the inadequacy of the mass media to reach almost people who reside in villages in India. The mass media proved to them to be glamorous, impersonal and unbelievable in comparison with the familiar performance of traditional artist whom the villagers could not only see and hear but even touch emotionally. The Traditional Folk media can be used to reach to them in the process of change and development of the country. The Traditional Folk media have a remarkable impact on rural society because of their acceptable idioms, functional significance and entertainment component. Traditional Folk media can overcome the difficulty of language, speech, words and other barriers of communication like, interest, understanding, interpretation, attitude and perception. While a lot of modification may be needed to convey social, Agricultural as well as cultural messages, Traditional Folk media will easily carry social issue related to the rural development. Nowadays, both the Traditional Folk and modern media are complementing each other. Therefore, we need to keep our Traditional Folk media alive by continuously and cautiously, as well as possible with the modern media. These Traditional Folk media will not only help in the development activities, but will also help in preserving and transmitting our culture, tradition and values to the next generation. The role of communication has been very significant since the beginning of history from villages. With the development of science and technology, the forms and way of communication have become more specialized. West Bengal is characterized by a diverse social structure comprising different castes, tribes, religious communities, and linguistic groups. During the period 2000–2010, a significant proportion of the state's population resided in rural areas, where poverty, illiteracy, and limited access to modern communication technologies remained major challenges. Although mass media such as television, newspapers, and radio expanded during this period, their reach and effectiveness were often constrained in remote villages due to economic, educational, and infrastructural barriers. In this context, traditional folk media emerged as important channels of communication for disseminating information and promoting rural development. Folk media forms such as Jatra, Baul songs, Kavigan, Alkap, Gambhira, Patachitra songs, and puppet shows have long been embedded in the cultural life of rural West Bengal. These media are closely connected with local traditions, beliefs, and social practices, making them more acceptable and credible among rural audiences than many modern media channels. Their use of local dialects, music, storytelling, and direct audience interaction enables them to overcome barriers related to language, literacy, and comprehension. As a result, folk media have been widely utilized to communicate messages related to health, education, agriculture, environmental awareness, women’s empowerment, and social reform. Various government departments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and community-based organizations in West Bengal increasingly employed folk media for development communication campaigns. The participatory and entertaining nature of these media helped create awareness and encouraged community involvement in developmental activities. At the same time, folk media played a vital role in preserving the cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge of rural communities. Therefore, despite the growing influence of modern communication technologies, traditional and folk media continued to serve as effective instruments of rural communication and social awareness in West Bengal. Their integration with modern media offers significant potential for strengthening development communication and promoting sustainable rural development.
Gopa Pramanik (Thu,) studied this question.