Some visually impaired women in Kolkata are using theatre to connect with the world around them. These women belong to the ‘Blind Opera’, a performing art ensemble which is one of its kind in India. They are rehearsing for Rabindranath Tagore's 'Chandalika', a story about an untouchable girl who realises her worth as a human being when a Buddhist monk asks her for water.

These women are of different ages and from different backgrounds; some can see partially, some are totally blind. Their common bond is love for theatre and a disability they want to surmount using theatre as a medium. This also gives them an opportunity to express the creativity hidden behind layers of denial and discrimination. One of the artists, Alpana Dutta, confesses, "I find an outlet here for my pent-up emotions. It has been a great boost to my self-confidence."

Over the centuries, theatre has been used as a therapy, tool of empowerment and social change by thinkers and activists around the world. Blind Opera is only re- establishing the fact. Founder member, Subhashis Gangopadhyay explained, "Theatre helps build confidence and the ability to communicate with the sighted world. It also helps blind people feel they belong to the mainstream, a fact that shows in their body language."

He thought of setting up the Blind Opera when he and a few like-minded colleagues conducted a workshop at the Calcutta Blind School. After the event was over, the participants wanted to continue their training in the performing arts. Gangopadhyay and his friends saw this as an opportunity for social change, and broke away from their regular theatre group to develop the Blind Opera.

Launched in 1996, it receives funding from the Government of India's Education Fund for workshops in blind schools across West Bengal.

The Opera regularly gets rave reviews for its shows.