South 24 Parganas is a district stretching from the Metropoliton Kolkata to the remote riverine villages upto the mouth of Bay of Bengal. The Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forests on earth, is spread over thirteen of the twenty-nine development blocks in the district. Due to its geographical location, people of this district face multiple environmental challenges and lack of irrigation has led to mono-cropped agriculture. Cyclonic storms mean loss of life and destruction of crops and property on a regular basis. The traditional folk forms Bonbibir Pala and Jhumur are integral to the lives of people.
The district is a hub of Jhumur music, and the folk drama form Bonbibir Pala. It is home to about 220 Jhumur artists, 252 Bonbibir Pala artists and 167 Shola artists under the RCCH initiative.
