Charudutta Panigrahi, Gurugram, 16th October 2022
“Khatti” — the closest English language gets to defining it is commune — can be found even in countries such as Greece, Spain and Estonia. Small group of men (it is mostly men) mill around a street corner, spending time aimlessly, at leisure. It is remarkable how the same set of people find time and newness every time they meet in similar social and physical settings, day after day. This is an ode to the human spirit, which is always craving for intimacy. Perhaps intimacy can never saturate or overwhelm us. Sociologists have discovered two distinct patterns in communes. Richard Sosis and Eric Bressler had studied 19th century communes in the US.
The first feature was that more demanding communes lasted longer. Bigger sacrifices fostered greater emotional commitment to the group. In Cuttack, Berhampur, Bhubaneswar, Sambalpur and many other parts of Odisha there are people who have run to their “khattis” throughout their working lives and even after retirement like mongoose to morphine.
Silence takes up about 15 per cent of the time in a “khatti”, that is, until one of the members is picked up for “riling”.
This riling is fun and the binding factor. No value judgements, no holds barred, the riling or the teasing takes turns. About 80 per cent of the time is spent on animated, excited discussion of politics. Communes are supposed to build communities or cohesive groups that are not necessarily homogeneous.
“Khattis” are the necessary tiny spaces within systems and compliance that unshackle minds and offer freedom.
Monetary support, networking for business development, marriage liaisons, healthcare are all matters that get sorted out in a “khatti”. Cuttack “khattis” are traditionally so strong that they are known to run almost parallel to households. So strong is the call of “khattis” that members forget chores to come and join them in the evenings. Such is the magnetism of “khattis”!
Established “khattis” convene at the same place generation after generation and there are iconic “khattis” such as the Stadium “Khatti” Ravenhaw Nakula “Khatti”, Balu Bazaar “Khatti”, Chandni Chowk “Khatti”, Chandi Mandir “Khatti”, and Buxi Bazaar “Khatti” in Cuttack. Bhubaneswar adopted “khattis” late as it was born late. But over the last three decades, Mausi Maa “Khatti”, Bapujee Nagar Jhadu “Khatti”, Jharana “Khatti”, IRC “Khatti”, in Bhubaneswar have built intergenerational relevance. Detractors say “khatti” is a place for people who have nothing else to do. But why should people always do something? Is ‘not doing anything’ also not doing something?
‘La Dolce Far Niente’ is an expression in Italian, which means the ‘sweetness of doing nothing’. Doing nothing is the opposite of the state of doing. It is the state of being. “Khattis” provide time to do nothing, to not prove a point to anyone and to drop guard and be oneself. “Khatti” is a breathing space.
Villages in Odisha also have Bhagabata “Tungis” that are socio-cultural centres. Odisha is making efforts to revive these because the “tungis” are the confluence of the quaint society of a village — where the old and young from all walks of life and all strata gather to enjoy, learn, discuss and ultimately develop and promote value systems with typical comity of Odia life.
There are “khattis” in places such as Manhattan Square. They are “khattis” on the move. The speed of life has percolated everywhere, even into the pauses of life. Some in the Bay area in the US are essentially vendors gathering and sharing a smoke before they head out to their next sales. Yes, there is banter and that classifies it as a “khatti” – a little respite from the grind.
If Jobra “Khatti” in Cuttack at one point had Akshaya Mohanty and ‘Ravenshaw rebels’ discuss campus rebellion; today seniors sitting before Jayadev Bhawan in Bhubaneswar may have the Dhamnagar bypoll or the junior World Cup football for women to discuss and debate.
Freewheeling debate and free spirit need space. “Khattis” make bohos out of conformists. They give space for counter-culturists within the contours of systems and compliance. Spaces without shackles is the key to the soft power of Odisha. “Khattis” are key to this power. You can do nothing and yet do everything by being in a “khatti”. Don’t miss life.
This article had been published earlier elsewhere. It has been republished here with some modifications with the author’s consent.