Kolkata: They sing of hope in despair and of joy in suffering. They sing of the lives they lead. Tapshi, Namita, Biswajit, Dipa and Julekha all have AIDS, but this group of five refused to be overwhelmed by their illness.

They got together to form Jagriti - a band that sings about living with AIDS across villages in Bengal, urging people with the affliction to rise above their pain, and making a living doing it.

Says Tapashi Biswas, "We don't want to depend on anyone or beg. We can earn with our own skills and that is what we are doing."

Adds Biswajit, "I don't repent joining the band as I have my father and mother to look after. I will have to face the illness sometime and I will have stand up to it."

All the women who are part of Jagriti were thrown out of their marital homes after they lost their husbands to AIDS. They say their singing helps them as much as they hope it helps others.

"Initially, I felt very shy of revealing the disease, especially since my relatives demeaned me. Now, after coming here and joining the band I feel good about myself and fearless," concludes Julekha Sheikh.