Prachyo Theatre Festival 2018

Plays Prachyo Theatre Festival 2018

Myemansingha Gitika

Myemansingha Gitika Dinesh Chandra Sen had some popular narrative ballads collected from greater Mymensingh with the help of local collectors and, after editing, published them in 1923 as a book under the title Maimansingha Gitika. After its publication it earned appreciation from all for richness of its contents and artistic quality. After reading ‘Mahua’, folk-lorist Stella Cromoreach commented- ‘in the dizziness of fever I saw Mahua, Nader Chand and Humra as if in a vision. Whatever I have studied of Indian literature, I have not come across any story so touching, so simple and so fascinating. The sad story of Mahua dazed her.

The book contains ten ballads ‘Malua, Chandravati, Kamala, Dewan Bhabna, Dosyu Kenaramer Pala, Rupabati, Kobko O Leela, Kajolrekha and Dewan Madina. The names of the writers of some of the ballads are known from their ritualistic introduction. For instance, Mahua’s writer was Dwij Kanai, Chandravati’s writer was Nayanchand Ghose, Kamala’s writer was Dwij Eishan, Dasyu Kenaramer Pala’s writer was Chandravati and Dewan Madina’s writer was Mansur Bayati. The names of four writers are mentioned for Konka O Leela ‘ Damodar Das, Roghu Soot, Sreenath Binod and Nayanchand Ghose. The names of the writers of the other ballads are not yet known. The ballads having names of their writers are however indistinguishable in poetic style. In fact, they largely appear similar in themes, artistic and linguistic styles and presentation. The stories have been picked up from the folk society and local history.

The ballads primarily feature the life stories of the mortal beings and not of religion. Except the Dasyu Kenaramer Pala, all other nine ballads reflect the worldly loves of men and women, some ending as comedies and others as tragedies. The ballads are named after the heroines. The roles of the heroines are brighter and more lively compared to those of the heroes. The heroines struggle more and sacrifice more than their men in establishing the depth of love. The steadfastness of women’s love and boldness of their character make some critics believe that the ballads may have been influenced by some matriarchal society. In eulogizing the roles of female characters, Dinesh Chandra Sen claims in the foreword of the book: ‘The female characters of the ballads vividly reflect invincible forces in love, inviolable purity of self-respect and humiliating defeat of the oppressors. Womanhood has risen not by memorizing religious hymns but by way of love.’

By analyzing the period of appearance of the writers, the themes of the ballads, socio-economic background and linguistic features, it is assumed that the ballads were written in the Middle Age. ‘Kajolrekha’ is a legendary ballad. Its theme is of ancient nature. All other ballads reflect the social ideas and values of medieval society. Such characters as kings, zamindars, dewans, kazis, karkuns or revenue officials, saodagar or merchants, pirs and darveshes, sadhus and sanyasis indicate Muslim rule. Despite bearing the values of a feudal society, the ballads of Maimansingha Gitika uphold the supremacy of human love, individuality of persons, concern for worldly affairs and values of morality. These features have given the ballads such literary merit and status as comparable to those of the novels of the modern times.

In this context, mention may be made of the Purbababga Gitika. Following the success of his Maimansingha Gitika, Dineshchandra Sen collected many more ballads from such areas as Mymensingh, Noakhali and Chittagong and after editing published them as Purbobanga Gitika (1926) in three volumes. Local village people call them ‘pala gan’. Dineshchandra Sen used ‘gitika’ to render English term ‘ballad’ into Bengali. Bengali ballads are narrative stories in songs. But these have enough spaces for dramatic dialogues. A singer narrates the entire story and dialogues of the dramatic characters in songs. Choristers repeat after him as the musicians play on their instruments. The common rural folks are the audience. They sit around the stage to enjoy in utter enchantment the musical and dramatic beauty of the ballads.

Nurulddiner Sarajibon

In 1765 A.D. the East India Company purchased Bengal, Bihar and Orissa from the Emperor of Delhi, 2^nd Shah Alam. But this purchase did not prove to be economically beneficial for the Company and hence in 1770 the Company stared at a possible bankruptcy. In order to generate revenue, the Company started to torture the peasants in an inhuman manner. Because of this gruesome situation, Bengal experienced her first famine that year. The Company’s actions were strongly condemned in the House of Lords and in order to keep the Company in check against future atrocities, the Parliament brought a new law.

From the year 1772-73, Lord Warren Hastings began to assign the revenue and tax collection duties upon Indians who were collectors during the Bengal Sultanate. Rajput Debiprasad Singha was assigned this responsibility of collecting taxes from the Rangpur region in undivided Bengal. Befriending Dimla’s ruler, Gourmohan Dosar, Debiprasad Singha tortured peasants mercilessly. The peasants surrendered their animals, even their wives and children as payment but still Singha’s torment continued. At last, they revolted. Peasants whose castes identities were heterogeneous came from Kajirhat, Kakina, Fatepur and Dimla and assembled at Tepai on the 18^th of January, 1883 to agitate against Debiprasad and declared Nurulddiner as their Nawab and Dayaram Seal as their Dewan. They formed a parallel administration in Rangpur. This revolt lasted for five weeks only. The Company regiment, under the leadership of Lieutenant McDonald killed Nurulddin on the 21^st of February.

Lalsalu

An extraordinary thing happens in the way of life and practice of the so-called ordinary people. They are less religious, less communal and more social and life-oriented. So are the people of Lalsalu. ‘They know the land and the paddy, and they know the stomach. There is no word of God. If you are reminded, there is no mistake.’ They are interested in lively, green life. Their disinterest in abandoned graves or burials leads to their disgruntled state. In the greed for power, money and glory and prestige, a cunning power-hungry Majid wants to make Mohabbatnagar (the name is notable) his empire.

And so, he uses an abandoned grave. In that grave he builds a shrine. Majid wants to become a Pir. Graves and shrines are forbidden in Islam. But Majid, like all power-hungry people, uses anti-religion for his own interests, as a religious power trader. Bengali culture is mostly Atheist. Unity amongst Hindu Bengalis and Muslim Bengalis are characterized as laughter and jokes about some so-called sacred words. Majid, like all power-hungry people, wants to change that tendency and use the weakness of the people to transform the people of Mohabbatnagar into blind believers of his Pirsamaj. Hasuni’s father and Jamila can catch this cunning ploy. They reject Majid’s power. The childless wife of Khaleq also uncovers Majid’s corruption – so Majid arranges his divorce on false charges and implicates her. Jamila puts her feet on Majid’s tomb – This symbolizes the revolt of the lower castes against the nexus of power- religion – business.

Roopsundari

Shaladevi is the central character of an event that took place in Pundra about a thousand years ago. Sacrificing oneself in the waters of the fast-flowing Karatoya river to preserve one’s chastity and arranging an Ablution and the fair of Banni at the place where her body floats – all are the rumours and refuge of legends. Whatever the case, the name of the writer’s mental illness was Shiladevi’s sacrifice. In order to suppress that pain, sheltered at the juncture of British rule, one story was adapted, named – Roopsundori.

In the touch of development, modernity is observed at the level of creation, but the attitudes of men towards women remain unchanged thousands of years ago and after. Roopsundori is just a representation of that aspect. On mother’s advice, Sundori goes around in disguise to hide her beauty in various places. She meets with Chholim at the fair of Banni. Incidentally, she takes shelter in Chholim’s home. They marry each other. The beauty of Sundori opens up. The greedy gaze of the talukdar fell on Sundori. As the result, Chholim dies; Sundori dies!

Champabati

Champaboti was the beautiful and attractive wife of Goya Baidyal. Snake charmers use to anchor their boat with snakes to do snake charming in different harbours. The group of snake charmers float from harbour to harbour. They use to do snake charming shows along with dance and music for their living and survival. Likewise, in their daily as usual floating life they anchored at the bank of the river Padma. To do snake charming shows, they left their boats and went into the village. On the way Champaboti mate with Mainkya, the follower of Morol of this village. He told Morol about those snake charmers in the village along with the amazingly seductive Champaboti.

Champabati did snake charming shows along with her husband Goya Baidya and others in front of Morol. The lustful eyes of Morol spotted on Champabati. He told others to leave Champabati with him. Hearing those words Goya Baidya got angry like mad. Morol ordered his lathial army to kill every snake charmers of those boats. To save other charmers life, Champabati agreed to stay with Morol after hearing worm conversation turned into fights. Goya Baidya misunderstood Champabati and moved to some other harbour along with his people. He married another charmer woman named Ashmani to forget Champabati. Champabati’s days passpassing by very badly in Morol’s house. Baisnobi tells whereabouts of Baidya’s boats to her. Champabati feels to be disturbed. Morol cuts Champabati’s hair while she didn’t agree to compromise. Morol’s wife could not bear the painful condition of Champabati. What will she do! After all she is a woman! She is helpless! Champabati got beaten by Morol to get her physically. Morol’s wife got furious then. She can’t tolerate physical harassment of a woman. She helped Champabati to escape from Morol’s claw. Champabati ran towards snake charmers’ boats and soaked in a depressed situation. Goya Baidya got snake bite. Ashmani failed to remove poison after a hundred try. Goya remember Champabati. Champabati sucked out the poison from Goya’s body by her mouth and embrace death. Champabati turned into blue.

Matbring

“Wangal” is festival of harvest, Kanu Sangma the Mandi-tribal boy who is intoxicated by his addiction towards the festival. He madly falls in love with Mitti Faroque, a girl in the tribe. He used to run endlessly in the forest after sound of jhumar of Mitti. Whereas, Mitti used to run after her favorite pet Fighter(rabbit). Kanu cannot bare Mitti’s love for fighter and out of jealousy he kills the rabbit with his lance. This incident wreaks havoc in Mitti’s heart and she reacts voliolently towrads kanu. Few days later, Kanu hears Mitti’s scream from the forest. He follows her sound inside the forest and founds out Mitti got attacked by a wild bull. He charges after the bull and kills it and later the whole tribe feasts on the bull. Then Kanu and Mitti fall in love. Her mother doesn’t approve of their relationship, she wants her daughter to get a job in the city.

As their tribe were always deprived of their land from the government in the name of development and betterment of the tribe. They might lose their land anytime, so it is better to have a new livelihood in the city. This affects kanu, question arises in his mind. If he loses the mother forest then he might lose mitti forever. So, he leaves back everyone and goes to city, there finds a job as a watchman. Whereas mitti’s mother wants to send her daughter to city to earn for their living. Mitti does’nt want to leave, she wants to wait for kanu to come back and be together. In the meantime, ‘ Country Housing and Developing Company’ comes in the forest reaches with an agreement. Where they will take over their land and tranform it into tourist spot and rehabilitate the tribe. Kalabati Sangma reminds the tribe how they were neglected repeatedly all the years in the name of development. Will the tribe able to save their land? Will the tribe able to save their existence? Will Kamu and Mitti ever be together?

Helen Keller

The story of standing up against all negativity despite being a blind and deaf woman with strong self-confidence and the ultra-human motivation of her teacher Anne Sullivan. The drama reveals the true nature of the strong influence of Rabindranath Tagore in the life of Helen Keller. Speaks out her clear stand for the Women’s Awakening- Humanism and against the war-destruction-violence-racism and nuclear weapons. Besides, the various perfections and imperfections of her personal life are also raised. The ultimate success of life is to be able to fight against innumerable adversities and to be dedicated to human welfare – this higher education became the main thing till the end in the production, based on the biography of Helen Keller.