Theatre in God’s language

With the founding headquarters of India’s most renowned institution propagating the study of Sanskrit language placed here along with a special university teaching modern subjects associated with traditional wisdom of Sanskrit, Nagpur’s Sanskrit theatre is set to bloom like never before.

Award-winning director in Marathi amateur theatre, Roshan Nandavanshi dared to submit an entry in the Sanskrit Theatre Festival last year and his experience in his own words was “amazing”.

“We won many prizes and stood third in the contest, on our debut. My artists are proud to speak Sanskrit. They appear more confident on stage, even their Marathi has improved,” says Roshan, reiterating his resolution to participate in the Sanskrit Theatre Festival this year, too.

Many groups like Roshan’s are gearing up to take up Sanskrit theatre these days, thanks to senior theatre activist Shraddha Telang’s dedicated effort since last two decades. A retired teacher of Sanskrit at Bhide Kanya Shala, and Joint Secretary of Sanskrit Bhasha Pracharini Sabha, Nagpur, Telang is the one who has single-handedly nurtured and protected Sanskrit theatre in Nagpur through odd times, helping it turn into a full fledged activity. However, Shraddha Telang humbly gives all credit to the institutions propagating the study of Sanskrit language.
“Sanskrit Bhasha Pracharini Sabha and Kavi Kulguru Kalidas Sanskrit University are the main pillars encouraging youngsters to take up Sanskrit to build their careers,” she says. While the 65-year-old ‘Pracharini Sabha’ is now the leading Sanskrit body in India; Kalidas University, too, is encouraging good Sanskrit plays by giving them exposure as varsity’s official entry in international-level Sanskrit conferences.

Shraddha Telang
(Pic by Anil Futane)

“Drama is regarded as the highest achievement in Sanskrit literature. I used to act in Marathi plays during my college days. As a teacher and being associated with Pracharini Sabha, I now concentrate on Sanskrit theatre,” Telang recalls. She has as many as 25 Sanskrit plays, and many state-level awards to her credit as a director, actor and producer. However, her contribution to Sanskrit theatre, as a promoter and patron, is a lot more than this.

Noted Marathi theatre actors Shweta Pendse
and Abhishek Munshi in a play
‘Narihridayavilasaha’.
Many renowned actors from Nagpur
have proudly worked on the Sanskrit stage
in recent years.
(Pic by Sanjeeb Ganguly)

“As a Sanskrit lover, the ‘dead language’ remark for the mother of all Indian languages is very painful. But, unfortunately, it is true as little significant is being produced as ‘literature’ in Sanskrit these days. We have our greatest wisdom written in Sanskrit only, but, what about new literature?” she asks, raising the genuine issue. She also provides solution to the issue. “We have scholars of Sanskrit around and they are ready to help. When I requested Dr Leena Rastogi to translate a Marathi play in Sanskrit for me, she was more than happy,” says Telang, who has urged many scholars to write, speak in Sanskrit and act in such plays. 
Sanskrit drama is no more just mythology or stories about legends of Kings and Queens. The present theatre deals with contemporary issues of the common man. They use modern techniques and simpler, conversational form of language. Hence, Nagpur’s Sanskrit plays are earning accolades everywhere. Two plays translated in Sanskrit by Dr Leena Rastogi -- ‘Bandu Abhinayam Karoti’ and ‘Gruhahinaha’ -- have been adjudged best in state-level contest in last two years. “If we repeat the performance this year too, our group will earn the prestigious ‘Manyawar’ honour,” Telang says with a smile. Last year, five out of nine entries in State Sanskrit Theatre Festival were from Nagpur. Hence, the contest was held in the city. “We want more and more people to see Sanskrit plays. In Nagpur, we have an ideal atmosphere. Hence, Sanskrit theatre contest should be organised here only,” she demands.

It is difficult, but mellifluent in speech, ancient, but melodious and rigid, but flowing in recitation -- the language of the deities is all set to make re-entry in the Indian lifestyle – this time in the form of theatre – through the Sanskrit plays of Nagpur.

Life. A musical.

Listening a strenuous ‘Ahir Bhairav’ Bandish in his penance-gained voice is celestial.

Feeling an emotion-filled Ghazal of Farhat Shehzad in his velvet voice is sensual.

Moving head with mind and body, on the rocking tunes of his fusion song with Lesly Lewis is electrifying.
But, listening to the thoughts of Padmashree Hariharan, as a human being, and a stalwart of Indian classical music is an experience out of the world.

“Learning classical music is not mere education. It is a way of life. You have to live with the music and within the music. Like our ancestors dedicated their lifetime and took our music quite closer to the Almighty.”
When Hariharan says this, he appears like a Rishi with long Jatas grown on head during ages of penance.
But, he considers himself just a student of world's great school of music.

“Being ‘Guru’ is not easy. Guru only gives, expects nothing,” he says, remembering his mother, his Guru -- not only in life but also in music. “My mother is a great teacher. She teaches Karnatic music to thousands of students till date. Hundreds of them have become well known, including me, but my mother remains in the background -- happy though.”

On Mother’s Day, what a tribute from a worthy son! 

(A conversation with Hariharan on May 12, 2012, the eve of Mother's Day)

Bringing back the past glory

'Theatre Around' my new weekly column started in a special 'Sunday Sundae' suppliment of 'The Hitavada' Nagpur CityLine, from May 13. This column aims to highlight the contribution of non-Marathi theatre activity in Nagpur city's Fine Art scene. It started with an overview of Bengali Theatre, led by noted producer-director Raja Mukherjee. Here is the first part published on May 13, 2012....



Once pride of Nagpur, Bengali Theatre has fallen to hard times since last few years. But now, it is
witnessing a ‘modest revival’ in city with Raja Mukherjee’s Ekla effort...


AYON Mukherjee, all but 12-year-old, loves to be there at the practice hall when his parents — Archana and Raja Mukherjee — rehearse for their latest Bangla play. He observes every movement and can recite entire play, just like his father used to do in his childhood days.
Raja Murkherjee learned nuances of Theatre while watching his father, Shombhu Mukherjee’s plays. Today, he is carrying forward the tradition by running a lone Bangla Theatre activity in Nagpur through his group ‘Drighanchu’. With local artists, his group has been producing Bangla plays continuously for last 28 years, unmindful of public response or revenue.

“Theatre is like ancestral gift to us. When I was a kid, we shifted to Nagpur from Kolkata and my father started ‘Amra Shobai’ (We all), a drama group dedicated to Bangla plays in Nagpur. That was the period when Bengali Theatre was in its full glory in Orange City,” Raja Mukherjee, recalls days of capacity-packed shows of Bengali Association’s full length plays at Dhanwate Rang Mandir; days of year-long active Bengali Theatre — active enough to inspire the then Nagpurian Tarun Kumar Bhaduri’s daughter to opt for FTII and attain fame as Jaya Bhaduri.

Raja Mukherjee

With changing character of the community itself, Puja plays - once a cultural identity of Bengalis – witnessed a steady decline. There was a time in 1960s and ‘70s when the Association would put up four productions a year. Later, it became difficult putting up a single play. However, the Mukherjees continued their commitment to the cause.
“It is my passion. I used to see my father working hard on selecting scripts, searching amateur actors, directing them, and inviting audience for the shows. Today, he watches me doing all this, and feels proud,” smiles Raja, a teacher in Dinanath High School admitting to higher levels of difficulty in present times when many other entertainment options are available to people. There are other problems too as Shombhu Mukherjee points out, “there is a serious dearth of youngsters who can speak flawless Bangla. Writers, too, are not completely conversant with the language,” he mourns underlining the fact that haunts us all. “Poor understanding of mother tongue is India’s national crisis.”
But amid many hurdles, the Mukherjees do find the enthusiasm to carry on. “We, as a family, take every obstacle as a challenge and enjoy every moment of play within the play,” says Archana, Raja’s wife and an award-winning actress herself. 
For, Raja Mukherjee too, the promise he made to himself, is a huge driving force. “Bangla Theatre is one among the richest theaters in the world. It’s our duty to serve it as much as we can,” he says. Dhrighanchu produces at least one full-length play every year and assures at least four shows of the same. The troupe also participates in Spandan – a multilingual national-level Theatre festival organised at Rourkela. Last year, ‘Dhrighanchu’ got an opportunity to participate in Sarthak Rupayan Bengali Theatre Festival in Mumbai, and their debut play ‘Ontorer Tane’ won five important prizes.

“This year, we will have the honour of being specially invited at the prestigious festival,” adds Mukherjee, the proud producer-director of the play. This year, they are planning two plays ‘Alibabar Pachali’ and ‘Sundor’. “Our aim is to bring back lost glory to Nagpur’s Bengali Theatre. We are managing with financial crisis, attitude issues and loads of other problems, but the only thing that we expect is sensitive, aware and committed audience,” Raja concludes leaving a thought for introspection for Nagpur’s Bengali audience.

Cutting of the same article from The Hitavada's City Line Nagpur, published on May 13, 2012