Lalit Gupta
JAMMU, Mar 23: Gabarghichor, the play in Hindi/ Bhojpuri/ Maghi by The Fact Art and Culture Society, Begusarai, marked with a theatrical idiom comprising of earthy rhythms of folk music came out as a calming experience which was a total contrast from yesterday’s high voltage political play Chanayka.
Staged on second day of the ongoing Jammu Chapter of 8th Theatre Olympiad, organised by National School of Drama, in collaboration with J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, at the Abhinav Theatre, here today, the play Gabarghichor has been written by Bhikhari Thakur and directed by Pravin Kumar Gunjan.
Based on a folktale of Bihar, the play has contemporary relevance as it brings out the age-old mind set in which it is always the women who seen as the inferior gender, are expected to make sacrifices at every level.
It is the story of the illegitimate 15 years son of Garbari and Galij’s wife. Galij returns from the town to find the village gossiping about his son Gabarichor’s parentage. He wants to take Gabarichor back to Calcutta with him but his wife and Garbari intervene. A quarrel ensues as each of them claims Gabarichor to be theirs. The panchayat decides that Gabarichor be divided into three pieces. A man comes and measures Gabarghichor’s body and agrees to do the job for four annas a piece. The mother relents and is ready to give up her claim on the son. The panchayat finally decides that Gabarichor should stay with his mother.
Gabarghichor’s production design was distinct for its formal structure called ‘Bidesiya’, which was created by play’s playwright 1887 born Bhikhari Thakur who is known as the ‘Shakespeare of Bhojpuri’. Rooted in regional cultural expressions, ‘Bidesiyas’, incorporated elements from Ramlila, Rasalilia, Birha yatra and other native performative elements moulded it into an eclectic style.
At the conclusion, the interaction session with play’s director was conducted by Ravinder Kaul, well known theatre critic.
Tomorrow, Anupam Rang Theatre Society (ARTS), Jaipur will stage Oondra, a play in Rajasthani, directed by Rakesh Khatri.
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