Avtar Bhat
Lack of sincerity on part of the Government to promote art and culture in the State is the reason that historical Abhinav theatre of Jammu is presently in shambles as it has been completely closed down for artistic activities for last over three years now as its restoration and face lift is yet to over.
The hub of cultural and other artistic activities of the State in general and Jammu region in particular, this cultural centre is considered a prestigious theatre in Northern India.
Inaugurated in April 27, 1978 by the then Chief Minister, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah to give boost to the performing art and culture of the State, Abhinav theatre has been constructed on the name of a legendary Shivacharya of ancient Kashmir and a great Art critic of world Acharya Abhinav Gupt. But the way, the successive State governments failed to pay due attention to it indicates that they were least bothered for promotion of art and culture in the State despite the fact that entire artistic fraternity of the State is linked to it one way or the other.
One of the main problems this prestigious theatre of the State is facing is that double of the land of Abhinav Theatre has been encroached by people and a religious organisation. The theatre which has over 73 Kanals of land as per revenue records for which it pays money to Revenue Department has presently 26 to 27 kanls under its control and rest has been encroached upon. But failure of authorities to restore the same has been a cause of concern for artistic fraternity of the State, says M L Kemu a renowned theatre personality of the State and former Deputy Secretary of Cultural Academy.
Mr Kemu holds the bad administration and placement of untrained people at the helm of affairs for the present condition of Abhinav Theatre. The Government has totally ignored this theatre which is the cause of simmering resentment among artists and art lovers, he adds.
The failure of Government to provide due attention towards the promotion of art and culture in the State has been one of the causes that people in Ladakh want UT Status as they are art lovers and want to keep their art and culture alive, saysKemu. He says that common engineers can’t do justice to renovation and giving face lift to it as theatre architecture is altogether a different architecture.
It is shameful that the land of the Academy which hasGovernor as its patron and Chief Minister as president has been encroached and the authorities have failed to restore it, says Mohan Singh president Duggar Manch. The theatre is in a shambles at present and non functional for over last three years despite the fact that it is the only theatre for the registered artists who can perform here on lesser rates, he adds.
The activities of these artists have come to a halt now as other auditoriums Police auditorium, University and college is beyond their reach, says Singh, adding it was one of the best theatres of North India when constructed.
The non seriousness of the Government towards proper upkeep of the Abhinav theatre can be gauged from the fact that entire library and other cultural books were destroyed as water oozed in Art Gallery of the academy during Monsoon this year like a spring. These books were a great treasure of the State, adds Mohan Singh.
The drain has been already constructed beneath the theatre for drainage of rain and seepage water but it needs to be cleaned once in a year especially in June or July, says Mr Kemu. But this is not being done by the incompetent administration due to which the result was obvious, he adds.
This building of Abhinav theatre was exclusively constructed for performing artists but it has been used as the office building by Cultural Academy also which does not have its separate office, says Narsingh Dev Jamwal, a great sculptor of the State and Sahitya Academy and Sangeet NatakAcademy Award winner .
The Academy has taken half portion under office creating impediments to performing artists, he says, adding there is no proper maintenance of theatre as the entire drainage water oozes into the ground floor of the theatre. The officials-politicians wrangles last time has also been a constraint in speedy renovation of the theatre, says, Vijay Malla theatrist and senior Fellowship awardee. The funds were also blocked because the former Minister and the then Secretary were not seeing eye to eye with each other with theresult the performing artists were put to heavy loss, he adds.
The condition of the Abhinav Theatre has deteriorated to such an extent that no drama festival was performed there for last three years, says Jamwal, adding all the cultural programmes of Jammu are shifted to Women College Gandhi Nagar and this way the Cultural Academy suffers a huge financial loss.
Maintaining that the administrative lacunas are the main cause, he says that there are no proper seating arrangements in the theatre. Though Government claims that the Hall will be restored by next month but they lack seriousness in this regard, he adds.
He says the gadgets and sound system is no where in sight in Abhinav Theatre and artists vouch for its early restoration. Though it has been constructed for artists but has become only a Government office now, he adds.
Eexpressing the apprehension that the hall may collapse due a oozing of water, Vijay Malla lambasted the authorities for not taking any action on the demand of artists to construct an open theatre in the premises of Abhinav Theatre.
Abhinav Theatre was last time renovated in 1999 partially, say insiders and it needed immediate attention to better sound system and air conditioning which have become outdated. Besides, leakages were the main problem that was to be checked so the renovation of the theatre had become mandatory, they added.
Maintaining that renovation project was started four to five years back, Prof Lalit Gupta a renowned art critic of the State and a free lancer says the work was done by PWD. Besides the civil work, the AC Plant was also changed. For designing and interior layout of the theatre a two member committee comprising of Bansi Kaul and M K Raina was constituted. Besides, for proper seating arrangements another committee was constituted to which Prof Gupta and renowned theatre personality of the State Balwant Thakur were the members.,he adds.
He says that till the Committee was constituted, the carpets and chairs were laid without knowing what is the requirement of the theatre and without taking the advice of experts in the field and what should be the size of the seat etc. The Committee put its feet down and suggested proper auditorium type seating arrangements and gave an idea of installation of push back six seats on pattern of Tagore Hall Srinagar, he adds.
Prof Gupta says one of the constraints in timely renovation of the hall was that funds were erratic.
He says that during last 10 years three ministers assumed of the office. These officers these included Rigzon Johra, Raman now Priya Sethi but the work is yet to be completed.
He says Mushtaq Kak and other artists wrote letters to government about the damage caused to art gallery and books due to floods as it has been a big concern of artists fraternity. He however expressed the hope that the theatre will also be restored to artists as Tagore Hall Srinagar was restored recently and Government was under constant pressure to restore the Abhinav Theatre by the time of Darbar move.
Exuding confidence that the Theatre will be restored by next month, Additional secretary Cultural Academy Dr Arvinder Singh Amn says that work which was stopped earlier due to funds problem has been now restored. The Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayed and MoS for Education and Culture Priya Sethi are taking personal interest in completion of work as early as possible so that the Abhinav Theatre is restored to artists.
He says the seating arrangements has been changed and reduced to some extent. The front row has been removed and the platform has been raised by eight inch to modernise it and make it more attractive.
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