The second edition of the four-day Barpali Natya Utsav at Gangadhara club ground in Bargarh concluded on Wednesday.
This year the festival witnessed as many as 11 Sambalpuri plays and one Hindi play. The groups were from Jharsuguda, Boudh, Balangir, Bargarh and Subarnapur.
Play “lal Paen” (Red Water) was appropriately chosen as the opening play. It tells the plight of thousands of Hirakud dam displaced people. The dam not only engulfs people’s inherited property but also shatters their long seen dreams. The play nicely weaves the love story of Arun and Ahalya. Both die in the Mahanadi water turning the water literally red. The play was staged by the Mirror Theatre Group of Belpahad and was directed by Subhash Chandra Pradhan.
“Baba Badha” staged on the inaugural evening was a comic play describing the rise and fall of pakhandi (fake) babas. The play written and directed by Sumanta Bhoi opens on the court of Yamraj, the god of death, where a pakhandi baba’s hearing is going on. Then the baba’s misdoings are shown on a flashback. Binapani Sahitya Kala Sansad staged the play. The other play of the first evening was “Ghantir Suna Paisa Muna”, written and directed by Raj Kumar Sahoo and staged by Sachetan Hema, a Bargarh-based theatre group.
On the second evening, out of three plays, “Night Doctor” was played. Next to god, people have tons of faith on a doctor. But how some doctors unhesitatingly play with the faith of people is the core theme. With a comic tone, the play went well with the audience. The young director, Sumanta Bhoi, in a comical way tries to give a message that god can never be replaced by money. And, the doctors should never be money minded. The artists of Binapani Sahitya Kala Sansad of Subarnapur displayed their best.
The other two plays presented on the second evening were “Akhadua Raja” by the students of Baudh-based Sauripalli Project Upper Primary School and “Kath Putla” by Kabi Kalakar Sangha of Dungurupalli.
“Dakshina” a production of lOO, a theatre group from Padampur, was a much awaited play. The play staged on the third evening describes how a retired teacher fights against corruption, and finally succumbs to it. The presentation style was so neat that the audience just sat glued to their seats as the play was underway. Deputy Director Josobanta Samal in the State Education Department has written the play, while Kesha Ranjan Pradhan directed it.
Another play, “Pat Buka” was on animal sacrifice. Though the topic was appealing, the presentation style failed to impress. Udian Tara of Veden staged the play under direction of Mahendra Seth. The third play was “Abhaga” by Sir Sangam from Balangir. The eldest son of a family, who lost his past loitering here and there, says he is of no use to the family as he fails to buy medicine for his ailing mother who finally dies. The play was written and directed by Nisar Ahammad Nisar.
On the concluding evening, three plays “Mera Bharat Mahan,” “Buka” and “lalsa” were staged by Sanskrutika Bikash Kendra of Polsagura, Boudh, Chetna Natya Anusthan of Sohela, Bargarh and Natyarsshmi of Tulandi, Bargarh respectively. Chandan Mahapatra directed “Mera Bharat Mahan” which tells the value of patriotism. Kishore Sahu directed “Buka” that tickles the audience but at the same time moves them with a message that a god or goddess doesn’t wish sacrifice of His/Her children. Abinash Mahapatra, director of “lalsa”, tries to tell how greed resulted in unhappiness.
On the occasion, Bhagabat Pradhan of Barpali was awarded with “Bharatmuni Samman”. Yudhisthira Pradhan, Yudhisthira Mahattam, Surubabu Meher and Seikh Fareed all, who are of Barpali, received Natya Gaurav Samman.
Natya Utsav Committee president Prabhu Mahanty attributed the success of this year’s festival to the audience who attended all the four days in good number.
Barpali, the birthplace of Swabhav Kabi Gangadhara Meher, was once well known for its theatrical activities. Theatre groups from this region used to participate in theatre competitions in and outside the State and bring laurels. At that time, Biju Patnaik provided some financial assistance and thus Gangadhara Rangamancha was established. But today that auditorium is in a dilapidated condition. The theatre groups are facing a lot of problems in staging plays here in open air. On the other hand, the State Culture Department is happy with the Rabindra Mandap and Bhanjakala Mandap in Bhubaneswar believing that theatre is improving.