Dhamnagar: His portrayal of the historic character Kalapahada, the destroyer of hundreds of Hindu shrines, on stage used to send chills down the spine of the audience in the 70s.
However, age has taken its toll on Jatra actor Gopal Goswami, an ardent disciple of Natyacharya late Raghunath Panda, who now spends his twilight years in isolation in his thatched house.
Even as Goswami struggles to recall his golden days when he ruled the stage and battles poor vision, the defiant stare is still evident, observed this correspondent.
“Some unforgettable moments of my Jatra days are still fresh in my memory,” said the actor.
Born in 1943 at Suryapur village under Dhusuri panchayat under this block in Bhadrak district, Goswami had created quite a sensation with his entry into the Jatra world about three decades back.
His father Golak Prasad was a postmaster but his salary was not enough to meet the need of the family which is why Goswami was brought up at his maternal uncle’s house.
After completing his education, Goswami returned to his village and joined a nearby school as a teacher. Later, he started working at the soil conservation department. However, his leaning towards acting made him join Dhusuri Jatra Party. Soon after, he became a part of Nilachakra Opera, a party formed by Natyacharya Panda.
Goswami was the obvious choice to enact the character of ferocious Kalapahada character with his stature of 6’4” coupled with dark complexion and baritone voice.
The viewers who had seen him playing that character are yet to forget him, said Narendra Goswami, a local literary scholar. He has left his imprints in plays like ‘Jajati Bimala’ and ‘Kanhu’ where he played positive characters.
Goswami again played negative roles when he joined famous Tulasi Gananatya after the dissolution of Nilachakra Opera.
His other notable performances were in plays that include ‘Hase Sati Kande Jama’, ‘Ajira Dunia’, ‘Nakali Raja’, ‘Mahisashura’ and ‘Jhansi Rani Laxmi Bai’. He recalls how the actors had to walk miles to perform in remote areas and the donations collected by the Jatra party owners were distributed among the actors.
The financial hardships of the family forced him to quit acting. Though his son’s joining as a constable improved the condition to some extent, he had to sell most of his ancestral properties to marry off three daughters. These days, he somehow manages himself in his small old thatched house, said Goswami.
Even as the Jatra parties of the present generation have taken big strides in terms of decorations and presentations, the acting has deteriorated, observes Goswami.
