For a stranger, the place resembles ruins of an ancient dwelling — six broken pillars standing beside a fencing hedge, bricks exposed — with the floor carpeted by dry creepers. Mounds of uneven soil and anthills all over, while bamboo poles lay piled on its front. But for the villagers of Padandaspur in Cuttack’s Mahanga block, Radhakanat Rangamanch, despite its sorry state, holds a special place in their hearts.
On one pillar, 1875 is prominently written. Time has not effaced the figure, the year when Rangamanch was founded by legendary playwright Jagmohan Lala (1838-1913), the creator of the first Odia play ‘Babaji’, an epoch-making drama.
Hruskesh Lala, the great grandson of Jagmohan Lala with a puff with pride, points out, “It is the place where the first Odiya play ‘Babaji’, written and directed by Adinatyakar, had its maiden show on October 20 in 1877 before starting its way to popularity.”
Lala had named the Rangamancha after his family deity Radhakanta. As a playwright, Lala was conscious about social evils and superstitious beliefs then widely prevalent. He wanted to create awareness among people by taking up theatre as a medium of transforming society.
At that time, the family members of Lala and his kin used to perform Bengali plays after they were being translated into Odia.
Like Hrushikesh, his fellow villagers — Bhubannanada Sahu, Bhupen Chatterjee, Justice Dhrub Charan Barik, Sudhakar Sahu, Padmlochan Mohanty and Trilochan Mohanty — walk down memory lane whenever they pass the vestiges of the first Odia Rangamancha.
The villagers lament, ”It is place of pride for us and all Odias. Sadly, the place has been left to wallow in neglect when the government has been making tall claims on protecting and promoting art and culture.”
With a hint of grief, 71-year old Hruskesh Lala says that the government has never thought of renovating this place in spite of drawing attention from local MLAs and MPs in the past.
Recalling his childhood days, Lala says that most of his family members and local artistes used to play roles in ‘Babaji’. In the fond memory of the legendary playwright, some culture lovers and villagers, with the able support of Bijayananda Singh (head of Odia department of Salipur Autonomous College) have set up Adinatyakar Smruti Sansad in the village. The Sansad has been performing plays on the birth anniversary of Jagmohan Lala.
Bijayananda Singh rues that although Radhakanta Rangamancha should be tagged as a heritage site, the government has not made any effort for its preservation even though it propagated the idea of the Rangamanch in later years.
Local culture vulture Sridhar Sekhar Mohapatra and columnist Pramod Nayak demand the state government’s intervention in renovation of the place as a monument to uphold the glorious past of theatre in Odisha.
