Marginalised history springs to life in dance and theatre

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Bhubaneswar, August 8: The city is witnessing some of the best performances at the ongoing dance and theatre festival organised by Natya Chetana at Bhanja Kala Mandap on adivasi culure, traditions and their history. The play performed my Maidi’s Tribal Artist Association was based on the famous revolutionary leader Birsa Munda. Through the play the artistes depicted the struggle of Birsa Munda, who fought against the British rulers for the land rights of tribal people. Interacting with media persons, Jeetrai Hansda said, “For many years now, the government of India has not recognised his contribution as a freedom fighter. Through this play we are trying our bit to highlight his contributions and to inspire people.” On the second day of the festival, the Sambalpuri folk ‘Dhap Dance’ by Sangeet Sadhana group of Bolangir was a treat for the denizens of Bhubaneswar. Dhap
is mostly a recreational dance, but has high cultural significance among the adivasi communities who perform it because mostly the unmarried youth of the village take part in it. After the Dhap dance, a play titled ‘Janata Janardan’ by Utkali Sanskrutika Shilpi was staged. The story revolves around nature, a spirit that guides man from birth to death in shaping his personality. It emphasised the importance of nature within an adivasi society. It also weaved together the nature of adivasi spiritual
ism which largely depends on ecology. “The play celebrates harmony of life with nature as its guardian. The divine sensation is felt when nature and man twine with the ecstatic presence of something sublime that propels him to move further and further,” says Bilochan Patro, director. On the concluding day two plays ‘Nua Thikana’ by Natta Cretan and ‘Ghati’ by Aadim from Bhawanipatna will be performed along with a seminar on ‘Beliefs and philosophy for change in Adivasi life’.
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