ARTS CULTURE
SUPPLEMENT
THE WEEKLY OBSERVER tuesday, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016
To Be or Not To Be Despite its many successes, English theatre leads a precarious existence in India Phalguni Vittal Rao
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s students, our introduction to English theatre often comes in the form of Shakespeare. It most often ends there.
English theatre in India is largely restricted to urban centers like Bangalore, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata where a majority of the English-speaking population resides.Indian dramatists in English such as T P Kailasam, Habib Tanvir, Mahesh Dattani, Girish Karnad, Vijay Tendulkar and ManjulaPadmanabhanhave been comfortable writing in this adopted language of the elites. Brilliant directors includingEbrahimAlkazi, AlyquePadamsee and Mahesh Dattani have enlivened the English stage in India by performing classics, Broadway and West End productions and promoting the work of IndianEnglish playwrights as well. English, as a language, is an orphan lost between the multitudes of India’s regional languages.But English theatre in India has its own loyal following in the cities. From performing Shakespeare’s plays to adaptations of British dramatists, English theatre has succeeded in growing a critical and well-informed audience. But with little government or other institutional support, English theatre in India has had to rely largely on the efforts ofamateur theatre groups. Production costs are borne by producers who work a 9-5 job and invest in their passion out of their savings. “In my experience, I’ve noticed there way too many amateur theatre groups bringing down the reputation of Bengaluru theatre,” says Alistar Bennis, a 21-year-old performing-arts graduate who began his journey in theatre six years ago. Bangalore Little Theatre (BLT), which was started over 50 years ago by English residents in the city, is the oldest surviving English language theatre group in the country. They have successfully produced over 200 English plays and launched several local playwrights exploring theatre in a postcolonial social context. Esther Yates, who started the Department of Theatre Studies
“TOO MANY ACTORS ARE CHASING TOO FEW JOBS”
at Christ University three years ago, was the first director in Bengaluru to stage Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar in 1979. She strongly believes that one can pursue a full-time career in English theatre in India. “There is industry in every aspect of theatre: lights, sound, sets, and the whole art of backstage management. But topping every reason is just one: audiences need to be, want to be entertained. Opportunities for theatre were restricted in India till the last five years. Now there is scope in every major as-
For young enthusiasts who would like to take up theatre as a vocation, whether in English or a regional language, the prospects are bleak. “Out of the 23 ‘professional’ plays I’ve been part of, I remember getting paid for just two,” says Bennis, who is currently trying to work as an actor, auditioning wherever he can and helping with production and casting in his free time. “I would love to work only as a theatre artist but I haven’t figured out a way to sustain myself only through theatre.” But actors elsewhere too seem to be in trouble “Too many actors are chasing too few jobs,” says Dr. John Bennet, deputy head of department of Dance, Drama and Performance Studies at Liverpool Hope University, who has been associated with theatre for the last four decades.“There is a debate raging at the moment about the cost of actor training and the fact that only students whose parents are wealthy can afford to train, which would be very bad for the profession in that the best actors may not be getting a chance because they cannot afford to,” In India there are just a handful of institutions like the National School of Drama that teach theatre professionally. Most Indian students look to foreign universities for graduate or undergraduate courses intheatre studies and its related areas. “I chose to go to New York Film Academy simply because it is one of the best places in the world to learn acting plus it is also close to Hollywood which gives me a fair chance to make it there, hopefully,” says Rajarshi Banerjee, 21, a theatre graduate who will be joining the Academy’s Masters programme in acting this fall. Theatre in both the US and UK has a very small yet loyal following despite the overwhelming television and movie culture. How come? Dr. Stan Denman, director of Baylor Theatre Abroad programme at Baylor University in Waco, Texas says, “The question is a bit like asking, ‘With recordings, why would anyone want to go to a concert and hear live music performed?’ It’s the immediacy of theatre that keeps people coming back and seeking that human connection. In this way, theatre is far more akin to sporting events and religious services than to film or television.”
“audiences
need to be, want to be entertained.”
Dramatech, a Delhi-based theatre company pect in all major cities because the love of this fine art is being restored,” she says. AswinSasiVarrier, 21, is going to be part of a BLT production Tell Me The Name of A Flower, a translation of a Gujarati play by Madhu Rye.“The producer and the director of the play are dedicated to theatre, they’re passionate about their work and treat theatre with utmost sincerity and professionalism,” he says. “One of them is also a management professional who runs a company.” Many other groups like PlayPen, Theatre Lab, Yours Truly Theatre etc. also produce plays originally written in regional languages but adapted to English to reach a wider urban audience.
Yakshagana’s Enduring Appeal Flexibility has helped keep Karnataka’s popular folk theatre relevant Hakimuddin Kholiya
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ould you imagine what a blend of Shakespeare and Hindu mythological tales would look like? In a word, Yakshagana.A form of folk theatre which comprises dance, narration and music, Yakshagana employs unique stage techniques, a distinct style and form along with traditional costumes and make up. The term Yakshagana means song of God and originated in what is today’s Karnataka and spread to the adjacent regions of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. Yakshagana was a product of the ‘Vaishnava bhakti’ movement in the southern states during fifth to seventh centuries CE. This early model of people’s theatre became a medium to spread the message of devotion to people unexposed to Hindu culture by recreating the mythological tales of the Ramayana in a contemporary form. Traditionally during the Dussehra-Diwali period, hundreds of Yakshagana troupes travel from village to village performing their plays. Troupes of 16-18 move with their paraphernalia of tents, lights, costumes and sets. In cities and towns, Yakshagana is performed in theatres and public halls. Yakshagana evolved rapidly over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when it stepped out of its native territory. It then began experimenting with new subjects and the flexibility of the form helped it reach new audiences, although by now its purpose had become purely to entertain. In 1800, a Yakshagana troupe from Dharmastala performed a tthe Mysore court before the king and subsequently established themselves as the royal troupe. In the 1840s, a troupe that migrated from Karnataka to Maharashtra performed a modern age mythological drama directed by Vishudas Bhave. By 1930, Yakshagana was substantially modified in terms of appearance, composition and presentation and modern costumes with stone jewelry replaced the hand woven fabrics and wooden ornaments. Says Padmashree Chittani Ramchandra Hegde, one the most celebrated Yakshagana artists, “At the age of 16 when I started to learn Yakshagana, the situation was totally different from what it is today. The artist used to wear light costumes while performing but now costumes have got heavier and more beautiful, with the use of stones and more colors.” By the 1950sYakshagana was so popular as to be able to compete with established theatre and even early cinema. The subjects of these plays graduated to new folk stories, Sanskrit dramas and contemporary literary themes. By now, the entertainment value of Yakshagana had clearly overshadowed its classical and religious origins.
Soon other languages like Tulu were introduced on stage in Yakshagana plays. During 1970s, Dr. Shivaram Karanth experimented with Yakshagana by introducing western instruments into the musical accompaniment. But his most radical break was to pare it down for the modern audience by shortening its duration from the traditional twelve hours to two and a half hours. Since 2005, Yakshagana has sought to gain even wider audiences by borrowing heavily from Shakespearean plays and even Hindi movies.
“Those days while working with a Yakshagana troupe, I also needed to work in the fields to financially support my family, Recalls Hegde. Even after 32 years, I am still involved with Yakshagana as my daughter and son produce and act in Yakshagana plays. Nowadays things are much better for Yakshagana artists. Although they can’t be totally dependent on income from Yakshagana, their wages are better than before. From 2011 to today, there has been a rapid increase in popularity of Yakshagana leading to increase in shows throughout the country.” Change is inevitable and every traditional art form faces a challenge to remain relevant in the face of evolving audience tastes. By that measure, Yakshagana has been relatively successful. Having grown into a versatile art form that can appeal to new audiences, Yakshagana today is performed not just in the southern states but across India. More important, there are several institutes which teach this art form with the express intention of preserving and diversifying it. Yakshagana kendra, the brainchild of Dr Karanth, was established by the government of India in 1971 under the ‘Guru’ scheme of the department of culture to study and promote Yakshagana.
“now costumes have got heavier and more beautiful, with the use of stones and more colors.” -Ramchandra Hegde
Although Yakshagana has moved from the raucous village tent to the urban auditorium, its financial viability remains a question. Even today, Yakshagana can’t be pursued as a professional art form as it does not generate enough income for the artists to dedicate themselves solely to it.
Thus, despite its limited commercial success and the few opportunities that Yakshagana presently offers artists, their enthusiasm for the art hasn’t waned. You can see that devotion in young and upcoming artists like Dashratha Murthi, an amateur Yakshagana artist from Dakshin Kannada district who has just started on a long and uncertain journey. “We travel from village to village to perform in Dakshin Kannada district and some other districts of Tamil Nadu,” he says. “Our troupe has sixteen members. Usually the themes of our plays are based on Hindu mythology. Some of the most performed plays are different chapters from Ramayana like ‘Jatayu moksh’. Besides being part of the troupe, I also help my father with his grocery shop.” Murthy is deeply devoted to Yakshagana and somebody who sees his future in it. He wants to follow in the footsteps of Padmashree Hegde. “I dream of being like Chittani Ramchandra Sir. I don’t care about the money; I want to achieve the standards he has set, that have inspired people to be part of this great art and carry it further.”
ARTS CULTURE
SUPPLEMENT
THE WEEKLY OBSERVER TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2016
The Ties that Bind Dussehra celebrates community like no other Hindu festival Divya R
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ndian children mostly learn about values, tradition and culture not through religious instruction but by participating in festivals. This is particularly true of Dussehra, a colourful 10-day extravaganza celebrated with slight variations across India. The festivalcelebrates the victory of good over evil and, through example, instructs the individual how to overcome ego, envy and anger and become a better person.
Photo Courtesy: Divya R The festival of dolls or golu, a tradition of displaying clay dolls introduced by KingKrishnadevaraya in south India, is called Navaratri, which in Tamil Nadu begins 1st of October. As the name signifies, the nine nights (nava or nine,ratri or night in Sanskrit) is devoted to each of nine forms of the Goddess Durga. During these nine nights,womenmake elaborate arrangements of dolls in scenes from everyday life along with idols of goddesses Saraswati, Lak-
shmi and Parvatiand invite neighbours and friends to share sweets, sundal(chickpeas) and bangles. Prabha, a resident of Chennai who goes by her first name, says, “The festival begins after Ammavasya. We arrange dolls on nine steps, the top most is filled with gods and goddesses, while the steps below it have wooden dolls, Marappachidolls, crafts, dollssymbolizing business, marriage, animals and fruits below.” The first step has grains and figures of traders. The second to fifth steps are occupied by plants, fruits, animals.The sixth, seventh and eighth have figurines of kings, saints, and gods. Usually the final step has gods or a kalasam, a divine symbol(in bronze) filled with waterto which puja is performed on Vijayadashami. “The ninth day is Saraswati puja whenwe worship divine wisdom and perform pujawith our books,” explains Prabha. “The same day we also performAyudha Puja to respect the tools and instruments of our livelihoods (which these days include smart phones too) and worship them. The tenth and most auspicious day is the Vijayadashami, or so called Dussehra, marking the victory of good over evil.The entire 10 days is a festival of lights and happiness.” On the day of Vijayadashami people in Tamil Nadu celebrate Aksharabhayasa, when young children are made to write their first alphabet on a platter of grain, a symbolic gesture of intelligence and(hopefully) academic success. In India, on this occasion people celebrate the victory of Durga (Kali) over the demon Mahishasura. In the state of Orissa, the festival is known as Vijoya Dashami. After performing puja, the idols are immersed in ariver with great reverence. After this,RavanPodi is celebrated where paper and wood statues of the demon Ravana are burnt to symbolize the casting out of darkness. Aditya Paul, a resident of Kolkatasays, “We celebrate the festivalin similar fashion to other parts of the country. We call it as Doshmi and it marks the victory of Rama over Ravana.” “Lucknow is a city that celebrates Dussehra every year on a large scale,” says Mrigakshi Dixit, a local resident. “Preparations for making the 80-foot effigy of Ravana starts two months before the festival.The burning of the 9-headed evil king of Lanka, popularly called the ‘RavanaDahan’ symbolises the triumph of good over evil.” Along with the Ravana, effigies of his brother Kum-
bakarna and son Meghnathareset on fire while fireworks light up the night sky. The burning of the effigiesand the fireworks display are a huge draw in the ‘City of Nawabs’. “The parks across the city are lit up and the street fairs, featuring Lucknow’s famous street food, are among of the major attractions of the city,” she adds. Allahabad also has a special place for Dussehra in the hearts of its children. PrathmeshTripathi,a student says, “There is a special air about Dusshera. Children look forward to wearing new clothes and breaking their piggy banks to buy new toys for the Mela. The entire city celebrates the festival with the Ram Lila show. At night, actors dressed as Ram, Sita and Lakshmanrideon horseback or in chariots to kill the giant Ravanawith a bow and arrow. The crowd roars when Ram kills Ravana.” Many people, including “The ninth prominent politicians,come to worday is ship at the feet of the make-believe Saraswati Ram. “We’d hold our parent’s hands puja when we and walk all the way, buy toys, eat worship di- panipuri and walk back home happily. Though we couldn’t stay up too vine wisdom late at night to watch the entire and perform show, we could still hear the puja with our sounds of the mela from our terrace. The next day we share our books,” toys with our friends and the memories of that night would stay with us for days afterwards,” recollects Tripathi. Damini, a homemaker from Mysore says, “Our state Karnataka celebrates Navaratri with Bommai (doll) Puja and we go to our neighbours’ and relatives’ houses to exchange sweets and snacks. A cultural festival at the Maharaja grounds with nightly performances of Carnatic music extends over the entire nine days. We perform Saraswati puja and Ayudha puja on the ninth day. On the day of Dussehra we have an Elephant procession with the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwari placed on top of a decorated elephant. There’s a police parade at the Bannimantap grounds and they even have bike shows there! The ten days is a festival of joy for us.” In India’s notoriously crowded calendar of religious festivals, Dussehra clearly has pride of place.
Great Alchemy Bangalore’s melding of tradition and modernity is inspiration for fashion designers Mitali Goyal
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aving dressed some of India’s top models and movie stars, Lakshmi Menon, DeepikaPadukone, Lara Dutta and Anushka Sharma to name a few, Bangalore has become one of India’s leading fashion hubs. The first ever fashion industry award in India, The Kingfisher Fashion Award, was won byBangalore’s very own fashion guru, Prasad Bidapa. Each year Bangalore also plays a host to Bangalore Fashion Week, a global fashion event that showcases Indian fashion to the global world of fashion. Bangalore Fashion Week also features international design and designers and has promoted great collaborations. Here we profile some of the city’s most promising young designers.
Deepika Govind DeepikaGovind is one of the most versatile designers in Bangalore and her work revolves around themes that take a person back to their roots. Her work is subtle and is based on using natural dyes. In the past her designs were mostly inspired by involving fine handwork and intricate technique. She has taken her designs to many prestigious fashion shows including Lakme Fashion Week where, in 2015, she evoked memories of Rann of Kutch through the representations of warm colours and unique thread work. Her dresses sported Kutchi embellishments and she used Kala cotton material, which is a commonly-used fabric there. In 2012, her vibrant collection paid tribute to weaves and style ofPatola from Patan. Her collection showcased a set of vibrant
colours that celebrated the textile industry of Gujarat, a perfect entwining of ethnicity and versatilitybest represented by dual toned sarees with extensive borders. “Her designs are timeless and she is amazing in what she does,” said Nidhi Yadav, an ex-student of NIFT, Bangalore who is a fan of Deepika’s designs. She says that each of her designs have a unique story to tell. NimirtaLalwani, is a designer with a classical bent, as she is by the “Pricing a inspired 1920s and 1930s. Her degarment is signs takeinspiration from architecture and the critical to the decor of that period and she success in an creatively translates them unique designs and then extremely into into garments. Her trademark competitive pieces are jewel-toned dresses and she launched her business” first line in 2011 where her designs focused on easy-towear silhouettes. “Her clothes are very trendy and the detailing on her clothes is very fine and stands out,” said PadminiBarua, who is a fashion enthusiast and has been a fan of Nimirta’s work for a long time. Among the city’s designers, Neelima Lal Hembram’s story is one of passion. Neelima is a cancer survivor, first diagnosed when she was just 17, but she fought and today she has become a brand name. She started off byimmersing herself in the traditional fabrics of Andhra Pradesh and now she finds her interestshave extended to different kinds of fabrics from all over India. Neelima is passionate about natural fabrics and believes that vibrant colours like blue and fuchsia are her strengths. According to an article published in The Hindu, she fell in love with the textiles while having a conversation with a group of weavers. She is one designer who doesn’t hesitate to experiment with her designs and tries to educate people in the techniques of weaving. “She is one of the finest designers our country has. She has highlighted the centrality of weaving to garment design. She is not just a designer but someone who has also worked for the welfare of artisans,” said Yadav, the NIFT graduate. Dimple Varma is a model turned fashion designer who took up modelling to get exposure to the industry but got serious about the fashion business when she found her true
love in not just wearing clothes but designing them. She initially joined her mother’s business which exported garments to the top fashion houses in Europe but then created her own line under the brand Turquoise and Gold. Dimple is one designer who considers a budget to be one of the most important considerations when designing a garment. Pricing a garment is Dimple Varma critical to success in an extremely competitive business, she says. “It was some years back when I always wanted to own a designer dress and that dream came true when I looked at the collection of Dimple Varma. The best thing that her collection offers is attractive pieces and I was quite happy that I could save a little to buy a designer piece,” said Rohini Singh, a student. Dimple Varma has collaborated with many international designers thus bringing an international sensibility to Indian roots. Her brand manufactures garments for several international brands like Burberry, Stella McCartney and Sara Burn. On being asked as to how she plans to change the fashion scenein Bangalore, she said, “By embracing the talent and creativity of Bangalore! We operate a design room and factory with a European sensibility. We live and work in Bangalore, and are constantly inspired by this beautiful city, we design for our family and friends; these girls are our muses. Travelling worldwide is exiting and culturally intoxicating, but Bangalore is our home. Celebrating our beautiful city and showing the world what we can offer is so important to us.” India is home to so many designers who draw from the wide diversity of styles and traditions, materials and techniques from every corner of our country to create something novel yet deeply connected to what has been learnt and passed on through generations. Bangalore, modern India’s melting pot, is becoming a showcase for the best that this alchemy can produce.