The volume provides a deep insight into the contemporary theatre in different parts of India. Researched and written, based on field studies and various sources, over a period of about ten years, it presents an understanding and interpretation of the trends and experiments in contemporary Indian theatre and its major works, taking up a number of issues for close scrutiny.
The book explores the complex dynamics of contemporary theatres in India as practised in various regions, languages and cultures. It takes up the theatre in the different regions and their states one after the other, viewing the milieu from historical, geographical, social and cultural angles. It focuses on the temper of the theatre in a certain state/language, the spirit of experimentation and nature and impact of the experiments, the strategies evolved to adapt the folk forms or the classical tradition, the individual contribution of the leading practitioners and the critical appreciation that has been made of the masterpieces. The work has heavily relied on fruitful discussions with the stalwarts of theatre of different regions over a period of time. The narrative of the text is therefore, at times, rather informal which only adds to the appeal of the book for a range of readers. It has numerous photographs on the pioneers of various theatrical traditions in each state that depict the artistes at work and the theatrical sets.
Dr. Chaman Ahuja, a teacher of dramatic literature and dramatic theory, is an expert on theatre and allied areas. He has published extensively on the subject. He was scholar-in-Residence at the American Studies Research Centre in the 1990s and a Senior Fellow at the Department of Culture, Government of India from 2000 to 2002.
Folk theater Pandwani
Pandwani is a theatrical form of India which has gained fame throughout the world. It is a mono theatre form of presentation that originated among the Pradhan Gond tribe of Chhattisgarh. Originally in the form of a long ballad containing many Gond myths and epigraphical elements, today many of these elements have been replaced by the text of the Mahabharata. Theatrical performers improvise on the Mahabharata text of Sabal Singh Chauhan which is set in Doha-Choupai metre in Avadhi language. Performers improvise this text in numerous ways while performing with the result that everyone has his own method of performing.
The volume is a detailed study of the Pandwani theatrical form. It examines different episodes from the various styles of Pandwani, such as Dewar Pandwani and Pardhan Pandwani. It explores the Pandwani text as set down in verse by Sabal Singh Chauhan detailing the episode of Kichaka Vadhakilling of Kichaka. Supported by numerous illustrations of the artistes in the act of performing the episodes, it details the text and rendering of present-day Pandwani especially as rendered by Jhaduram Devangan, one of the topmost performers of Pandwani who followed the text of Sabal Singh Chauhan. It details his favourite episode, Swargarohan (Journey to Heaven), which he performed in sitting posture with mimes like the abhinaya of Kathak dancers. The book presents the full text of the verse, with the dohas in Avadhi followed by their translation in English.
The author, Niranjan Mahawar has been documenting tribal and folk arts, folk theatre forms, folklore, tribal myths and other aspects of tribal and folk ways. He has published numerous articles on the subject. He was the executive committee member of Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Lok Kala Parishad as an expert on tribes for eight years and a member of South Central Zone Cultural Centre in all its committees for eight years.
The book explores the complex dynamics of contemporary theatres in India as practised in various regions, languages and cultures. It takes up the theatre in the different regions and their states one after the other, viewing the milieu from historical, geographical, social and cultural angles. It focuses on the temper of the theatre in a certain state/language, the spirit of experimentation and nature and impact of the experiments, the strategies evolved to adapt the folk forms or the classical tradition, the individual contribution of the leading practitioners and the critical appreciation that has been made of the masterpieces. The work has heavily relied on fruitful discussions with the stalwarts of theatre of different regions over a period of time. The narrative of the text is therefore, at times, rather informal which only adds to the appeal of the book for a range of readers. It has numerous photographs on the pioneers of various theatrical traditions in each state that depict the artistes at work and the theatrical sets.
Dr. Chaman Ahuja, a teacher of dramatic literature and dramatic theory, is an expert on theatre and allied areas. He has published extensively on the subject. He was scholar-in-Residence at the American Studies Research Centre in the 1990s and a Senior Fellow at the Department of Culture, Government of India from 2000 to 2002.
Folk theater Pandwani
Pandwani is a theatrical form of India which has gained fame throughout the world. It is a mono theatre form of presentation that originated among the Pradhan Gond tribe of Chhattisgarh. Originally in the form of a long ballad containing many Gond myths and epigraphical elements, today many of these elements have been replaced by the text of the Mahabharata. Theatrical performers improvise on the Mahabharata text of Sabal Singh Chauhan which is set in Doha-Choupai metre in Avadhi language. Performers improvise this text in numerous ways while performing with the result that everyone has his own method of performing.
The volume is a detailed study of the Pandwani theatrical form. It examines different episodes from the various styles of Pandwani, such as Dewar Pandwani and Pardhan Pandwani. It explores the Pandwani text as set down in verse by Sabal Singh Chauhan detailing the episode of Kichaka Vadhakilling of Kichaka. Supported by numerous illustrations of the artistes in the act of performing the episodes, it details the text and rendering of present-day Pandwani especially as rendered by Jhaduram Devangan, one of the topmost performers of Pandwani who followed the text of Sabal Singh Chauhan. It details his favourite episode, Swargarohan (Journey to Heaven), which he performed in sitting posture with mimes like the abhinaya of Kathak dancers. The book presents the full text of the verse, with the dohas in Avadhi followed by their translation in English.
The author, Niranjan Mahawar has been documenting tribal and folk arts, folk theatre forms, folklore, tribal myths and other aspects of tribal and folk ways. He has published numerous articles on the subject. He was the executive committee member of Madhya Pradesh Adivasi Lok Kala Parishad as an expert on tribes for eight years and a member of South Central Zone Cultural Centre in all its committees for eight years.
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