BHUBANESWAR: The eighth edition of Ajit Natya Mahotsav, a multilingual drama festival, was inaugurated by commissioner-cum-secretary, Department of Culture, Manoranjan Panigrahi at Bhanja Kala Mandap here Monday.
The three-day affair is also known as National Theatre Festival. Works of eminent writers and directors like Bijay Mishra and Subodh Patnaik will be showcased at the event. Tata Niranjana, a play based on the last phase of Buddhism, was enacted on the inaugural evening of the fest.
Written by Bijay Mishra and directed by Ajit Das, the play was enacted by artistes of Abhinaya Jagruti Institute of Theatre.
The story starts with an evening of monsoon where monks chant Budddha’s name. Aroused by carnal desires, a beggar maid Ichamati approaches one of the monks Nilalohita. She offers him her body. Despite being a monk, his protest is feeble as he was shocked.
Ichamati, then, asks some perplexing questions to another monk Ananda. These questions percolate into Buddha’s mind, after strenuous meditation under the Bodhi tree. Buddha navigates and explores to find out more answers. That’s when Buddha takes another journey to meet Sujata who had earlier broken his fast.
She asks him the reason he forbade her to meet him for the second time. To find an appropriate answer, Buddha reaches Kapilavastu, but he is encountered with the same question from Gopa. She asks, “Won’t you return to me again Goutam? Earlier you crushed me and went off, now my only pride is you.” After these incidents, Gautam realizes that he has reached impasse, no way to return, his shadow has overgrown his body, Gautam is incarcerated.
Interacting with Orissa POST, director Ajit Das said, “When Buddha wanted to change his own versions about Nirvana, his disciples realized that it’s time to silence Buddha. Buddha never wanted his sangha to continue functioning, but his followers wanted another way out. So after his Mahaprayan (death) another Buddha takes his place and spoke whatever the disciples wanted to hear. The whole set of events takes place on the banks of Nilanjana River.”
The play has received much recognition across the country. Eminent actor and theatre director Brudaban Barik was also felicitated on the occasion.