"Veergati"- Hindi play staged in Patna on 31.8.024

 Only rewards for the crime

( हिंदी में समीक्षा के लिए -   यहाँ क्लिक करके क्रम सं. 55  देखिए )

Joke is just the other face of tragedy. 

It's not the severity of the crime but the status of the criminal on which dispensation of justice is dependent. The two thieves are slogged mercilessly for the burglary but the princely Sukumar is left unhurt after the same crime. Even more, those whose belongings were stolen by Sukumar, were compensated with full of the loss. The situation is so reverse for Sukumar that he finds no way to live like a common man and be treated in the same manner. Then Sukumar thinks of committing heinous crime like robbery or even murder. But to his astonishment he finds people happily willing  for being robbed or murdered by Sukumar. The reason behind this seemingly absurd phenomenon is that the king has ordered hefty compensation is such crime is committed by Sukumar.

On his failure of adventurous deeds Sukumar is so piqued that he thinks now to take direct offence to the King. He reaches the King's Palace and through away his turban. But because the Minister show there a serpent felt down from the turban that the King gives his throne to him and marries his daughter to Sukumar. Now Sukumar is nonplussed how to tackle the situation where there is no punishment for him even for the biggest crime and rather there is only rewards showering on him for each and every crime.

The story of the play is a big slap on the perverse system seen in various parts of the world where justice system has turned into a farce. The class differentiation is displayed in the most naked form. This comedy is hardly a comedy if not shown with the help of grotesque body gestures of different characters. The issues raised are real and that is why the adept playwright has taken help of over emphasisation to convert them into unreal bites and so more palatable for the audience.

The pithy script of Asgar Wajahat is the lifeline of the play and the direction of Tanvir Akhtar who also behind the lighting concept ensured that each actor stands distinct from others in terms of speaking style, postures and mannerism. Ashutosh Mishra and Md. Jani with his vital musical contribution made this show a music treat. The dialogues were in verses and with full of melody. 

It was truly a tonic for muse and refreshing experience for the mood. 

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Review by- Hemant Das 'Him'
Send your feedback to - hemantdas2001@gmail.com

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प्रसिद्ध हिन्दी कवि बोधिसत्व का काव्य पाठ, पटना में 30.8.2024 को सम्पन्न

 "वहीं पाना चाहता हूँ / मैं अपने सवालों का जवाब / जहाँ लोग वर्षों से चुप हैं"

प्रगतिशील लेखक संघ, जनवादी लेखक संघ, और जन संस्कृति मंच के संयुक्त तत्त्वावधान में दिनांक 30.8.2024 को माध्यमिक शिक्षक संघ भवन, जमाल रोड, पटना में हिन्दी के प्रसिद्ध कवि बोधिसत्व का काव्य पाठ सम्पन्न हुआ. उन्होंने इस अवसर पर अपने नए कविता-संग्रह "अयोध्या में कालपूरुष" और अन्य संग्रहों से अनेक कविताओं का पाठ किया जिनमें से कुछ के विषय इस प्रकार थे - "चाहता हूँ", "तमाशा", "उनकी खातिर", "पागल दास", "छोटा आदमी", "शान्ता", "मगध डूब रहा है", "हे राम", "गिरना", "विनय पत्रिका वृक्षों की", "ताजिया", "नदी पानी कथा", "सुख सूचक शिलालेख" आदि.

कविता पाठ के बाद डॉ. विनय कुमार, अरुण कमल, आलोक धन्वा जैसे वरिष्ठ कवियों ने उनकी कविताओं पर अपने विचार प्रकट किए. कार्यक्रम का कुशल संचालन चंद्रबिंद सिंह ने किया. इस अवसर पर राजेश कमल, अनीश अंकुर, शहंशाह आलम, पुनीत, संजय कु. कुंदन, अरविंद श्रीवास्तव, कृष्ण समिद्ध, अंचित, हेमन्त दास 'हिम', मो. नसीम अख्तर, रवि किशन आदि भी उपस्थित थे.

पढी गई कविताओं की एक झलकी प्रस्तुत है-

"बड़ी अजीब बात है

जहाँ नहीं होता

मैं वहीं सब कुछ पाना चाहता हूँ,

वहीं पाना चाहता हूँ

मैं अपने सवालों का जवाब

जहाँ लोग वर्षों से चुप हैं"

"शान्ता जब तक रही

राह देखती रही भाइयों की

आएँगे राम-लखन

आएँगे भरत-शत्रुघ्न"

--

"बिना बुलाए आने को

राजी नहीं थी शान्ता...

सती की कथा सुन चुकी थी बचपन में,

दशरथ से..."

"मैं तो सिर्फ बताना चाहता था लोगों को, 

कि इस 'वजह' से अयोध्या में बसकर भी,

उदास रहते थे पागलदास" 

"सूचित किया जाता है कि राज्य में

दुख का समूल नाश कर दिया गया है

अब केवल जै-जैकार बचा है

सूचित किया जाता है कि धिक्कार अब व्यभिचार है

एक दण्डनीय अपराध है क्षोभ"

"एक छोटी सी गाली

एक ज़रा सी घात

काफ़ी है मुझे मिटाने के लिए,

--

मैं बहुत कम तेल वाला दीया हूँ

हलकी हवा भी बहुत है

मुझे बुझाने के लिए"

"मदारी साँप को

दूध पिला रहा हैं

हम ताली बजा रहे हैं

--

मदारी हमारा लिंग बदल रहा है

हम ताली बजा रहे हैं"

"मटमैले वितान के नीचे

इस छोर से उस छोर तक नाच रही थी माँ

पैरों में बिवाइयाँ थीं गहरे तक फटी

टूट चुके थे घुटने कई बार

झुक चली थी कमर

पर जैसे भँवर घूमता है

जैसे बवंडर नाचता है वैसे

नाच रही थी माँ"

वैसे तो कवि की सारी पढ़ी गई कविताओं को श्रोताओं ने ध्यान से सुना और पसंद किया पर "पागलदास" और "संदिग्ध समय में कवि" पर ज्यादा गहमागहमी  दिखी.

कविता पाठ के बाद चुनिंदा वरिष्ठ कवियों ने कविता-पाठ पर अपने विचार प्रकट किए. डॉ. विनय कुमार ने अनेक मिथकीय संदर्भों का हवाला देते हूए कहा कि बोधिसत्व भारतीय परम्परा के उम्दा कवि हैं.

अरुण कमल ने कहा कि बोधिसत्व सबसे अलग कवि हैं. ये इतिहास के विद्यार्थी रहे हैं इसलिए इनकी कविताओं में उसका प्रभाव झलकता है. कभी-कभी बहुत कुछ साहसिक भी लिख जाते हैं.

आलोक धन्वा ने कहा कि कविता से ज्यादा संश्लिष्ट विधा कुछ भी नहीं है. बोधिसत्व की कविताओं के अनेक आयाम हैं. 'ढाका' वाली कविता पर भी इन्होंने विशेष चर्चा की. एक विषय पर उन्होंने कुछ सुधार प्रस्तुत किए जिस पर बोधिसत्व ने अपने स्पष्टीकरण दिए.

कार्यक्रम से संचालक चंद्रबिंद सिंह ने बोधिसत्व की रचना प्रक्रिया पर अपने विचार प्रकट किए. उन्होंने यह भी कहा कि संग्रह को पढ़ना और कवि को सुनना दोनों में काफी अंतर होता है. कवि को सुनना एक विशिष्ट प्रकार का अनुभव होता है जिसमें कविता और अधिक समझ पाना सम्भव होता है.

अंत में जसम (जन संस्कृति मंच) के पुनीत ने आए हुए कविगण और श्रोताओं का धन्यवाद ज्ञापन किया.

....

रपट के लेखक- हेमन्त दास 'हिम'

प्रतिक्रिया हेतु ईमेल- hemantdas2001@gmail.com / editorbejodindia@gmail.com

"Mithila Art": a 360 degree review of Madhubani Painting - book released in New Delhi on 17.8.2024

"We drew mythology, you must draw the present"

Days are not far away when people will forget their mother-tongue but they will still remember their ethnic art and paintings. In such a scenario only such paintings will be able to take the role of flagbearer of the culture - a speaker Alok Kumar said this at the event.

Art is not just a matter of expression, it's a matter of existence. Without this you are just a zoological creature and not a human being. Throughout the world, folk arts have evolved and flourished as an  integral part of the daily normal life of the inhabitants. They have carved out a niche for themselves by conserving their uniqueness in terms of style and technique. Through the ages, Mithila Art which is a more logical name of Madhubani Painting possesses the commendable features of inclusiveness as it has been adopted not just by the so-called elite Bhrabhmana and Kayasthas but also by the so-called ordinary castes like Dusadhs and others. The techniques and materials used in making of a Madhubani paintaing requires just flowers and other natural colours found easily in the nature. The motifs mainly consists of the nature, Hindu mythology and general life of the masses at large.

Prof. Prashant Das (IIMA) presented the welcome note to the audience and then requested the distinguished guests to come to the dais for the book release. This auspicious act was performed jointly by Chandra Mauli Karn (IFS), Arjun Naraya Choudhary (veteran writer), Cdr Kaushal Choudhary (Rtd.), Savitri Labh (artist),  Prof. Prashant Das, Binita Mallik, Dr. Minu Agrawal and the publisher Nirmal Kr Karn from Adarsh Enterprises.

After the book-release, the renowned Maithili singer Sundaram Choudhary presented Ganesh Vandana and Bhagwati geet in his mesmerisingly mellifluous voice. He was accompanied by the tabala player Pratyush and a co-singer Pragya.

Surprisingly two of the three editors namely Minu Agarwal and Laura Zizka have had no past connection to Mithila painting in their life. Only Binita Mallik is the editor who has been born and brought up in Mithila culture.

Binita Mallik propagated that the best friend of a person is not a human but a skill. Every art has a particular language and grammar of expression. She has inherited the art from her ancestors and has put her paintings in several exhibitions. She is a well-known Madhubani painting artist in Delhi. 

Minu Agarwal stated, art is something that connects people and we can celebrate the creativity best where it comes from. And the big mass of people who have gathered has some connection with Mithila culture. They have the ability to appreciate our book the most. She described further the nature of different chapters of the book and stressed particularly that the second and third chapter has cultural connection. In the middle of the book parallels have been drawn of Mithila art from some other art movements.

Chandra Mauli Karn (IFS) said it proudly that along with other presents he has presented Mithila art pieces to more than 100s of the foreign dignitaries and he did so because Mithila paintings deserve it. He recounted that some of the dignitaries in Africa said that the Mithila art has some striking similarity with tribal arts. He reminded that many initiatives have been taken from the Central Government to promote Mithila Art. 

Alok Kumar drew attention of the people towards the sustainability of paintings. He said that in coming days when most of the people are getting dispersed away from their home villages unfortunately they are drifting away from the use of their language. Though there is a a danger of forgetting the mother tongue  (which we must try to avoid at any cost) there is still a high probability that they will relate to their culture mainly through their paintings. So, the book on Mithila painting is a true service in the direction of conserving the culture.

Nirmal Kumar of Adarsh Enterprises is the publisher of the book. He said that this coffee table book will fill the long time gap on Mithila art. Not only the artists of the book but also an editor and the publisher are from Mithila. 

Savitri Labh (Artist) described the significance of Kamaladah and Kobar in Mithila art. He also said that even though someone grows old he can make Mithila paintings and can keep themselves enthusiastic and creative.

Ashok Kr Coudhary from Sahitya Akademy also expressed his views on Mithila paintings and said that though he belongs to Odisa still is a big fan of Madhubani paintings.

The released book contains insightful articles and interviews with a view to give full perspective to the readers about the Madhubani aka Mithila Art. Prof. Prashant Das is the managing editor and Binita Mallik (artist and poet), Dr. Minu Agarwal (Prof. at CEPT, Ahmedabad) and Laura Zezisky (Prof. at Laussane de Echole, Switzerland)  are the editors.

The artists whose contents have been covered in this book include Godavari Dutta, Bimala Dutta, Krishna Kumar Kashyap, Smriti Shree, Sarita Das, Binita Mallik, Ranju Das, Rajani Thakur, Arachana Raj. Shreya Sarda from Design Flyover has designed the whole book. The book has been divided in nine chapters as the following-

1. Mithila Art: A survey of what we already know 

2. A visual survey of Mithila Paintings

3. The International reception of Mithila paintings in the 1970s A countercultural kairos?

4.Transforming the bride: Gauri Puja in early 20th century Madhubani Paintings

5.Madhubani Paintings reviewed with modern lenses

6. Is the Mithila Painting losing its sanctity because of its excessive access?

7. Godavari Dutta:"The art came as a ray of hope in the otherwise gloomy life"

8. Bimla Dutta: " We drew mythology, you must draw the present"

9. Krishna Kumar Kashyap: "There is no distinction between education and art"

Those who were present at the event included Adhir Mallik, Pranav Priyadarshi, Ravi Shankar, Dr. Arvind Das, Suresh Kr., Ashish Niraj, Uday Shankar, Kumud Das, Radha Raman, Vijay Kr., Ravindra Kr, Sarita, Vidya, Dr. Narendra, Satyam, Rachna, A. Karn, Mamta, Jyoti, Dr. Dhwani and many more.

At the end of the event, Hemant Das Him presented the vote of thanks to the organisers and audience of the event.

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Report by- Hemant Das 'Him'
Send your feedback- hemantdas2001@gmail.com / editorbejodindia@gmail.com

Note- more pictures will be added tomorrow