Political Theater in Bengal
Uploaded by baadasskid69 on Oct 27, 2011
This essay discusses the development of theater in India with reference to political and patriotic plays.
I Introduction
India has a rich theatrical tradition, one that, according to legend, is divine in origin. When the Silver Age of the world overtook the Golden Age, men grew addicted to sensual pleasures; they became greedy, angry and jealous of one another. Seeing this, the God Indra begged Brahma, the Creator, for some form of recreation that would be accessible to everyone, no matter what their social class. Brahma agreed, and wrote a fifth Veda. He extracted the elements of speech, sentiment, song and mime from the other four Vedas and created “Natyaveda,” or the holy book of dramaturgy. He asked Indra to pass the book to those Gods who were, among other things, “free from stage fright.” (I love the idea that a God might suffer from stage fright!) But the Gods were unable to act the play, and so it was entrusted to a man, Bharata, and thus theater was born: a gift from the gods to men. (“Performing Arts in India,” PG).
The legend is wonderful, and whether it’s true or not, it’s obvious that theater is an ancient art form in India. This paper discusses theater in Bengal, with an emphasis on political theater.
II Beginnings
“Modern Indian theater has it roots in Calcutta,” according to a source called “The Spirit of Bengal.” (PG). There were live performances as early as 1765, when Bangla translations of English comedies were given. A drama entitled “Neel Darpan” may well be one of the earliest “protest” plays ever presented. It appeared in 1860, and was subsequently banned because of its unfavorable portrayal of the British.
Rebellion against British rule broke out in India in 1857, and convulsed all levels of society. Farmers, who rose up against British imperialism, staged some of the revolts. They also “agitated directly against the Government, foreign owners of tea gardens and Indian landlords-moneylenders.” (“The History of India,” PG).
Neel (indigo) is a profitable crop. At the time of the revolt, European farmers had a monopoly on Neel farming, and forced Indians to harvest Neel for them. They used brutal methods to oppress the Indians, including physical beatings, and the victimized farmers were forced to see the Neel at less than profitable rates. The Europeans,...