I am not sure what Pushkar Gurung meant by “the play will explain everything on its own,” while he spent futile minutes explaining the play, as did director Shiva Rijal.
And, interestingly, when the play was actually staged, the message was something different from what was explained.
Even though Rijal had said the play would explore the possible ways of infusing traditional dance and drama forms with modern theatrical performance, there were very few instances (read none) when the dance that we saw in the play was in any way more innovative than what we see during the Jatras.
Of course, bringing this rare heritage into theatre was a praiseworthy job in itself. However, a task well begun is not always half done. Sometimes it is very important to be equally brilliant in the onward progress.
The play is based on the legend of Bisket Jatra in Bhaktapur town. The story revolves around Mayaju, a doomed princess whose groom is destined to be bitten to death on the honeymoon night by a snake that came out of her nostril in her sleep. Apparently, the deity Mahakali takes away the victim in her wrath. Even though people perform various rituals to appease her, she seems hard to please.
The old man or sage, who is also a central character of the play, decides to take on the challenge and fight the wrath of this insatiable goddess. At this point, I am reminded of Bertrand Russell’s essay ´Worship of a Freeman´. In a way, the sage resembles Russell’s Free Man, who refuses to surrender to the unreasonable, cruel power of god.
One day, a “freak trader”, as playwright Abhi Subedi likes to call him, appears in town. Mayaju, weary of her terrible fate, decides not to marry any more (she’s already married to ten young men, thanks to her egotistical father, the king, who isn’t ready to let her daughter remain a widow even for a day).
Actually, the dialogue here between the princess and the king is really interesting. When Mayaju laments the ill fate of the ten young men, the king haughtily responds, “So what, they’re in fact luck. I shall pronounce them martyrs.”
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Since the Nepal government is preparing to declare over seven thousand martyrs, this snatch of dialogue aptly evokes the political absurdity.
At last, at the special request of the sage, Mayaju marries the freak trader, who ends up cutting the snake into pieces and relieving the princess and the town of that menace.
In the end, Mayaju realizes her long-deserved freedom and epitomizes the victory of man over divine wrath.
Indeed, the script is great. But it is the fate of strong-scripted plays to be unable to live up to expectation. This is why we cannot really blame directors Rijal and Ghimire Yubraj. However, somewhat better rehearsals would’ve left Bhairav and Mahakali seeming less like victims of Parkinson’s (they can’t speak a word without shaking), and the off-stage lights that kicked in at the wrong times were a serious fault.
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But Rijal and his Sangya Theater group’s efforts to bring traditional dance and performing arts into theater cannot go without praise and let’s hope this maiden venture will open up future possibilities.
Although this festival was “international” there weren’t many international participants, apart from a group from India.
Note: Chiriyeka Sanjharu was staged at the opening ceremony on December 26 at Rashtriya Nachghar, Jamal. The three-day festival will stage four more presentations, namely Missing Pages by Kankhowa Theater group, India, Khusee Ko Mrityu and Samaya Sarir Yatra, both by Birendra Hamal of M. Art, and a charya dance by Krishna Bhakta Maharjan.
