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Street play depicts Kandhamal violence

BERHAMPUR: Officials and young journalists in communal violence-hit Kandhamal district have come together to write and produce a street play to bring in communal harmony in the area.

It is named ‘Mu Kandhamalia Kahuchi’ to depict what a man from Kandhamal feels about the recent happenings. This street play is co-produced by the Kandhamal district administration and the Youth Journalists’ Association (YJA) of Phulbani.

The project director of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA), Pradip Kumar Ratha, has written this short play while the Assistant Conservator of Forests Ajit Satpathy happens to be its director.

Both Mr. Ratha and Mr. Satpathy have past experience as amateur theater activists.

Speaking to The Hindu over phone from Phulbani, the playwright Mr. Ratha said their inaugural show was held on Friday in front of the Kandhamal district Collector’s office.

sThis play would be enacted through out the district to make people of Kandhamal remember back their true peaceful identity.

Till now 35 places including all block headquarters and major villages have been identified for the enactment of ‘Mu Kandhamalia Kahuchi’.

“As everything was done in a hurry we are still continuing with our rehearsals to improvise on the script and acting", Mr. Ratha said.

He had written this half-an-hour-long street play within short span of three days.

The troupe of this play includes 12 members. Most of the actors are young journalists including the president of the YJA, Ashok Kumar Mohanty and actress Shamima Bibi.

Mr. Mohanty said through this play they have tried to reach out to the common mass with a message of peace.

“We have tried to depict all harsh truths of communal violence and suffering of all communities so that all relate with this play when it gets enacted at street corners,” Mr Mohanty said. Kandhamal collector Krishan Kumar, tribal leader and convener of the Kui Samaj coordination committee, Lambodar Kanhar also witnessed the first show of the street play and praised the efforts.

The play depicts the suffering of victims of communal violence in relief camps who due to panic could not return home.

It also depicts the pain of tribals hiding in jungles due to fear of police actions and arrests.

On this backdrop a subtle love story builds up between a Hindu boy and a Christian girl who feel they can live together and marry without hampering each other’s religious beliefs.

Although the short play does not provide any answer whether they married or not yet it provides some realistic messages regarding communal harmony and peace through its characters.

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