Religion is no Daily Bread

For Dr Rani Balbir Kaur and members of her theatre group,Folk Theatre Workshop,this year’s Chandigarh Theatre Festival was a memorable one. It was after five long years that the director and writer has made a comeback on the stage with the production Bhagwad-Ajjuke-Bhikshu Aur Ganika,that was presented on September 18. Written in Sanskrit in the 7th century by King Mahender Vikram Varman,also known as Bodhyan,the play was translated into Hindi by Nemichandra Jain and is set in a stylised form that draws from the ancient tradition of Sanskrit drama. “We made the theme more spectacular with rich,live classical music,chants,rituals and dramatic delineation that celebrates our glorious heritage of classical Indian drama,” says Kaur. She adds that the play not only connects us to our ancient heritage,but makes important statements that must be emphasised in the present times. The play makes profound reflections,like no religion can give you your daily bread,you have to earn it by your own sweat and blood and that our inner self (antaratama) also impacts our physical being (karamatama). “Our true identity is our inner self that moulds our physical or tangible being,” says Kaur.

The play revolves around a Buddhist monk and a courtesan. Their souls are mistakenly exchanged by Yamdoot — the god of death. It also has a disciple who takes up religious practice for free food,yet he never gets enough to eat. The play argues,in a comic vein,about our true identity.