Kalgitura, a theatrical ode to unique Marathi folk art

Set in a fictional Maharashtrian village, the play mainly focuses on the unusual aspect of this art form — the tradition of Kalgitura artistes singing to ease the pain and grief of bereaved families.

Written by Datta Patil and directed by Sachin Shinde, the play began with the playful sawal-jawab that these folk artistes often indulge in. They refer to intertwining stories from the scriptures, mythologies and oral traditions to justify their point. The play moved on to provide a cultural context to this art form, its relevance in rural Maharashtra, and the unsung artistes who kept it alive over the years. Patil says: “The name Kalgitura is made up of two words ‘kalgi’ (shakti) and ‘tura’ (Shiva). As with several folk-art forms, ‘Kalgitura’ brings a host of pertinent issues to the fore and addresses complex emotions through the medium of entertainment.”

Winner of Darpan, a new initiative by the NCPA that celebrates fresh voices in Marathi theatre, this play evolved following a series of intense discussions with the mentors and their feedback. The mentors were deeply involved with the writing process as well as strict with the writers regarding deadlines.

“When we went to Nashik to watch a run through of ‘Kalgitura’, we could tell that a lot was going on — in terms of the vision and craft,” says Bruce Guthrie, head of theatre and films at NCPA. The play in two acts is staged with subtitles in the background. The writer, director, cast and crew of the play are from Nashik and neighbouring areas.

The idea of the play struck Patil while he was researching this folk art tradition with the aim of writing a book. “Nearly 100 kilometre away from Nashik is a village called Umarane. The villagers there sing these songs often as part of their everyday life,” says Patil.

Midway through his research, he realised that there could be an interesting play developed around it. Soon, his long-time collaborator Shinde came on board. Later on, Rushikesh Shelar was roped in to work on its music. “I have been working on its music for two years. Drawing inspiration from folk traditions like Tamasha and Kalgitura, we have kept music traditional with a contemporary touch,” says Shelar.

Its cast comprises folk artistes who were picked from areas around Nashik.

“All of them are first-time actors. We chose to work with them because we wanted them to bring their rawness and authenticity to the performance.

However, we first had to convince them and workshop with them extensively for the play,” says Shinde. The director mentions that he often tries to break the fourth wall and make the audience part of the performance. Even though this play does not do that, it sticks to a minimalistic stage setup and simple storytelling peppered with many songs to make it an immersive experience.
The NCPA, which has produced the play, plans to hold more shows. “The play talks about the importance of celebrating cultural traditions and continuing them even when the younger generation is not keen on doing it. Following a tradition does not mean being old fashioned but remembering who we are,” says Guthrie.