Nandikar,one of the oldest theatre groups of Bengal,recently staged Madhabi that explores the tragedy of a kings daughter from Mahabharat who is used as a pawn by the three men in her life. Swatilekha Sengupta of Nandikar,one of the oldest and most renowned theatre groups of Bengal, recently staged an adaptation of Hindi writer and playwright Bhisham Sahnis play Madhavi in Kolkata. It is based on the story of Madhabi,daughter of King Rishi Yayati from Mahabharata. The play has been staged in different avatars over the years. Madhavi in Hindi was first staged by noted director Rajendra Nath in 1982. In 2005,US-trained Rashi Bunny performed it as a solo play directed by Arvind Gaur. Its English translation by Alok Bhalla was published in 2002. New interpretations of mythology show us how women have functioned as a substitute for money whenever there was a clash of male egos. Madhabi narrates the story of Yayatis daughter who is used like a pawn by three egoistic men - her father,Galab,her lover and Vishwamitra,her lovers guru. The play starts off with Galab asking Rishi Vishwamitra what Guru Dakshina does he expect from him. Initially Vishwamitra says that he does not want any but on Galabs insistence,he asks for 800 ashwamed horses - white horses with a black ear. But Galab knows that its an impossible task so he tries to take his own life. But he is stopped by divine intervention. He then approaches King Yayati,who has given up his throne to lead the life of a hermit. Yayati does not have any white horses to give. But he has Madhabi,his beautiful daughter,who is endowed with two boons. One vests her with eternal virginity. The other is of begetting sons destined to be the king of kings. So,he offers his daughter Madhabi instead,ensuring Galab that she will bring these horses to him through her two boons. As Madhabi and Galab embark on their journey to find 800 white horses,they fall in love and promise to marry once all this is behind them. Madhabi has to live for a year with each of these three kings - Haryashva,Divadas and Ushinar. Each of them will give Galab 200 horses in exchange for Madhabi delivering a son for them. Galab readily agrees and takes her to the three kings. But the duo soon wonders from where will they get the remaining 200 horses. Madhabi learns that Vishwamitra has 200 white horses. Without informing Galab,she goes to Vishwamitra and offers to live with him for a year so that he can also get a king of kings. All this strips Madhabi of her famed beauty. So,when Galab finally locates her,he is repulsed by her looks. When he learns that she has lived with his Guru Vishwamitra,he uses this as an excuse to retract his promise of marriage. A submissive Madhabi rises in rebellion against her father,her lover and the patriarchal world and finally walks away into the forests. The play opens with a beautifully orchestrated chorus,dressed in saffron,functioning as the collective voice that sings,recites and dances while narrating Madhabis story. The chorus acts as a tool that takes the story forward and is used to make a scathing comment about the patriarchal society. The Kathak tatkar (basic footwork) is used to shift from one segment to another adding to the aesthetics and the setting. The stage is set minimally but the design and lighting creates an impression of a thick forest. The music,composed by Swatilekha herself,explores semi-classical modes,some forms of religious music to fit the shifting moods. Sohini Haldar as Madhabi undercuts the beauty element with her performance. She is too submissive in the beginning but as events snowball,she raises pivotal questions about love,her identity and on being abused repeatedly by her father and her lover. Debshankar Haldar as Galab is more a lover than the selfish and arrogant disciple he is expected to be. Our hatred for him escalates when he rejects Madhabi as life partner as she is no longer beautiful and has given herself to his guru which is unacceptable. Ironically,she has done this only to help him. The performance is electrifying,heightened by the holistic ambience of the stage presentation,complete with the beautiful fragrance of the dhuno (scented smoke) spreading across to the audience. Sumanta Gangopadhyay as Vishwamitra is good. Nandikars works are contemporary,thought-provoking,and link personal spheres of existence to larger social political issues. Madhabi brings across the politics of power,violence,ego-tussles between and among three great men of mythology that places a beautiful woman at the centre of their individual and collective violence,injustice and discrimination.
