‘Chitrangada’ comes calling

The staging is a part of Tagore’s 150th anniversary celebrations. Chitrangada was first dramatised in 1939,and ever since has been staged year after year by the Repertory. “This year is special. So we went back to the archives to cull out photographs of costumes,sets,make-up and stage craft as conceived by Tagore and designed by celebrated artist Nandlal Bose. We have tried to get the same look and feel,” explain Sangeet Bhavan’s professors Indrani Mukhopadhyay and Swastika Mukherjee,who are directing the play,along with Prof Sandip Basu.

Based on a story from the Mahabharata,the dance-drama is a woman-oriented play. Basu says,“Written almost 80 years ago,the play depicts Tagore’s concerns for a woman’s identity,her position in the society and her search for love.”

“His vision and themes are as relevant today as they were decades ago. Perhaps,that’s why his works are staged all over the world,’’ he adds.

Retaining Tagore’s original idea of a dance-drama,they have incorporated Manipuri and Kathakali dance forms and indigenous musical instruments. Mukhopadhyay says Rabindra Nritya is unique,since Tagore blended Indian classical dances and matched them with characters to create a unique blend.

Since the copyright expired in 2000,maintaining the originality of his works is getting tougher,says Mukherjee. “In the name of experimentation,people are adding new tunes to his songs,changing notations,staging his works with folk and Western motifs.”

At Shantiniketan,however,the effort is to to be true to the Tagore tradition. Observers of Tagore’s art are happy that the audience appreciates their effort. “We are nurturing what we got from Shantiniketan. Tagore’s works are an interplay of various traditions,ideas,philosophy and ambience,which we show to the world year after year,’’ says Bose.