Week-long theatre festival by Asom Sahitya Sabha

Guwahati: A week-long theatre festival showcasing folk and contemporary socio-cultural scenario of the state has been organised by Assam`s premier literary organisation Asom Sahitya Sabha in collaboration with a cultural organisation Asom Kalatirtha. The festival began yesterday and is scheduled to conclude on June 16, Asom Sahitya Sabha sources said. All the plays have been written by Sabha General Secretary Paramananda Rajbongshi, who also directed `Kamal Kunwari`s sadhu`. `Kamala Kunwarir sadhu` (Queen Kamala`s Tale) highlighting the rich tradition and culture of the ancient Darrangi kingdom which stretched from Lower Assam to Coochbehar in present West Bengal, was the inaugural play staged here last evening. The other plays to be put up include `Nangol, Mati aru Manuh` (Plough, Land and Man) set against the backdrop of Pathuraghat peasant uprising against imposition of heavy taxes by the British in Assam`s Darrang district in which several farmers were killed during a protest on January 28, 1894. `Chakrabehu`, `Janaknandini`, `Formud Goriar Premgatha` and `Ujani Bamuner Prem Kahini` are the other plays to be staged. The mostly eagerly awaited play is `Tejimala` for children, which is in its centenary year and is written by eminent literatteur Lakshminath Bezbaruah. The other plays have been directed by Mahesh Rajbongshi, Ramesh Sarmah, Pabitra Saikia, Dilip Nath, Manik Ahmed and Bornil Bikash. PTI