Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Oct 14:
Natrang presented two shows of globally acclaimed Dogri play ‘Bawa Jitto’ at Spiritual Growth Centre which added a new color to the ongoing Navratra Festival 2018. Written by Prof Ram Nath Shastri and directed by Padamshree Balwant Thakur, this mind-blowing presentation enlivened the Navratra Festival-2018 with the electrifying performance of versatile seasoned actors of Natrang. Supported by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, the play was witnessed by large number of the audiences and devotees of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi. This was the only presentation in the Navratra Festival 2018 which showcased the rich folklore and heritage of the region. This culturally vibrant presentation of Natrang Jammu magically transported along the local audiences and the pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi to a 15th century old saga of supreme sacrifice of a poor farmer a great devotee of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi who gave his life in fight of justice and exploitation by the landlords. The most noteworthy feature of the presentation was that it made the audience to relive his mind-blowing tale which happened in a nearby village over 650 years ago.
Welcoming the Guests, Natrang Director Balwant Thakur said that if such events are made a permanent feature, they will not only revive the priceless cultural heritage of the area but will also become the ultimate global cultural destination attracting spectators from world over. Nowhere on this earth one can have the occasion to see something out of the world happening which transports people to a live happening of 15th century.
On the occasion Balwant Thakur thanked Sh. Satya Pal Malik, Governor of J&K for supporting Natrang endeavours to preserve the priceless heritage of the surrounding areas of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Hills.
Natrang has staged over two hundred shows of the play Bawa Jitto all-over India and as of now the play Bawa Jitto has become the longest living theatre production of the country which has again given a new cultural identity to the state of J&K.
The tragic story of Bawa Jitto portrays the age-old saga of exploitation of landless farmers by landlords. Due to the constant and persistent pressures of relatives, with a piece of land as bone of contention, Bawa Jitto, a hard working, farm less farmer is forced to leave his native village. Accompanied by his nine-year-old daughter, he takes shelter in the house of a friend in Shamachak, a nearby village.
The efforts of his friend Rullo result in a land grant from landlord in Shamachak and one fourth of the produce is fixed as land revenue. The hard work put in by him, the sweat and toil of Jitto turns a barren land into prolific treasure. This makes avaricious landlord to back out on his word and ask for major share of the crop. Helpless Jitto, unable to endure injustice, kills himself. The agony becomes boundless when Gauri, his little daughter immolates herself on her father’s pyre. The most outstanding feature of the play was the performance by versatile actors on stage.
The role of Bawa Jitto was played by senior most actor of the state Neeraj Kant who kept everyone spellbound through his acting versatility who also won the appreciation of one and all. He was supported by senior actors of Natrang like Suresh Kumar as Mehta Beer Singh, Vijay Bhat as Sarpanch and Ghaghi, Anil Tickoo as Malli and Raja, Shivam Singh as Isso and Mohd. Yaseen as Aadmi & Rullo in a highly professional manner. Another noteworthy performance was by young Saanvi Anand as Bua Gauri, Vrinda Sharma as Jeuni and the ultimate hit of the show was the dynamic performance by Dewankshi Sabikhi as Jojan.
Others who gave magnificent performances included Brijesh Avtaar Sharma, Manoj Lalotra, Zeeshan Haider, Ajay Lalotra, Adesh Dhar, Shivam Sharma, Gauri Thakur, Mohd. Umar, Kananpreet Kaur, Sushant Singh Charak, Deepali Sharma, Kuldeep Angral, Vanshika Gupta, Sheetal Jadhan and Akash Bhat.
Watching prominent traditional singers Girdhari Lal and Harbans Lal was an ethnic cultural treat for all the spectators. The lights were designed and executed by Suraj Ganjoo.
