"প্ৰকৃত সত্যৰ আগত পৰাজয় স্বীকাৰ কৰা"

 

এজন বৰ ধনী মানুহ আছিল। তেওঁৰ এটা ল'ৰা আছিল। সি সৰুৰে পৰা বৰ মৰমত ডাঙৰ হৈছিল। সুখ সুবিধা পোৱাৰ বাবে সি একো কৰিবলগীয়া হোৱা নাছিল। এইদৰে তাৰ জীৱনটো কামবন নোহোৱা এজন এলেহুৱা লোকৰ দৰে হৈ পৰিছিল। পিতাকে বহুত বুজোৱাৰ পিছতো তাৰ জীৱনত একো এটা সালসলনি নহ'ল। সকলো সম্বন্ধীয় ভাই-ভনীয়ে এদিন তাক ঘৰৰ পৰা বাহিৰ কৰি দিলে। সিহঁতে ক'লে যে যি মানুহে নিজৰ কাৰনে একো নকৰে, তাক গোটেই জীৱন বহুৱাই খুৱাব নোৱাৰি। পিতাক আৰু পৰিয়ালৰ অবিহনে ল'ৰাটো এনে ঠাইলৈ যাবলৈ ওলায়, য'ৰ ঠিকনা সি নিজেও নাজানে।বাটত আগবাঢ়ি যাওঁতে তাৰ প্ৰচণ্ড ভোক লাগিল। তাৰ ঠিক পিছতেই সি এখন বাগিছা দেখা পালে। 

তাৰ পিছত সি দেখিলে যে বাগিছাখনৰ মালী গছৰ তলত নিহ্পালী দি শুই আছে। সেয়েহে সি সেইটোৱেই মনে মনে ফল ছিঙি খোৱাৰ উপযুক্ত সময় বুলি ভাবি লৈ আম পাৰিব ধৰিলে। সেয়েহে, সি বাগিছাৰ পৰা দুটা আম পাৰি খাবলৈ ধৰোঁতেই মালীয়ে তাৰ এই দুঃসাহসীকতাৰ উমান পালে। মালীয়ে তাক খেদি গ'ল। সি পলাই পত্ৰং দিলে। এনেতে দৌৰি দৌৰি সি এখন ঘোৰ অন্ধকাৰ হাবিত সোমাল। সি পুৱাৰ পৰা একো খোৱা নাছিল সেয়ে দুৰ্বল অনুভৱ কৰিলে আৰু ঠিক তেতিয়াই এটা কুকুৰ দেখিলে। তাৰ পিছত, সি লক্ষ্য কৰিলে যে কুকুৰটো তাতকৈও দুৰ্বল আৰু সেই বিশাল আৰু ঘন হাবিত এটা অকলশৰীয়া প্ৰাণী আছিল। এনেতে সি সিংহৰ গৰ্জন শুনিলে। তাৰ পিছত সি দেখিলে এটা সিংহ তাৰ ফালে চেঁচা লৈ দৌৰি আহি আছে। সি তৎক্ষণাৎ ওচৰৰ গছজোপা বগাই ওপৰলৈ উঠিল আৰু তললৈ চাই থাকিল। ইয়াৰ পিছত সি যিটো দৃশ্য দেখিলে, তাৰ পিছত সি ইমান হতবাক হ'ল যে, সি পুনৰাই ঘৰলৈ উভতি যাবলৈ বাধ্য হ'ল। সি দেখিলে যে প্ৰচণ্ড বেগত অহা সিংহটোৱে তাৰ মুখত লৈ অহা এমোকোৰা মাংসৰ অলপ কুকুৰটোক দিলে আৰু অলপো সময় নৰখি, তাৰ পিছত আগুৱাই গৈ থাকিল। সেই দৃশ্যটোৱে তাক ইমান আচৰিত কৰি তুলিলে যে সেই ঘন বননিৰ মাজত তেতিয়া ৰাতিপুৱা পুৱালে সি গমেই নাপালে। সি ঘৰলৈ উভতি যোৱাৰ সিদ্ধান্ত ললে। ঘৰৰ পৰা সেইদৰে গুছি অহাৰ বাবে মনে মনে অনুশোচনাত দগ্ধ হ'ল। 

এতেকে প্ৰকৃত সত্যৰ আগত পৰাজয় স্বীকাৰ কৰিলে জীৱনৰ ভূলসমূহ বুজি পোৱাৰ লগতে নিজৰ সিদ্ধান্ত আৰু সামৰ্থ্যৰ প্ৰতিও অগ্ৰসৰ হব পাৰে। 

A dancer and her journey with oppression

 

Oppression is not a new thing for some dancers. Dance is that part of human life style which requires in a society to stop something really not necessary. It's that kind of authority which continuously killing our self-respect and emotion in some phases. A mind too in a society specially an orthodoxity shattered by oppression and killing which might be a prolonged unjust treatment or exercise of authority. 

It's not a new thing but there is already a settled place where a dancer lives with her family. She receives a subsequent amount of oppression.The main reason to acess oppressive treatment by she, was 'a collective poverty'. The dancer lost everything from her life because of her extreme passion for art and was once misleaded. I met this dancer who was in extreme emotions of becoming a dancer as because of her father's last wish to see her as a true and real dancer. During those days, my treatments were going on for severe health issues. I met her as my special care taker who could communicate promptly to the nurses. She was the dancer of immense capabilities, passions and promising. She has everything to become a good dancer, only mising within her was the humanity which is defined by herself as less important than her passionate wish. I met her as a nurse who was compassionate about Dance and dancing. She had seen the death of her own father and that emotion of she leaded to choose Dance as her choice or to become a good dancer. 

A creative performance 'A queen dancer' in that format of a performance as a transformation has been rehearsed. The basis of this performance was about the real story of a nurse who had tremendous amount of enthusiasm about dance. She was happy to meet me knowing as her patient whom she believed as a good dancer and knew some good dances. But it was difficult to communicate with her because my voice was not cleared due to the severe illness .

She built up and developed her dream day by day. I wanted to warn her about too much of getting into her emotion, but could not able to speak anything. And as time passed on, the situation became more encouraging but with 'the she'.

It went on that way-

A Queen or a normal woman-What would be a moral outcome besides their social status? The morals are generally the same fixed by a society whether you are queen or a slave. The status is different because the queen is the wife of a king, while a normal woman is the soul of her husband and that means everything for her. 

But there has been going on a struggle to accept a dancer. Because, a normal woman wanted to be a dancer. As a social being, both of them (two women) struggled a lot. Gradually, the poorer woman left her wish behind. She assured herself that there will be certainly a humdrum left over if she would dance. And, on the other hand, the queen became adamant to leave everything even her children under royalty to grow herself as a dancer. 

T

The Queen dancer was fond of dancing which became her energy to survive and stand. She was a devotee of truth because she was trained to be a noble ruller by her mother for which dreaming was not a crime under their royality. She grew up as a good dreamer thereby. 

The 'she' dancer as always mesmerised by her mother's altar specially because it looked

 very colourful and there were placed a very 

many dancing gods and goddess

 beautifully. 

The ‘she’ dancer became a tremendous and passionate about dance and dancing.The 'she' carried a dancing bag (suitcase) with herself thereafter. There was kept the dancing bells inside of it. Those were earned actually without any ritual.She named it as freedom bells with no rules and authority! 

And why not she could named it that way? Sometimes,that gave her identity and  a power to protest against all violence and illegals against humanity! 

The 'She' got married by her own choice and thereafter suffered a lot. It was art that brought her back from all her failures until she won. 

She found her husband had misused her dancing bells. Sooner,they evolved in contradiction and overt an sentiment.Then started to go on own. 

And then, the shiva tandav was evolving within themselves and the vibrant anger was spontaneous by 

all means. It was all about pulling

 and pushing and split up. 

They started arguing

to prove themselves and finally kept apart with self respect.

The 'she' went out keeping in mind the feet of the 

'he' of her life and on her way she was 

comparing it to the feet of God and 

hence this split was none 

other than but 

a blessing. 

The 'she' was lost on her way of dancing dream and the tired 'she' started asking to the one living in the sky about where is her light? Where is the reflection of the light? 

It's black everywhere. 

'Kindly help me!'

On her way, the 'she' has met a no. of advisors. Some could help her, some tried 

to be a helping hand and with 

all those she moved on without 

a full stop. 

The 'she' remembered her dance teacher. She took all effort to reach her although it was not so easy! As if the split started to rewrite some kind of

 memory lore or some kind of

 divine tales! 

But, it's not a time to pick up some flowers;

rather it's a time to reach to the destiny for which the 'she' fought with all her way. 

The husband made a sculpture in a public place where

 it was instructed to portrait a divine love. He made Radha Krishna because he carried the supreme soul 

within the scultures.It was none other but a belief 

that grown up already in a public crowd. 

The splited wife, at the same time tangled to perform

 the dance of  longing from the chapters of 

divine tales and it built her mind 

strongest but at all affinity.

The ‘she’ dancer actually took shelter under

 a guidance. That was an abode for many 

other dancers where spirituality 

nourished everyday. 

The 'she' decided to light a lamp of hope 

which will carry her to step always up and do not look down 

upon herself.She came back to 

her normal life. 

She came to her dancing floor. She is confirmed of 

being seen 

 a light. 

That the light of life:that the life always

 carried  her journey with terror and fearsome wilder animals. 

The 'she' is hopeful with this lamp to build up stregth to overcome all the fears came across. And determined to mentain a self respect .She went to nature and then got her answers with biggest smile. She knew that divinity should be always respected to find out a true nature. This is not because she loved to be with it, but because she wondered and 

fascinated to watch a creation amidst nature

 since long back.

And times moved on and on. And so the movements of

 her dancing body were too improving !  The 'she' did everything for her self respect only.  As she knew the oppression had already knocked on her door!As time crossed over, 

the more became her maturity with

 the body. 

And then, the 'she' wondered about why not to

 show the same lights to 

other suffered souls? 

May God give her enough 

surrendering 

to grow

 and be with light with transcendent. 

And let this journey transform everything that required by all dancers in this world. 

And let the oppression be on their feet. 

(Genre:Creative writing

Photo source:google image

Method:Experimental) 

'They are the healers'

 

‘They are the healers'

There are abundance of natural miracles around us. We are the children of the nature and hence the mother nature teaches about the harmony to us. She does not teaches us by the direct words. Rather she stands still at one place accepting all its seasonal changes at the same place till it’s end of life. For this reason ,in many religious belief or faith, the nature and it’s growth becomes our pathmaker.

In the universe, we all are connected. In nature, there are living beings, trees, rivers, mountains and hills. The habitants of nature are always close to each other and there’s always built up a connection between every creatures of the nature.

With this thought, we tried to frame a performance based on a creative narration. The context of the performance is about a very rare herb termed as Visalyakarani and the users. The users use itvas a medicinal plants against any poisonous effect. It’s a very old species of herbs and very few have knowledge about it and ability to recognise these herbs.

It’s believed that there are angel guardian dwell in the forest and the hills who protect and preserve the mother nature. They have almost all the knowledge about the herbs and plants. This can be referred a back date period (an early Palaeolithic period) when human beings struggled a lot with the nature.

These angel guardian are so much of helpful that they are always ready to help anyone. They travel one top to another of hills and mountains in group. They are young and strong who do not afraid of anything. They never walk rather jump with their little baggy. They carry knives, thungri etc. to hunt as well as to protect from wild animals. They sing, jump and narrate balladry.

The plains call them as wild healer whose heroic deeds are very much popular. But they hardly meet to each other. It’s the nature that brings them closer. They hunt but keep aware of the crops in the field cultivation. On the other hand, the cultivators of plains always adore the life and livelihood of hills. Both of them never meet to each other but still connected by some way or other.

While hervesting, the sounds of cookoo turns the women happy and dancing birds. They started imitating the nature and natural sounds for the moment. A dance of harvesting is thus created along with the nature. At this moment, when the women sharing the footsteps of harvesting to each other, the murmuring sounds from the hills also make them thoughtful. They are missing their brothers from hills. The hilly brothers are very dear to them whom are always started their dawn some working effort. The brave brothers are not only care taker of the human, in fact they are the Guardian angels. They have a protective shield which they use for the needy living being. There are frogs, butterflies, grasshopper, whistle, crows, crocodiles and other creatures around whom they also need to control and always alert to find a way of harmony with human being. For the sufferers, they are the healers. For the normal being, they are the Guardian of nature. And for these guardian angels, Gods are the healers.

There’s a still life and livelihood. Women are doing their works while the men do their own. The tree lore among the women make them always a brave one to go forward or to never worry. This traditional knowledge is very important  for them and going against of it, is a taboo. But, there's always happened a rare case when someone go against it, and bring forth a challenge of the ancient knowledge.

The priesthood culture among the Assamese indigenous people is basically about the knowledge of herbs and paddy grains. They do not have teachers neither a particular teaching place to conduct any ancient lessons. They grow with sharing the knowledge from elders to youngers during their collective work hours. The village women, besides of their household, they have a few collective work schedule with other. They sow paddy or making the festive rice cakes or cutting the crops or plucking the “xaak” as a together business. They carry one woman whom is younger than them and of a very small aged. They work together and take rest and eat their lunch. Sometimes, they become overwhelm by the blooming nature and enjoy a lot. They sit and their enjoyment leads them to look at the hills and mountains. They know the people live out there but never get a chance to meet them. Some says that they look horrible and other says they are helpful. But, what so over, every one admit that they are the Psethurist.

They have a longing to meet the people of those mountains whom are alike the brothers and sisters. And one day, one terrible incident happens with the women. While catching each other in enjoyment and fruits, one of the woman bites a forbidden fruit despite of the prohibition by the other women. She ate and fell down. A situation of fear, tensions and worries arise at the moment and the women outburst and shouted-‘’Alas! Deuri! “

The Deuri woman whom was attacked by the forbidden fruit, is now resting helpless with poisonous pout. The women cry for help and was listen by no one in the village but the Guardian Angels. They brought the valuable herb sanjivani for them and the women could able to make the deuri alive. The guardian angels are the travellers from one forest to another, from one top to another top of a hill. They always alert by the sounds from plains. And they are also very much pleased by the brotherhood.

The men are dependent on women and home, whereas women live their life as a complete healer. They are the ultimate care taker of an ill person. They are the healers to inhilate the poison or illness to be recovered. Their brotherhood with the guardian angels is a challenge of moral values of their clans and society. At the same time, they are all connected for a reason. The men whom are familiar to the dry leaves, the haunted beast, the flowers, the honey bee and other insects as well as the valuable herbs. They struggle their life with the wilds every now and then. Their mind and souls filled with anxious until they hunt something of their own interest. They too believe the angel guardians whom are known for their help and blessings to the Deuris of the villages downward. They know the effect of the poisons and always close to these guardian angels for their blessings.

 

 Photo source:Aesthetic, social sites etc. 

'When the news of your death becomes a fake news, you actually taken birth twice or rebirth with a higher spirit: a belief

There are many in this world, who live with a belief system. They prefer to live with the beliefs as it give them hope to survive and serve people, congregation, examining self and surrounding and many others. In fact, a belief system comprises of many unauthorized stories that happen in the past and drawing morals out of those happenings. The way of our life when creates culture, our morals start creating the belief system autometically. We cannot deny the old text written as treatise as well as oral practices that remain still as practices among group of people. This way, we can see always two sides of drawing morals from the beliefs. So, there may be derived memories collected from oral (loka style) and written(natya/ style) text. 

One important old verse can be cited now. 

" লোকধৰ্মী নাট্যধৰ্মী ধৰ্মী তু দ্বিবিধ স্মৃতঃ।ভাৰতী সাত্ত্বিক চৈৱ কৈশিক্যাৰভটী তথা।। চতস্ৰো ৱৃত্তয়ো হ্যেত যাদু নাট্য প্ৰতিষ্ঠিতম্।"

(Natyasastra, 6th chapter Rasavikalpa, verse 1-3, page-114) 

The above verse is in Sanskrit language which means there are two way of understanding the moral values of drama which are termed as vritti or profession of Drama. They may be either Lokadharmi or Natyadharmi or both. Hence, the four vrittis could be traced out from ancient scriptures as Bharati, Satwati, Kaishiki and Arabhatti. The Indian dramaturgy is always based on these four type of vrittis. 

While reading and doing research about Natyadharmi and Lokadharmi ,the two styles or professions, we suddenly got an opportunity to clarify them. And we have been honoured to meet an artist of Traditional root. The artist belongs to Assam and who is also an descendants of traditional artist family. The artist, as he has shared to us, was highly inspired by his own grandfather Kinaram Nath (Kinaram Dainapali). The grandfather was also one of the great personalities of the then traditional choire singing troupe Oja-pali of Sipajhar, Darrang area. I met him once. 

(Oja-pali is known today as a semi dramatic form of Indian theatre art with a variety of subjects which ,again vary from place to place of Assam. The purpose of this art form is to create awareness mainly about social and religious issues.) 

On the other hand, our family at Barpeta, as associated with a premere art Institute based in Assam, has therefore, got a chance to share some moments with the descendent of the traditional Oja-pali performance. Both of our organisation and his traditional form have been working on public awareness from quiet a long time back. And the focus was always a human welfare. We were too happy to welcome such an artist of traditional background, of same interest, of great enthusiasm and dedications towards the present scenerio of traditional art forms. And whom has so much of love for the small kids of our Institute too. So, by a scheduled plan, he has arrived at Aesthetic one day before. Afterwards, there was fixed a title about a children workshop and so the dates. Everything gone through very much smoothly and he has also shown his interest to introduce a new dimesion about Physical theatre. From his introductory lecture cum demonstration, we came to see a new angle on theatre art. And that was really anew knowledge for us and was very impressive too.Thus, we were delighted to meet the resource person Nava kumar Nath, a guest teacher cum performing artist amidst us. As a mentor, he started his introductory lesson by doing physical exercise of theatres to increase the ice-breaking on bodies. 

The context we cannot overlook : the climate and traditional belief: A basis. 

Although everyone engaged in theatre art skills, nobody escaped from the home rites and rituals. They could not come on time. The kids were worrying because they didnot want to dissapoint the guest teacher. In Indian context, a guest is always believed as a God. He should not be ill treated . In fact, a guest is always taken care of all the possible way one can manage. It was also the day when the families started preparing for the global solstice. Because it's the time when the idea of seperation (good from evil, rejoice from silence etc.) can be realised through traditional knowledge and practice.

 The term solstice, in fact, can be used more wider sense because there is a passage happens in the seasons. The solstice, together with the equinoxes are connected with the seasons considering to start or seperate the seasons. In many cultures, we have observed this event as a celebration such as Mid summer or St. Johns day during 21st to 24th June of every year. Parallaly, December 25 , is the day that the sun begins to return to the Northern Hemisphere etc. Unlike many cultures, Hindu calender, two sidereal solstice have the names known s Makara Sankranti which marks the start of Uttarayana and Karka Sankranti which marks the start of Dakhshinayana. 

“স্ব-ধৰ্ম আচৰে যিবা পুৰুষে সদায়।বহু জন্মান্তৰে সিটো ব্ৰহ্মপদ পায়।।"(গদ্যাকাৰত শ্ৰীমদ্ভাগৱত, প্ৰথম খণ্ড, মহেন্দ্ৰ তামুলী,পৃষ্ঠা -১৮)

(-the one who behaves as per his self-religion with self respect, he will be immortal among all and hence able to take the seat of supreme understanding of art and expression.) 

-A prose version of Srimadbhagawat, First part-Mahendra Tamuli, page-18. 

I am writing all of these because we profounded to receive all the gathered persons- artists, research scholars, resource persons, parents and local enthusiasts the other day at our studio-AESTHETIC. We were overwhelmed because we have been suffering from global pendemic and crisis quiet a long time back (almost 1 and 1/2 years). On last June 17, 2021, the participants have taken part in this workshop with free of cost.Sooner, the practicing space was finally restricted to offer limited seats for the participants to join the workshop.

The research team of the workshop, on the other hand, informed us about a correlated global event which was happening co-incidently during the same time of the workshop. And hence we were curious  to know about their indication towards the event SOLSTICE. That might enrich the creative pole of the children too. Unlike a solstice, as it occurs, when the Sun appears to reach its most northernly or southernly excursion relative to the celestial equator in the celestial sphere. And then, on the very first day, we were assured about a very general problem faced by the teacher and the participants, i.e, the body imflexibility of the participants-i.e., their body and mind which have a very low concentration power. So, they were given a no.alertness games and functions. Fortunately, the workshop has been organised before the solstice event.And as per the research team that must be the priority to this event which would be certainly helpful to strengthen and reduce the gap between participants and the teacher a little. It was difficult to say but we knew that the result will be still awaited untill the end of the workshop! And so, we were waiting.

Actually, the term Solstice has a wider meaning. It is something happened in our climate naturally and there are a no. of beliefs and practices are yet believed and practices by a few. It refers to a day when a remarkable passage happens. The day, on the other hand, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. It is also a celebration among various religions. This is a mid summer day (June 24).

Today is 24^th of June, 2021 and we have just finished the workshop with all our emotional and physical involvement for acting and skills. The body and mind is again ready to start  something a new, something really meaningful and apprehensive now! And obligatory!!

But what leads the workshop successful at the end to us? We started asking to each other. Obviously, the joy and activeness among the participants. And the resource person? 

 

About the resource person:

The resource person as mentioned above is a theatre personalities of Sipapajhar, a locality of Assam. A descendant of traditional folk theatre form Ojapali of Assam, Navajyoti Nath had got his interest and talent on acting since his childhood. His grandfather Kinaram Nath was a reknown folk artist (Dinapali of Suknnani Ojapali) . A proud son of Amarjyoti Nath and Srimati Bharati Devi , Navajyoti born and brought up at Pachimchuba of Sipajhar, Darrang. He started his acting from a very early period of age of 6 years. He moved to attend workshop supported by NSD in 2013 as he was encouraged by receiving best actor award in his college. He got tremendous inspiration from his grandfather and his practice sessions of Ojapali at home regularly. That was  how he could built up his confidence to go deep into Indian art and culture. And he never stop after this. Uptill now, he has performed more than 15/16 drama and attended a no. of National and International workshop held in Assam and outside. Introducing his own production house, Nayanjyoti is more hopeful about his family traditional art Ojapali, but of course with an angle of its digitalisation. At his age of 24, he is trying to teach children about various primery and basic skills of drama and other forms of arts which is truly promising.

He was supported to conduct the recent workshop by the members of Aesthetic and a local artist cum teacher of theatre art Rupam Talukdar at Bhawanipur.

There was a wonderful discussion with him as it contained very many other sides such as technical aspects and management of light and sound, script in theatre art etc.

But what encourages us was his self confidence,dedication and attentive to each child during the teaching hours. This is very encouraging that a person who walks out from a traditional form of art long back for a reason. He,who is always ready to hug a chance of going forward never deny his source of inspiration that he inherited and acquired as well. Behind his dedication, as he informed a smile is fixed in all circumstances. And he still does. And then he humorously denied many of our curiosities, but then still answered. He said-

''Actually, long time back, there was a fake news published about my death but I was at home. Consequently, there were many phone calls came asking about me. I was tired of receiving calls and convincing people about the fake news. Now I understand, I should not react so loud. Not because they were irritating so loud; in stead, I should think, dream about and prepare myself for something very very good in future is going to happen with me, as per our beliefs in village. I mean, I should prepare for calls to receive something very rare and close to me in future, not about death! Or it might be just some worries to take in search or to fulfil my grandpa’s dream may be calling at me! You never know!!”

Photo source:Aesthetic

P. C-H. K. Talukdar