MAHAGAMI Dance Gurukul recently presented the theatrical interpretation of the classic Sanskrit literary work of Ashwaghosh, ‘Buddhacharitram,’ which deals with the life and emotional journey of the Buddha.
As a part of a creative assignment for the students of the Natyashastra Diploma and BPA Kathak & Odissi, the 3rd canto was explored using the ancient theatrical elements of Bharat Muni's Natyashastra.
The theatrical presentation titled 'Tatkshane' (meaning 'that moment') revolved around the visit of Prince Siddharth to the forest, where he witnesses the three life-stirring situations: aging, sickness, and death.
This imaginative dramatic presentation was designed and directed by Parwati Dutta, Dean, Faculty of Performing Arts, MGM University. The students of Bachelors in Performing Arts (Kathak & Odissi), Siddhi Sontakke and Bhargavi Methekar, gave an involved presentation using the 11 elements of Bharat's Natyashastra with aesthetic elements inspired by the Ajanta paintings.
This act was greatly appreciated by the audience and theatre lovers. Two more acts were presented by Shravan US and Doyal Jha, students of the 2nd semester of the Diploma in Natyashastra. They used dance techniques of Kuchipudi, Bharatanatyam, and Yakshagana to explore the theme of Buddhacharitam, which was praiseworthy.
Dean Parwati Dutta said that the significance of ancient Indian theatre traditions is not followed in modern theatre. Through the academic initiatives at Mahagami, efforts are being made to revive and present the Indian theatre traditions with the help of research and creative exploration.
