mata ki kahani a theatrical wonder - daily excelsior
TRANSCRIPT
Aarushi Thakur
History has never witnessed atheatrical presentation on the legendof Mata Vaishno Devi. Natrang- theprofessional theatre institution of theState of Jammu & Kashmir took thischallenge of creating this theatricalwonder covering the entire episodeof Mata Vaishno Devi in one hour withthe help of seventy accomplishedperformers and creative people.
Globally known as theatre personality, PadamshreeBalwant Thakur conceptualised, scripted, devised anddirected this out of the world performance which is cur-rently featuring in Navratra Festival-2017 organised byJ&K Tourism in association with Shri Mata Vaishno DeviShrine Board, Katra. Fifteen opening shows of this megatheatre show are being organised which offer a life-timeopportunity for the spectators to witness spectacular visu-al imagery created magically on bare stage by the sheerimagination of innovative mind of its director BalwantThakur. His brilliant team include Neeraj Kant, AnilTickoo, Sumeet Sharma, Surinder Manhas, Rakesh Kona,Virji Sumbli, Rahul Singh, Mohd Yaseen, and ShivamSingh. These shows will continue every day 3 pm and 6 pmat the Auditorium of Spiritual Growth Centre, Katra till29th of September, 2017.
The story as being shown by Natrang about MataVaishno Devi is a classic narrative that echoes everyHindu household and is a part of every grandma's mid-night tale. As per the legend, during the period when theGoddess was busy in annihilating the Asuras, Her threemain manifestations viz. Mata Maha Kali, Mata MahaLakshmi and Mata Maha Saraswati got together one dayand pooled their collective Tejas or spiritual strength. Astunningly bright light emanated from the place where theTejas of the three manifestations coalesced and a beauti-ful young girl emerged out of this Tejas. The young girlasked them, "Why have I been created?'' The Devisexplained to her that they had created her so that shewould live on earth and spend her time in upholding right-eousness. They asked her to take human birth in the homeof Ratnakar, who was a devotee of three Goddesses, andthen go on to lead a life of piousness and penance, so as toraise her own consciousness to the level of Godhead. Theyalso told her that once she had attained that level of con-sciousness, she would then become one with Lord Vishnu.Soon a young and beautiful girl was born to Ratnakar andhis wife. They named her Vaishnavi. Right from her child-hood, the girl was spiritually inclined and had a quest forthe knowledge of the inner self. She would go into deepmeditation and stay in that state for hours together. Shethen decided to renounce all worldly comforts and traveldeep into the forest to perform severe austerities andpenance. This is when she met Lord Rama, an incarnationof Lord Vishnu and attained his blessings. She wanted tobecome one with Rama, as was her mission. However,Rama, knowing that it was not the right time, promised
her that he would visit her again, after the end of his exile.He told her that if she recognized him at that time, hewould then fulfill her wish. Rama kept his promise, andcame to meet her after winning the battle from Ravana inan old man's disguise. But unfortunately, Vaishnavi couldnot recognise him. She became upset when Rama showedhis true self to her. Rama told her that the time had yet notcome for them to be with one another and assured her thatthey would unite during Kaliyug, when he would be in hisincarnation of Kalki. Rama also asked her to set up herashram in the foot of the Trikuta Hills and serve to upliftthe poor and the destitute.
She agreed and started her journey towards the north-ern mountains. After immense hardships and her dedica-tion, she reached the foot of Trikuta hills where she set upher ashram and began to meditate.
Her name and glory spread far and wide, and peoplebegan to visit to her Ashram to seek her blessings. Onhearing about Vaishnavi, Mahayogi Guru Goraksh Nathbecame curious to find out whether Vaishnavi has beenable to attain a high level of spirituality or not. He, there-fore, sent his most able disciple 'Bhairon Nath' to observeher secretly and find the truth. What Bharion Nath sawwas a simple girl who always had bows and arrows withher and was always surrounded by langoors and a lion forher protection. Bharion Nath was smitten by her simplic-ity and beauty. He then began to pester her to marry him.Meanwhile Sridhar, a devotee of Vaishnavi organised aBhandara in which the whole village and Mahayogi Guru
Goraksh Nath along with all his followers includingBhairon were invited. Sridhar had not enough resourses tobuy food grains and vegetables to make food for the peo-ple of the entire village. He prayed to Mata Vaishnavi tohelp him out in this situation. Mata Vaishnavi could notsee her devotee in pain, so she disguised as a young girland came to Sridhar's house with prepared food accordingto everybody's liking. Bhairon Nath suspected the younggirl to be Vaishnavi, so attempted to grab Vaishnavi'shand but she fled away into the mountains to continue hermeditation. Bhairon Nath however chased her.
On her way, Mata Vaishnavi stopped at a place wherethere was no water. She struck an arrow on the groundand from there water started gushing out. This place isnow called Banganga. It is also known as Balgangabecause she washed her hair from the same gushingwater. After a while she again stopped at a place nowknown as Charan Paduka, to look back if Bhairon Nathwas still following her. At last she stopped at place nowcalled Adhkwari where she meditated for nine months ina womb shaped cave, Garbh Gufa. Bhairon Nath followedher to the cave. She created a secret exit on the other endfrom where she started ascending uphill towards the holycave.
As Bhairon Nath continued to chase her, MataVaishnavi was left with no other option but to kill him.Mata Vaishnavi ultimately beheaded Bhairon with herbow and arrow just outside the mouth of the holy cave.The head of Bhairon fell with a force at a distant hilltop.
Bhairon Nath upon death realised his mistake and askedfor forgiveness. Mata Vaishnavi had mercy on him andgave him a boon that every devotee of the goddess wouldhave to have the Darshan of Bhairon after having theDarshan of the Goddess and only then would the yatra ofa devotee be complete. Meanwhile, she also decided togive up her human form and take a face of a rock to go intodeep meditation forever.
Today Mata Vaishno Devi is worshiped by millions andtrillions of people across the world. Mata Vaishno Devihas surfaced as an embodiment of will, strength andpeace. In the present times, when the atrocities againstthe mankind is prevailing, the legend of Mata Vaishnodevigives a guiding light to her followers to help her devoteesto uphold inner confidence and faith within themselvesand on the strength of her healing and cosmic powers.
The artists who should be credited for creating thiswonder on stage include Ashley Mehta, Vrinda Sharma,Deepali Sharma, Brijesh Avtar Sharma, Zeeshan Haider,Mohd. Umar, Deepika Panotra, Meenakshi Bhan, ,Goutam Sharma, Ashish Parihar, Gautam Kumar, RahulGupta, Bhisham Gupta, Raheel Sharma, Sandeep Kumar,Meenakshi Bhaghat, Kuldeep Angral, Shann Khan,Ashivam Sigh, Menu Panotra, Eva, Shivam Sharma,Priyanka Pandita, Mahikshit Singh, Sushant Singh,Natasha Jamwal, Aarti Devi, Aradhna Verma, Shivani andKanan Preet Kaur. Manoj Kumar,Ajay Kumar, AdeshDhar,Akash Bhat, Shubham Raj, Rickle Jadhan, VishalRaina, Diya Sharma, Mohit Kaul, Mohd. Mohsin Raza.
Shiv Kumar Padha
Basohli has got the pride of being the number one among the old Duggarstates of Jammu and Kashmir in the field of art, culture and the aesthetic sense.Basohli has left an indelible mark on the cultural horizon of the country.Whether it is art, painting, ayurveda, pashmina industry, astrology, classicalsinging and celebrations of Ram Leela, Basohli has always excelled in every field.
India is a land of festivals, festivals of seasons, festivals of national impor-tance. Indians are known for the spirit they celebrate these festivals with. Amongthe festivals of Jammu and Kashmir, Id of Muslims, Dewali and Ram Leela ofHindus ,Guru Parabs of Sikhs and charismas of Christians are the major festivalswhich are celebrated by all the communities collectively forgetting the differ-ences, if any, between them.
According to the information available from the senior most citizens of thetown, Ram Leela celebration in Basohli dates back to early twentieth century i.e.from Oct.-Nov. 1911. Before the celebrations assumed the present shape itpassed through many up heavals and financial crises. In the beginning years ofthe celebrations, Ram Leela was celebrated in the open ground amidst a big dis-ciplined crowd surrounding the arena where the artists used to perform theirroles in simple costumes distinguishing themselves from the spectators withordinary hand made wig and beard prepared from the bark of the trees. Thepresentation was called Ras Leela which was performed by the artists (RaasDhari) from the locality and from the villages of the adjoining Punjab andHimachal Pradesh states. The mode of presentation of Ram Leela went onchanging with the passage of time and later on it spread over the whole chougan.Today, the ground is divided into five stages one each for Ram Durbar, RavanDurbar, Ashoke Vatika and for Sumeru Parbat where rest of space is reserved foruse of sets for Panch Vati, huts for Saints/ seers and for different battles betweenvarious fighting factions of that time. In the beginning Ram Leela used to startin the afternoon in the broad day light due to the non availability of lightingarrangements as is available these days. At night hours famous Hindi nataks(dramas) of that time like, Krishan Sudama, Bilvamangal, Rukmaniharn andShravan Kumar were staged in the bright light of the patromaxs. The pitch of theartists used to be very high which could be heard from half mile distance with-out PA system. Achievements in the celebrations and innovations in thepresentation required lot of money which was quite impossiblebecause of the economical condition of the people which was toobad to donate any thing for the festival. The quality of perform-ance of Ram Leela showed gradual decline year after year till itreached its lowest ebb.
Before Ram Leela committee became absolutely bankruptthe management of the organization came in the hands ofable, honest and dedicated Presidents like Khushi RamPadha, Ishwar Dass Padha, Tara Chand Kanotra and manyothers of exemplary characters and their teams, whobrought both performance and economy of Ram Leela onthe rails again. During all the ten days of celebrations thesanctity of the surroundings of the mandup is maintained bythe spectators voluntarily. The characters of the Ram Leelaremain on fast during the navratras.
The present life like scenes pertaining to glowing ofLakshman rekha, descending of lord Hanuman from sky withmountain, on palms, Dhanush Yagya, felling of seven tar treeswith one arrow by Lord Ram and crossing of the river by boat byRam Sita and Lakshman is the brain products of the dedicated teamof innovators who design and develop new ways and means every yearwhich help presenting life like scenes during the celebrations. Ram Leela feelsproud in having a good number of classical and light classical vocal singers whohave rarely got a match in the whole state.
Ram Leela festival of Basohli is an example of true secu-larism in many ways as muslim brethren take keen interestin the matters of presentations and management. NazirAhmed Chouhan, Shuker Din and others had playedfamous characters of Ram Leela in the past. During the fes-tival all the local married daughters and employees from allthe communities come to their homes and spend a few days
with their families and friends. Now a days Ram Leela Basohli by dint of its presentation
and devotion has carved out a place among the popular festi-vals of the state and that of the country and has become head-
lines of many national papers. Life like presentation, sanctity anddevotion of the people attracts good number of visitors during the
celebrations every year.A large number of the spectators from the neighboring states of Punjab,
Himachal Pardesh have been thronging Basohli town during Ram leela celeber-ations since the inauguration of Atal Setu on 24th Dec. 2015. At a time when theRamm Leela Basohli was feeling handicapped, due to the financial crunch, to
meet the modern recreational needs of the increasing clientele, to purchasesophisticated Public Address and lighting gadgets and the costumes for the char-acters, Prem sagar Aziz ex. MOS Jammu Kashmir took the reins of the RamLeela committee in his hands and brought the dwindling standard of the RamLeela again on the rails.
Prem Sagar Aziz, as president of the RL committee, not only spearheaded theceleberations in the desirable directions but also financed it from his own pock-et without any selfish motive. Today Basohli has the pride of having a RL com-mittee which is worth meeting the needs of any number and any interest of theviewers. The Ram Leela festival can be made more attractive and interesting ifthe State Government inducts its departments of Information, cultural academy,ICCR Jammu and Kshmir, Door Darshan and Akash vani Jammu on the stylethey are being deployed during the famous festivals of Jammu.
Like every year the state government is again requested to declare the BasohliRam Leela as state festival on the pattern of Sindhu Darshan of Leh and JhiriMela of Jammu and deploy the information Deptt. and Door Darshan to coverthe festival for its telecast on the national network. It is requested to all to turnup in good number and add to its glory.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2017 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazineLadakh:worth a visit...Page 4 GGOOIINNGG FFOORR PPHHDD .Page 3
'Mata Ki KahaniA theatrical wonder
The Ram Leelafestival can be mademore attractive and
interesting if the StateGovernment inducts its depart-ments of Information, cultural
academy, ICCR Jammu andKshmir, Door Darshan and Akash
vani Jammu on the style theyare being deployed during
the famous festivalsof Jammu.
Story of Ram Leela Basohli
Bhairon Nath suspected the younggirl to be Vaishnavi, so attemptedto grab Vaishnavi's hand but shefled away into the mountains tocontinue her meditation.
Stills from ‘Mata Ki Kahani’