Sunday, April 22, 2001		Article

IT was time to remember Kalhana again. Rajatarangini, the Sanskrit kavya of Kashmir (1079-1081), was authored by Kalhana. The seventh taranga (chapter) contains 120 shlokas describing the king of Kashmir Ananta Deva’s son Kalasha’s misrule. It is on this that the play Nagar Udas staged in Hindi is based.

King Ananta Deva renounced the throne in favour of his son Kalasha at the behest of his queen, Suryamati. He later left the capital city Srinagar to live in Vijayeshwar (at present known as Bijebehara). The conflict between father and son intensified and the situation in Kashmir went on worsening day by day. As a result, foreign saboteurs came to Kashmir and paved the way for foreign rule. The play was staged by the artists of Shri Ram Centre Repertory company recently.

Originally, the play was written and staged by Moti Lal Kemmu in Kashmiri. Translated into Hindi by the reputed playwright Gaurishanker Raina, the play was directed by Mushtaq Kak. The style and the presentation of play has a distinct Greek influence because the tragedy of Kashmir is a ‘classical tragedy’, says Mushtaq. The playwright has neither distorted factual descriptions nor tried to interpret it any particular context. There is certainly a subtle similarity between the events of King Ananta’s time and those prevailing now, says Mushtaq. According to him, the play is stylized, well-researched and informative.

An attempt has been made to present the play in a manner so as to make it easy for the common man to understand the suffering that was faced by the people during that period. The dialogues are in chaste Hindi. "If chaste Hindi had not been used, the impact of classical tragedy would not have been there," says Mushtaq. The set designed by him depicts the ruins of Avantipora and the costumes too represent the traditions of that era. The characters carry a staff in their hands and have a triangular mark on their forehead, symbolising the prevalence of Shaivism in Kashmir at that time. The atmosphere and the ambience have been created very aesthetically by the director.

Mushtaq feels that the Rajatarangini has ample scope for drama and this potential can be utilised at the national level. Neither the state, nor the Centre have ever tried to encourage any effort to give exposure to the literature and culture of Kashmir at the national or international fora, says he.

Forty-year-old Mushtaq Kak has so far directed 57 plays. Of his plays, Maha Brahmin and Alladad were adjudged best plays for the year 1999 and 2000, respectively. Born in Kashmir and brought up in Jammu, Mushtaq Kak is presently at the Shri Ram Centre as the artistic director. He has also received the best director award for Andha Yug, Malika, and Pratibimb.