Bhramyaman Theatarar Itihas

Name of the book: Bhramyaman Theatarar Itihas

Compiler: Kishore Kumar Kalita

Publisher: All Assam Mobile Theatre Producer Association

Pages: 296

Price: Rs 300

Bhramyaman Theaterar Itihas, as the name suggests, is a history of state’s largest entertainment industry – mobile theatre. Indigenously developed, this unique entertainment industry of Assam, has also established itself as one of the strongest means of communication among the people.

Besides contributing to state’s cultural world, today, mobile theatres are also generating employment to hundreds of youths. At present, not less than 5000 people are working at around 40 theatre groups across the state.

However, there are allegations from several quarters that despite of five decades long silent contribution to state’s cultural arena mobile theatres have not received proper recognition from the intelligentsia and government. But, if one does a comprehensive overview of the Assamese society one can not evade the role played by them, whose influence is more apparent in rural Assam than urban.

In such context a history on mobile theatre is the need of our today, and here lies the significance of Kalita’s Bhramyaman Theaterar Itihas which tries to capture the evolvement of this art right from the day the first mobile theatre Nataraj came into existence in 1963.

The author gives special emphasis on formation of Nataraj in the hand of Achyut Lahkar. He also gives a short account about one act plays of Srimanta Sankardeva , role of the Yatra Parties, penetration of modern stage in Assam , contribution of Tithiram Bayan and Braja Sarma to theatre, and role of various operas to the evolvement of drama.

It is indeed not an easy task to collect details about the development of mobile theatre, as, unlike today, there was limited information about their initial years in newspapers. Besides, no other effort was noticed to write their chronicles by anybody associated with them. Perhaps, nobody had ever thought that one day mobile theatre would flourish to today’s dimension. The author has confessed these difficulties while he was going to collect data for the book.

After Nataraj many theatre groups came into existence. Some of them flourished braving numerous adversities, especially financial constrain, but many died down after performing a few years. Interviewing people and searching on whatever scattered documents available on mobile theatre, the author has enlisted names of 109 mobile theatre groups year-wise, and said that some names might have left out due to lack of information.

The 31-page black and white photographs of actors, posters of different mobile theatre groups and their performance help readers understand the theatre groups better. Some writes up by different prominent persons, including Mahendra Barthakur, Bishnu Prasad Rabha and Garima Hazarika throw more lights on the journey of mobile theatre.

A long interview with Achyut Lahkar by the author is a significant source of information about formation of mobile theatre and the people behind them. In the interview Lahkar humbly says that the concept of Nataraj Theatre was taken from Nataraj Opera which was run by his brother Sadananda Lahkar.

The book also throws light on how taste of Assamese people has changed over time. Initially, historical plays dominated the stage. Nataraj staged Jerengar Xoti, Tikendrajit, Haidor Ali and Bhogjora in the first year and Jerengar Xoti, Haidor Ali, Angar and Beula were staged in the second year.

Written in simple language, the book is a mine of information of mobile theatre industry.

RAJIV KONWAR

Published on August 12, 2011