Chitrapata looks at Ramayana from a folk perspective

A still from the play
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Samasthi, an amateur theatre group in Bengaluru, will stage Chitrapata. Originally written in Kannada, HS Venkatesha Murthy’s Chitrapata Ramayana looks at the epic from the folk perspective. Manjunath L Badiger, a Ninasam graduate, says, “Chitrapata is not the story of Valmiki’s Ramayana.”

There are traces of Helavanakatte Giriyamma’s poetic works in the play, Manjunath says. “The author has adopted a style where the story is narrated using Pattachitra, a traditional painting from Odisha. Pictures and folk songs and dances form an integral part of the play.”

Chitrapata draws heavily from the devotees of goddess Yellamma, who are called Bhootaes, says Manjunath, who was first introduced to theatre through a street play workshop during his graduation days in Benglauru two decades ago.

“The troupe was called Madhyam, spearheaded by Jayatheertha, who is a well-known Kannada film director. My theatre journey began there.” The director, lives in Mangaluru, near Kukke Subramanya, but travels for theatre. “Samasthi and I complete 25 years in 2025.”

Manjunath, Jayateertha and Ravindra Poojari, a chartered accountant founded Samasthi in 2000. “Poojari is passionate about theatre and Jayateertha, is also actively involved with our theatre troupe. He is always there to guide and mentor us,” says Manjunath.

Though the financial rewards in theatre are slim, Manjunath prefers to live within limited means and work without expectations. “I dream of giving my full time to theatre and motivating people passionate about theatre to do the same,” says Manjunath, who has worked as a guest lecturer in universities across in Karnataka and with other amateur theatre groups.

The folk approach to the epics, Manjunath says, looks at Rama and Sita not as deities but people, part of their daily lives. “This perspective, allows a different dimension for the Ramayana. For instance, being suspicious is not limited to mortals, but Rama and Sita as well!”

Manjunath L Badiger
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The play depicts an imaginary scenario after the coronation of Rama in Ayodhya, where Chandranakhi plots to make Ravana appear again in Sita’s quarters. This leads to many questions. “The goal of a story is to remove darkness and show the light. It also talks of the atrocities women face every day and motivates audience to assess and review the perspective from which women view men, and the perspective from which men need to view women.”

Manjunath has been a part of Ninasam’s Tirugata (travelling theatre) and is a trained Yakshagana dancer from the Udupi Yakshagana Kendra. He holds a Janapada Diploma from Ramanagara Janapada Loka. “I understand we are touchy when it comes to our epics and deities, but this is a folk perspective, which thrives in our villages. I wish people keep an open mind and understand what is being staged.”

The author of Chitrapata, Manjunathsays, is closely associated with Malladihalli’s Anatha Sevashrama School. “The school approached us to direct this play, which was originally planned for the students and teaching faculty of their school and we also staged it through Samasthi.”