Panch Sal Bad: A Political Satirical Drama

Panch Sal Bad: A Political Satirical Garhwali Drama

(Review of ‘Panch Sal Bad ‘a drama by Girish Sundariyal)

(Notes on Garhwali drama, Kumauni drama, Uttarakhandi drama, Himalayan drama)

                                              Bhishm Kukreti

               Politics is part of our social system. Therefore, there are plays related to politics in India and Garhwali plays are not exceptions. Since, society is part of politics the dramatists involve people in creating political plays but scenes of political manipulating are more in the drama.. Bhishm Kukreti’s play ‘Bakharon Gwer Syalu’ is such play where political manipulations get more importance than the society’s actions. The play ‘ Panch sal bad’ by Girish Sundariyal keeps balance between the political maneuvering and the actions of people against political maneuvering .

            The drama ‘Panch sal Bad’ is about election campaign of various political leaders in a Garhwali village. The writer discloses political maneuvering of each candidate and the social behavior at the time of election. At the end public become united to fight the poisonous concept of fight among two major casts ‘Rajput and Brahmin’ spread by cunning politicians.

           Girish used didactic and comedy methods for showing the maneuvering of politicians in the drama.

             Girish chooses typical characters as ‘chamche (followers of politicians) ‘Jhanjhi’ or alcoholics to develop his theme and for creating humor and satire in the drama. The typical characters as old man ‘Bwada’, women and teachers   become the medium of didactic methodology in ‘Panch sal’ by Girish.

                   Girish had been successful in inserting satirical remarks though way of using old proverbs and coined proverbs or phrases as

‘tu to Sali baith baith ke chhajja ke pthle chifli kar rahi hai aur mai rat din khairi khake ..

Or

Par raati rat kai dala par lagine si rupyaa

Or

Chunau k mausam ch , ibre t sukhaa dala par bhi paat ai jandan.

                  Girish takes care that there is poetic flow in the conversation as

Ghapkaltal parti k shandaar, ar jandaar-ummedvar bhai bakhtwaar ! ji han khandani thokdar, kauthgou ja fandar , e gred ka thykedar bhai Bakhtwar, jaunka hcunau chinh ch markhwalyaa bijwaar …

              Girish has been thriving in using comedic conventions for exposing sophistry and moral insensibilities of contemporary political figures. Girish is unbeaten on ridiculing the whole political system and selfishness of politicians. Girish not only tells the history of contemporary politics but speaks about the truth about the human nature too in this drama. The witty dialogues of ‘Panch sal bad’ drama are there to involve people in the drama. The drama is created with an assumption that the writer and his audience know much about today’s political process of election.

             The readers/audience of the drama can feel the message and strong opinion beneath the surface of laughable and bitter nonsense.

            Girish Sundariyal portrayed the lies, greed, stupidity and ego effectively in the drama.

           The characterizations of characters are fine and writer is careful for different languages used by characters are different than others.

                 The story is simple and audience is well aware of such incidents shown in the drama.

          There are moments of struggle, dilemmas, in the drama which make the drama interesting.

             Usually, Garhwali dramas of subject related to  rural areas are staged in the metros or cities. In my opinion t he drama ‘Panch sal Bad should be played more in rural areas than urban areas. Barring more numbers of characters, the drama does not need complicated production properties.

Copyright@ Bhishm Kukreti

Notes on Garhwali drama, Kumauni drama, Uttarakhandi drama, Himalayan drama to be continued …