Garhwali Plays Staged in Mumbai

Garhwali Plays Staged in Mumbai

                                Hindi article by late Dinesh Bhardwaj

                             Translated by Bhishm Kukreti

         Parsi theatre has been dominating Mumbai theatre world. Parsi theatre style influenced modern popular Marathi drama too.

               It is difficult to find the birth of Garhwali play staged first time in Mumbai. ‘Bhari bhul’ is remembered by most of the people that Bhari  Bhul by Jeet Singh Negi is first drama staged in Mumbai (around 1952)

              From Mumbai’s playwright’s concerned, the first Garhwali play staged in 1962-1963 by Garhwal Bhratri Mandal. Late Deen Bandhu Dwivedi wrote this drama.

   Garhwal Bhratri Mandal staged another Garhwali play ‘ Guldasta’ writtern by playwright late Jagdish Prasad Balodi. National integrity is the theme of ‘Guldasta’ and is purely morality based play.

             As far as Garhwali plays are concerned in Mumbai, the period 1960-1 970 is ‘Lalit Mohan Thapliyal Era’.  Social organizations staged ‘ Khadu lapata’ for more than eight times. Bhratri Mandal staged ‘ Ekikaran’ and ‘Ghar jvanin’  Garhwali plays written by Lalit Mohan Thapliyal .

          Alaknanda Delhi drama group headed by Swarup Dhoundiyal staged ‘Ardhgrameshwar a famous Garhwali play by Rajendra Dhashmana in Mumbai in 1973-1974.

                  Alaknanda Delhi drama group headed by Swarup Dhoundiyal staged ‘Adalat’ and ‘ Mangtu Baulya’ plays written by Swarup Dhoundiyal in Mumbai in 1975-1976.

                   The ‘kala Shakha’ of Garhwal Bhartri Mandal staged ‘ Ghar Javain’ of Lalit Mohan  Thapliyal in 1975-1976.

                   Uttarakhand Jan Kalyan Samiti , Mumbai staged ‘ Maletha ki Kool’a Garhwali play written by Jeet Singh Negi in 1975-1976

                  Garhwal Bharatri Mandal staged a lyrical play ‘Tilu Rautela’ in 1989. Dinesh Bhardwaj wrote song, dialogues of the said stage play. Dinesh Bhardwaj and Ummed Singh Bisht (father of famous singer Kalpana Chauhan)   produced and directed ‘Tilu Rautela’ with a troop of forty artists.

   Dinesh Bhardwaj and Ummed singh Bisht (father of famous singer Kalpana Chauhan) wrote produced and directed a Garhwali play ‘Palayan’ under the banner of Garhwal Bhratri Mandal in 1989. The theme of ‘Palayan’ is based on the problem of migration from Garhwal to urban regions.

              Garhwal Bhartri Mandal staged a couple of times a Garhwali play ‘Budya lapata’ written by Dinesh Bhardwaj and Raman Kukreti.

       Around 1990-1995, Sonu Panwar staged ‘ Jhoudu latu’ a Garhwali play written by him two times. The drama is influenced by Amitabh Bacchan fame ‘ Shahnshah’a  Hindi feature film

                                   Garhwal Kala Kendra, Jogeshwari , Mumbai  staged a Garhwali play ‘ Murkhalya Budya ‘ written and directed by Mahaveer Singh Bisht. The drama attacks sharply on the modern culture for not providing due respect to old values and at the same time criticizes the orthodox culture not understanding the need of transformation to adjust new culture. Dialogues are marvelous and are as per the characters.  

                Recently (2009-2011) , Baldev Rana has been staging a lyrical Garhwali play ‘ Bhad Madho Singh Bhandari’ in Mumbai and the Garhwali play has been getting good response from audience too.

Copyright@ Bhishm Kukreti