Ghat: A Garhwali Drama Attacking Blind Faith

Ghat:  A Garhwali Drama Attacking Blind Faith

         (Review of Garhwali drama ‘Ghat’ written by Dr Govind Chatak)

(Notes of Garhwali dramas, Uttarakhandi dramas, Himalayan dramas, Indian dramas)  

                      Drama Reviewed by: Bhishm Kukreti

                 When medical facilities were available with scarcity, there is no proper formal education and right social education in any society, the blind faith persists for curing the diseases.  In old age, instead of calling medicine practitioner, people used to call ‘Mantrik’ for curing the patient. Dr Govind Chatak deals the problem of people believing on ‘Mantrik’ in Ghat drama (1956)

                         A patient is affected by cold and day by day the condition deterioates . The kind doctor comes for taking care of the patient but the parents of patient ignore the doctor and provide priority and importance to Mantrik-Tantrik.  In this way the patient dies.

                The dram is simple and was very much relevant in fifties.  It is also observed that still many types of blind faiths exist in all the societies.  The dram seems to be relevant in many cases.

  The dialogues match and les conflict is shown between the characters. Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna appreciates the dramas of Dr.Chatak for depicting real life of rural Garhwal in his dramas.

References:

1-Dr Anil Dabral, Garhwali Gady Parampara (Garhwali Dramas from beginning till 1990)

2-Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna, Gad Myateki Ganga (Garhwali dramas from beginning till 1975)

3-Dr Sudharani, Garhwal ka  Rangmanch (Garhwali Dramas from beginning till 1985)

4-Drama special issue of Chitthi Patri magazine (Garhwali Dramas and plays staged in Delhi, Karachi, Mumbai, Dehradun and other places)

5- Dr Hari Datt Bhatt Shailesh, Garhwali Natak evam Rangmanch: Ek Vihngam Avlokan (Garhwali Drams and theatres from beginning till 1985)

6-Dr Bhakt Darshan: Barrister Mukandi Lal Srmriti Granth (Garhwali dramatists or theatres playwrights till 1985

7-Dr Nand Kishor Dhoundiyal, Garhwal ki Divangat Vibhutiyan (pp108-116, about contribution of Bhagwati Prasad Panthri for developing Garhwali drama)

Copyright@ Bhishm Kukreti

Notes of Garhwali dramas, Uttarakhandi dramas, Himalayan dramas, Indian dramas to be continued……