Surma: A Garhwali Drama Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women

(Review of a Garhwali Drama ‘Surma’ (1994) written by Surendra Balodi)

Notes on Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Asian Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; South Asian Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; SAARC Countries Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Indian Continent Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Indian  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  North Indian  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Himalayan Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Mid Himalayan  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Uttarakhandi Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Kumauni  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Garhwali  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women    

                                                    Bhishma Kukreti

                 Surendra Balodi the famous drama activist of Uttarkashi, Garhwal, India has practical experiences of women of rural Garhwal facing many problems, crisis by geographical means and harassments due to new changes in the society or changes in social norms.

            Surendra Balodi wrote a drama ‘Surma’ and staged this drama first time in Uttarkashi in 1994. Surendra Balodi directed his own written drama ‘Surma’. Till date, the women suffering oriented drama ‘Surma’ is stage more than ten times.

               Surendra shows the tragedy of young men migrating to plains and women are left for suffering in village in this women oriented drama ‘Surma’.  The women are main losers because of the youth and old generation males wasting time either in alcohol consumptions. Though the society is changed but the oppression of mother in law does not change and sufferer is woman. The government has been bringing many unheard changes in forest laws from the time of Tihri King. Whenever new law about forest policies is enforced the rural women are main suffers.

                          Surendra successfully wove the stories of sufferings of women in rural Garhwal in the Garhwali drama ‘Surma’. The subject of women’s suffering oriented drama ‘Surma’ is already experienced by the audience. Therefore, the women anguishes oriented drama ‘Surma’ attracts the attention of audience very well.  

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 29/5/2012

Notes on Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Asian Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; South Asian Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; SAARC Countries Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Indian Continent Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Indian  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  North Indian  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Himalayan Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Mid Himalayan  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women; Uttarakhandi Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Kumauni  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women;  Garhwali  Dramas Depicting the Sufferings of Rural Women to be continued…