Garhwali, Kumaoni, Himalayan Literature

Commentary of Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ on As-Aulad -A Garhwali Play
Translation by Bhishma Kukreti

(Famous Garhwali language dramatist and playwright Kula Nand Ghansala wrote and published a Garhwali play - ‘As Aulad’ in 2001. The present Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ wrote commentary on this plya. Here is the translation of the commentary by Dr ‘Nishank’)
Dwee Chhuin (Two Words )
The customary folk dramas of Badi-Badan might be the initiating base for modern Garhwali dramas. Parsi theatre and Ramleela contributed for betterment and popularizing the hundred years journey of modern Garhwali dramas too. Jai Vijay (1911) is the first published modern Garhwali drama and Prahlad (1914) drama is second published drama of Bhawani Datt Thapliyal . The drama Prahlad is still relevant drama and is being staged many times everywhere . However, even after the hundred years journey, Garhwali drama could not find its place in the mind of Garhwalis and in Indian theatre world ,
Kulanand Ghansala a dedicated Garhwali drama activist is busy to take the journey of Garhwali drama to its targeted place or position. Ghansala wrote five dramas in garhwali before this drama ‘As aulad’. All his precious dramas are staged in places as Dehradun, Pauri, Gopeshwar and other various places. As Aulad is fifth and first published garhwali language drama.
The specialty of drama by Kulanand Ghansala , is his narration of story. Story telling style is exclusivity of Ghansala. The dramas of Ghansala are effective in portraying finely the wrong happenings or paradoxes near by him and in the society. Kulanand Ghansala blended the reality and wrong happenings with humour and satire and provides directive without any twist or verbal speeches. This is the specialty of all dramas of Kulanand.
The tale of As Aulad drama is the story of Bhagat Singh experiencing the pain of migration and his four sons gone to foreign land for earning . Each character of the family of Bhagar Singh are struggling, floundering , feeling restlessness , because of the situation of place, time and present circumstances. Ghansala has been successful in showing the natural restlessness of each character and in natural or smooth way too. The struggle of any character does not become the obstacle in between the flow of drama.
The most positive point of the drama ‘As Aulad ‘ is the highly optimistic hope from the newly established state Uttarakhand by each character especially the new generation .
The highly optimistic hope from the new state Uttarakhand is the directive line of the play too.
I hope this play will be staged everywhere where Garhwali people are there and will be an asset for progressing Garhwali dramas everywhere.
My all best wishes are with Kulanand Ghansala and his play ‘As Aulad’.
……………Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’

Curtsey and Copyright: Kulanand Ghansala , Rajeshwaripuram, Navada dehradun