`Gayopakhyanam' staged
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Popular mythological `Gayopakhyanam', with impressive verses, was staged for Janmashtami.
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KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS The play was a Janmashtami offering for theatre-loving Hyderabadis.
Krishna themes filled the cultural front this week . The popular play Gayopakhyanam was staged on the occasion of Janmashtami at Ravindra Bharati under the aegis of Sangaveda Smartha Sangham Trust of Srigiripadu of Guntur Ditrict. The occasion was also used to celebrate the anniversary of Vedic School, being run by Sri Pullabhatla Jagannadha Sarma charitable Trust. Gayopakhyanam, written 80 years ago by Chilakamarthi Lakshminarasimham Panthulu, has the privilege of being the largest selling book till date. There is no troupe playing mythologicals that did not produce the play . It was staged innumerable times and some troupes still patronage this production, though occasionally.
This play takes the credit of being the forerunner in presenting themes that are not in the epics but has the distinction of drawing crowds. This attraction to this fiction even made some authors to come forward with similar themes — like Ramanjaneya Yuddham and so on. Here the author Chilakamarthy sets war between Nara and Narayana — that is Arjuna and Sri Krishna, the inseparables.
And the reasons for this also are quite queer. A Gandharva King named Gaya was moving across the skies and spat, without his knowledge into the open palms of Sri Krishna, praying to sun god below standing in waters.
An irate Sri Krishna vows to kill him. It is learned latter that the Gandharva king is a great devotee of Krishna. Yet he could not take back his vow. Narada advises Gaya to approach Arjuna and first seek his assurance of protecting him and only then reveal the person out to take his life. The king does the same and after taking Arjuna's promise to protect him, he reveals that Krishna has set out to kill him. Arjuna is crestfallen and yet sticks to his vow. Any number of parleys between persons on either side makes no dent.
Almost when they are out for a head on collision, Siva appears before them and wards of the possible disaster to the world. This is explained by the Lord as a test of Arjuna that comes to use in the impending Mahabharata war.
The play is full of impressive verses some of which are even on the lips of mythological theatre lovers. M.S.R Anjaneya Sarma was in the role of Sri Krishna and added his vocal charm to the show meaningfully. Shyamsundar as Narada and Malladi Ramana in a minor role revealed musical talent.
Anji Reddi as Arjuna, Salvachari as Gayudu, the trouble spot were impressive. Sundara Rama Sarma, E.S.R Murthy, Jandhyala, Salwachari, Shanti and others featured in the main cast.
Awards were given away earlier to young students of the Veda Vidyalayam, who rendered Narayana and Purusha Sooktam, to mark the occasion. The Trust also honoured the Vedic scholar Pullabhatla Krishna Murthy Sastry.
G.S.
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