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Bird song
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Sukracharjya Rabha on his kind of theatre
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Of Fables “To’ Paidom” is based on a Rabha folk-tale
Finding theatre too city-oriented, he was determined to make it rural-based. Sukracharjya Rabha, based in Rampur, 150 kms from Guwahati, has spent over 10 years working for tribal theatre. His play “To’ Paidom” (The Bird named Paido
m) was staged at the recent Poorvottar Natya Samaroh in Guwahati. Based on a Rabha folktale, it’s a fabulous story of myth and murder, nature and predilections. Rabha has a simple ambition and that is to with live with theatre, powerfully.
Rabha is the founder-director of Badungduppa, a tribal theatre group of Assam. He has directed plays in different languages from “Rupalim” in Rabha to “Lavita” in Nepali to “Hati Aru Fandi” in Bodo. His theatre group is unique for bringing the tribal into theatre. Rabha explains, “Tribal theatre is not exposed. There are so many different rituals. I want to create a new theatric art, which is a fusion of folk elements with the contemporary.” With this fusion theatre, he hopes to script a path away from realistic theatre.
Rabha explains how it all started. He started with working in small theatre groups in his village.
He partnered with the Extension Programmes of the National School of Drama. But he soon recognised a void. There were no tribal theatre groups. With a few friends he started Badungduppa in 1998.
He has learnt from H. Kanhailal, who has been pursuing theatre for over 40 years. “I’ve learnt everything from my guruji,” he says with humility, adding, “His theatre people put so much effort into everything. They take a couple of months over one dialogue!”
A new language
With his group, he hopes to erase misconceptions and to create a new language. “These days in Assam there is no real lingo for tribal theatre. I want to create an authentic lingo.” To do so he studies Rabha, Garo and Bodo cultures. He uses rituals of his own Rabha community in his plays. A fire dance in praise of the earth or the biography of the King of Rabhas, these different rituals and myths are absorbed into his theatre.
He has provided a campus space in his village of Rampur, where ticketless plays are staged on a weekly basis. With a few permanent members, he travels extensively in the region.
He adds with a laugh that his theatre has helped in small ways. “Plays used to never start on time. But we decided if a play was to begin at one, it would begin at one. With or without an audience! Now, people have learnt. They come at 4 for a 6 o’clock show!”
NANDINI NAIR
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