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STF stages two major theatrical productions at Gaiety Theater Shimla

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Chakravyuh2

Chakravyuh2

Shimla:Theater lovers of the city got a great opportunity to experience the magic Nitish Bharadwaj, live as Lord Krishna after 25 years, in an epic play Chakravyuh, during two days long play festival organized by The Films and Theatre Society, Delhi at historic Gaiety Theater, Shimla early this week.

While sharing his experience Nitish Said, “If was for the first time that I have perfumed in Shimla. It was my best show considering the audiences response. My forefathers also belonged to Himachal so naturally I have love and affection for this place. I feel that we all face problems and God resides in us all and there is only need to awaken him and rest everything falls in places.”

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During the two days fest two plays were staged that is Wo Lahore and Chakravyuh both plays were written and directed by Atul SatyaKoushik a well know name in the theater fraternity. Having an experience of over 12 years in theatre at various levels, his relation with the art form dates back to 2001. He formed ‘The Films and Theatre Society’ in September 2009 which is now a team of over 60 actors trained in the art of acting and play production by Atul. He has written 15 full length plays so far and has directed and staged more than 100 shows in the past few years. Each of his plays is different from the other in content as well as treatment.

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Atul belongs to the new age of playwrights, trying to fill the vacuum of good original Hindi plays which is being felt by theatre practitioners in India. His plays ‘ArjunKa Beta’, ‘Draupadi’, ‘Wo Lahore’ and ‘Bade Sheharke log’ are some of his promising contributions to original play-writing in India. He has also come up with some remarkable adaptations of classic Indian and foreign literature in the form of ‘KoobaraurKaaki’, ‘KaaliShalwar’, ‘Saudagar’ and ‘Animal Farm’.

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He has trained over 300 actors so far and has provided them coveted platforms to showcase their talent. He has been associated with many government, educational, corporate and social bodies and provided his expert services in the field of training and theatre workshops at, including Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI), Central University of Bihar, Birla Institute of Management Technology (BIMTECH), Competition Commission of India. Hehas trained nearly 2,500 professionals so far.

Wo Lahore, a mucial drama, is set in the middle of twentieth century’s India which has been the most written, most performed and most talked about part of Indian history. This is a story of an ordinary woman, a mother of three sons, who tries to keep her family intact amongst everything that is happening around. This play shows the internal conflicts and turmoil prevailing in an ordinary Indian family with the struggle for freedom, social beliefs of those times and the then partition in the backdrop. Beleaguered in different convictions, values and aspirations of her sons and husband, Jamuna, the protagonist of the play, is a representative of quintessential Indian women and mother. The play which is full of Indian music is a ride into various emotions and dramatic elements such as love, betrayal, hope, patriotism, comedy, poetry etc.

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Whereas Chakravyuh is an attempt to present the chapter of Chakravyuh from the great epic of Mahabharata in a new manner where hidden meanings, interpretation and learning from the philosophy of the Chakravyuh take the front seat, yet keeping all the action, glory, bravado and valor related to the incident equally important. Krishna as the protagonist in the play begins by establishing the importance keeping the learning from the mythology in our minds even though we forget the incidents of events that actually happened in them. When many questions emerge after the war of Chakravyuh Krishna appears and settles all questions, myths and misunderstanding of every one present. He passes on the eternal messages of Karma by telling no one has ever been able to come out of their respective Chakravyuhs as this whole life is a nothing but a Chakravyuh.

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Both the shows touched the heart of theater lovers and can be called show for classes. After a very long time plays of such great stature were staged that forced many old heartbroken theater lovers to enter the venue inspite of the pathetic condition of theater in the city.

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Images:HimachalWatcher

Art & Culture

Use Offerings Made at  Himachal’s Hindu Religious Institutions Only For Hindus, Employ Only Hindus: HP Govt

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offerings at himachal pradesh's religious places

Shimla-The Additional Chief Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh Language, Art & Culture Department has issued a notification barring the use of offerings made at the Hindu religious places or institutions for non-Hindu Communities.

Directions in this regard have been issued to Commissioners (temple) under Section 27 of the Himachal Pradesh Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1984.

“All the receipts or offerings including gold and silver of the Hindu Public Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments shall be used only for the purposes pertaining to the welfare and other activities relating to only Hindus. No receipts or offerings shall be used for the purposes associated with activities relating to Non-Hindus,” the notification said.

Further, now, no non-Hindu person would be given any sort of employment at the Hindu religious institutions/places.

“All the officers and officials including the personnel related to security etc. whether appointed or deputed or taken on outsourcing basis shall be out of the persons professing the Hindu religion only,” the notification said.

No further clarification was provided regarding the intended purpose of this move.

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Kullu Dussehra 2021: All Religious Ceremonies to be Allowed, But No Commercial and Cultural Events

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Kullu dussehra 2021

Shimla-The International Kullu Dussehra would be organised from 15th October to 21st October, 2021, the Himachal Pradesh Government informed today after holding a meeting regarding the same.

The HP Government has decided that all deities would be invited for the Dussehra festival. Orgnaization of all religious ceremonies would be allowed traditionally, but the cultural and commercial activities would not be held.

Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur presided over meeting of State Level Kullu Dussehra Committee. Directions were given to ensure proper security system, uninterrupted electricity supply and adherence of Covid-19 guidelines.

It was also decided in the meeting that Language, Art and Culture Department would provide an additional amount of Rs. 10 lakh to district administration Kullu for organising Kullu Dussehra festival.

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Wah Re Corona: Himachali Folk Artist’s Lyrical Satire is Factual Rendition of India’s Agonizing Catastrophe

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wah re corona

Shimla-Otherwise blatantly vocal and distinctively mass-mobilizing government of India is suddenly in the most subdued self after its proclaimed victory over the deathly virus; participation in uncontrolled election rallies; and permitting maha melas. The stalwarts are in the hiding, while helpless citizens – who voted them into power not once but in landslide victories twice – are dying due to lack of oxygen, poor – unavailable – medical facilities, and the denial stance of the ignorant in the helm.

Drawing a comparison between the fatal coronavirus and the mismanagement of the entire situation by the appalling government; a Himachali folk artist has released a factually appropriate lyrical satire that will tickle your mind and leave you to imagine what has brought this catastrophe onto us. The song is written by Rameshwar Sharma and music by Lalit Sauta. 

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