Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 29: The Natya Samagama festival of contemporary theatre practices and diverse cultural expressions of India, which concluded in Abhinav Theatre here last night, has had many achievements to its credit.
According to Suman Kumar, Deputy Secretary (Drama) of Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, plays such as Sartaqs in Purgi dialect, directed by Kachoo Ahmad Khan of Kargil, and Abhigyan Shakuntalam in Nagpuri dialect, directed by Sanjay Kumar Lal of Ranchi were presented on the national platform for the first time.
“Folk and traditional performing arts of Jammu and Kashmir were innate part of the festival. The festival was witnessed by a number of the local and national experts including the likes of Mushtaq Ali Khan, Bhavani Bashir Yasir, from Kashmir and Navdeep Kaur, Chairman, Department of Indian Theatre, Panjab University, Chandigarh, Deepak Kumar, Lalit Gupta and Amit Dixit. There was a special segment of meet the director providing an insight into the works of the participating directors,” he added.
The festival director, Balwant Thakur, told the reporters that the festival showcased over 51 events presenting over 600 artists – a rare treat to the Rasika of Jammu and adjoining regions. “Another one of the major successes of the festival was response of the artists from Kashmir who, in spite of the prevailing conditions in the region, came all the way from Valley to participate and contribute to the creative efforts to bring people together and maintain faith in humanity,” he said.
The festival which had begun on 24 September with the performance of Alag Mulak ka Bashinda directed by Rajkamal Nayak of Raipur, was organized by Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi with the collaboration of Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages. Arvinder Singh Amn, Additional Secretary of the J&K Academy told the reporters that the Academy provided infrastructural support apart from coordinating the Bhand Pather groups of Kashmir, Chakri and Dambali groups.
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