Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 7: Theatre group ‘Natrang’ here today staged the globally acclaimed and pre-eminent Dogri play ‘Bawa Jitto’ for the second consecutive day at the main stage of Jhiri Mela 2025.
The play ‘Bawa Jitto’, based on 650 year old saga of sacrifice, justice and resilience, was written by Late Prof. Ram Nath Shastri and innovatively devised, designed and directed by Padma Shri Balwant Thakur.
The spellbinding performance brought to life the story of Bawa Jitto, a legendary farmer who gave his life fighting against the tyranny and exploitation of landlords. The most striking aspect of the production was its presentation at the very site where these historic events took place centuries ago, offering the audience a truly immersive experience that blurred the boundaries between history and theatre.
Speaking on the occasion, Natrang Director Balwant Thakur expressed that if such cultural events are institutionalized as permanent features of the Mela with additional logistics and technical support, the region could evolve into a global cultural destination.
He extended heartfelt gratitude to the District Administration, particularly Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Rakesh Minhas and Pallavi Mishra, SDM Marh, for their support in making the presentation possible.
Over the last 40 years, Natrang has staged more than three hundred performances of Bawa Jitto across India. Artists who performed in the play were Arvind Anand, Meenakshi Bhagat, Madan Rangeela, Subash Jamwal, Prial Gupta, Vijay Bhat, Anil Tickoo, Shivam Singh, Mohd. Yaseen, Kananpreet Kaur, Palshin Dutta, Sachin Saini, Aadesh Dhar, Krishya Bhatia, Vansh Pandotra, Kushal Bhat, Suhani Sareen, Pawan Verma, Tanisha, Aryan Sharma, Mitali Sarmal, Sheetal and Supria Gorka.
Neeraj Kant was production manager of the play and the stage was managed by a team of 20 offstage artists headed by Sartaj Singh. Pawan Verma managed the props and costumes and he was assisted by Kananpreet Kaur.
Lighting was designed by Suraj Ganjoo and sound execution by Tilak Raj while Anshul Gupta added exceptional technical finesse, enhancing the emotional impact of the play.
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