04 May,2011 06:49 AM IST | | Priyanjali Ghose
A new play is all out to break the myth that Tagore was only a romanticist and instead focuses on his politics in this stage adaptation of his famous speech Crisis in Civilization
Is Rabindranath Tagore as great as Bengalis make him out to be? For years, this question has bothered both intellectuals and laymen across the globe.
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Tagore, the Bengali poet, novelist, musician, painter and playwright is always associated with poetry and songs that portray life and its nuances in a philosophical and sensitive manner.
Ranjon Ghosal as Rabindranath Tagore in the play Crisis of Civilisation: A Journey with Tagore
Down the generations, even his songs have been sung in a particular way giving many the impressions that Tagore is restricted to a particular genre and appeals only to specific mindset and intellect.
However, city theatre personality Jagdish Raja is all set to break this notion on the eve of the late poet's 150th birth anniversary on May 8.
Through his directorial venture Crisis of Civilisation: A Journey with Tagore based on Tagore's famous speech Sabhyatar Sankat, Raja aims to break the image of Tagore as a romantic mystic and bring out his views and work on nationalism, patriotism and his view of colonisation.
Describing this play as a salute to the poet's multifaceted genius, Raja says, "In this play you will see a Tagore that most Indians and especially Bengalis do not see.
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It is about how he expressed his views on things that was happening around him where the world was seen as a group of nations where patriotism was over humanity."
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He adds that at present, Tagore's view point still holds ground and would thus appeal to even a young audience. "I hope when young people go out of the theatre they will say 'Why did we not know more about Tagore'," says Raja.
Written, devised and performed by city-based theatre personality Ranjon Ghosal, the play adheres to the last public speech given by an octogenarian Tagore a few days before his death.
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The speech mirrors the crucial social and political events around the world and reflects Tagore's views on how humanity was at stake because of the so-called civilization and the attempts to gain power. However, Ghosal's adaptation does not stick to only the speech.
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In his version, we shall see Tagore's life and creation in various phases barring his personal losses. Ghosal informs that the journey on stage will begin with Tagore returning his knighthood to protest the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre in 1919, in which ,the British killed nearly 379 civilians.
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Tagore's life and thoughts from the period of Bengal Renaissance to World War II will be traced in Crisis of Civilisation: A Journey with Tagore
"At the end of his life Tagore realised that what crisis is. It is not poverty and hunger but colonisation of the mind," says Ghosal
He clarifies that the play is not about the romantic Tagore but the spiritual, intellectual and apolitical man, who rolled up his sleevesu00a0 and went outu00a0 on the streets when the British decided to partition Bengal in 1905u00a0 to celebrate Raksha Bandhan.
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Through the ritual, he wanted to strengthen the bond between the Hindus and Muslims. With audio and visual aid, the play will chronicle the world events and their effects on Tagore's mind and heart.
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On stage, Ghosal will play Tagore, narrator and characters from Tagore plays like Daakghar and more to give a better perspective of the legend.
On being asked how the experience to play Tagore on stage was, Ghosal says, "I would like to be born as Tagore. No two questions about it."
Where Jagriti Theatre, Whitefield
On May 7, 8 pm and on May 8, 3 pm
Call 39895050
For Rs 250
