An ode to a playright and a son of Kumaon

Vashundhaar — a devised folk performance based on Aipan (a traditional folk art specifically made by women of Uttarkhand) directed by Amit Saxena was staged at the Sammukh Auditorium, NSD.

The play was performed by the DivyaDiksha Centre for Performing Arts in condolence with the cultural organisation built on the legacy of renowned theatre, musician, and director late Mohan Upreti.

The theatre group follows his belief in imparting training to art students and seekers about art forms and forging a pedagogical approach to our culture and values. The group comprises dancers, musicians, theatre artists and media persons who have gathered together in the pursuit of art for art, rather “art for art sake”.

The Centre has started a cultural module/workshop since 2012.

Aipan is done on the floor over a brick red background with a white paste made out of rice flour. The typical art is done on all special occasions and household ceremonies and rituals. It is believed that these motifs evoke divine power which brings good fortune and wards off evil.

 InVashundhaar, the folk pictorial art of the Kumaon region is brought to life in the paintings by women of this form. The folk theatre performance which has incorporated the described reality of the women of Kumaon as traditional bearers and is instrumental in transferring knowledge from generation to generation.

The show is interspersed with traditional Aipan songs, folk tales on which few of the Aipans are made and the rituals associated with these.

For instance, there is a story of a king who does not have an heir, so he goes to the temple, to pray for one. Two women are introduced to him as the future  ranis  (queen)  and the king puts them to the test and the younger  rani  defeats the elder one who plots to send her away and kill the baby that she had just delivered.

Then, of course, everything comes right when the king discovers that the plotting of the elder rani has sent the younger one away for many years as revenge.

When she returns, he accuses the elder rani of plotting. The younger rani refuses to make any accusation against the elder one and the two of them are reconciled.

An Aipan was made on that and there was another one on a man who loses his memory until he gets back to his old house in the village where he remembers everything and then reunites with the community.

Aipans presented on stage were mostly borrowed from Asha Upreti, their mother. She herself is a research scholar of Aipans. She has a collection of a vast range of Aipan designs and photographs and associated songs related to different ceremonies and traditions of the region. They were exquisite pieces of folk art, with just white lines and dots on an chre coloured background.

The production was very neatly directed by Amit Saxena. The music was by Manish Kumar who has worked with Kumaoni artists during the workshop. The choreography was by Divya and Diksha Upreti, who are good Kathak dancers themselves. They have been guided by their mother, Asha Upreti. It was a lively show with Divya playing goddess Saraswati in a story and the performers were all good. There was some confusion in the beginning but it was all sorted out within a few minutes.