Chitrapata

PLAYWRIGHT          :       H S VENKATESHAMURTHY
DESIGN & DIRECTION  :       MANJUNATH L BADIGER
MUSIC               :       GAJANANA HEGADE

SYNOPSIS :

Dr. H. S. Venkatesha Murthy’s play “Chitrapata Ramayana” is not the story of Valmiki’s Ramayana. This is more of a folk Ramayana. One of HelavanakatteGiriyamma’s poetic works contains some source lines of this. In this play, the author has adopted a style where the story is presented through showcasing pictures & folk styled songs & dances by devotees of goddess ‘Yellamma’, called “Bhootaes”.

The current drama depicts an imaginary scenario after the coronation of Rama in Ayodhya. Here, Chandranakhi’s cunning plan leads to Ravana appearing in Seetha’s quarters. “How did he appear there?”, “Who is Chandranakhi?” , “Will there be another war between Rama and Ravana?”… these are some of the questions that the play unravels as it proceeds.

“The goal of a story becomes removing darkness and showing light…”

In the background of atrocities that women face every day, the play motivates the audience to assess & review the perspective from which women view men, the perspective from which men need to view women, women’s freedom of expression and most importantly the relationship between a mother and child.