Bhabana stages Kal Mrigaya
BHABNA NZ celebrated their 8th Annual Cultural Programme on July 24, at Avondale College Hall in Auckland by staging the play Kal Mrigaya. This was the biggest project of Bhabna so far with more than 80 participants. An audience of more than 380 was present to observe the spectacular evening.
Kal Mrigaya or ‘The fatal hunt’ is written by Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s most famous cultural icons. He was multitalented, being a poet, writer, artist, playwright, and composer in the late 19th and early 20th century.
He began writing at the age of thirteen. By the age of seventeen, he was quite well known. In 1878 at the age of seventeen, he sailed for England. He became a student in a public school in Brighton.
A year later, he went on to study law at University College London. Whilst in England, Tagore first heard opera and the Western singing style. He was amazed at how perfect the performance was. He felt that western and Eastern cultures were needed to be integrated together.
He began listening to and learning more about European music. Being very musical, Tagore quickly learned the Irish, Scottish and English tunes that he had heard in London and Brighton. Soon after Tagore returned from England to Kolkata, he began composing musical plays based on western lyrics which produced one of his famous Dance-Drama “Kal Mrigaya”.
The Dance-Drama “Kal Mrigaya” is based on a story from the epic ‘RAMAYANA’ where Dasharatha, the valiant King and an archer of repute was on a hunting spree with his band of kingsmen. One blind Sage Rishi feels thirsty and asks his young son (Rishi Kumar) to bring him water. But a sudden clap of thunder changes his mind. Rishi Kumar tells his father not to worry. The river is only a short distance away, and he will return soon. In the flashing violence of the monsoon and the dark distress of the creatures, Rishi Kumar is lost.
The Forest Gods and Goddesses beseech him to turn back but he presses on to fetch water for his father. King Dasharath, the valiant king and his hunters comb the forest, massacring all animals in their path. The King chasing a young elephant which eluded him in thick forest arriving by the river, he hears drinking. He shoots in the direction of the sound killing Rishi Kumar. With his dying breath, Rishi begs Dasharath to carry him back to his father. In his hut, the Sage and a young girl Lila waiting anxiously.
The remorseful Dasharath enters bearing the body of Rishi Kumar. He breaks the news to the Sage that he has unwittingly killed his son.
Devastated, the Sage curses the King and even though Dasharath begs for the Sage’s forgiveness, which the Sage give him at last, the curse lives on in the Ramayana. The world is now facing a big challenge due to Social, Political, Economic instability. Some countries and their people have involved violence with each other which not only increasing poverty but also many people including children are being killed. This violence needs to be end for the benefit of the whole nation and for the entire world.
Bhabna's purpose to present this Dance-Drama will definitely carry a strong message to the audiences to protest against the violence and forgive people for peaceful life.
BHABNA NZ celebrated their 8th Annual Cultural Programme on July 24, at Avondale College Hall in Auckland by staging the play Kal Mrigaya. This was the biggest project of Bhabna so far with more than 80 participants. An audience of more than 380 was present to observe the spectacular evening. Kal...
BHABNA NZ celebrated their 8th Annual Cultural Programme on July 24, at Avondale College Hall in Auckland by staging the play Kal Mrigaya. This was the biggest project of Bhabna so far with more than 80 participants. An audience of more than 380 was present to observe the spectacular evening.
Kal Mrigaya or ‘The fatal hunt’ is written by Nobel laureate poet Rabindranath Tagore, one of India’s most famous cultural icons. He was multitalented, being a poet, writer, artist, playwright, and composer in the late 19th and early 20th century.
He began writing at the age of thirteen. By the age of seventeen, he was quite well known. In 1878 at the age of seventeen, he sailed for England. He became a student in a public school in Brighton.
A year later, he went on to study law at University College London. Whilst in England, Tagore first heard opera and the Western singing style. He was amazed at how perfect the performance was. He felt that western and Eastern cultures were needed to be integrated together.
He began listening to and learning more about European music. Being very musical, Tagore quickly learned the Irish, Scottish and English tunes that he had heard in London and Brighton. Soon after Tagore returned from England to Kolkata, he began composing musical plays based on western lyrics which produced one of his famous Dance-Drama “Kal Mrigaya”.
The Dance-Drama “Kal Mrigaya” is based on a story from the epic ‘RAMAYANA’ where Dasharatha, the valiant King and an archer of repute was on a hunting spree with his band of kingsmen. One blind Sage Rishi feels thirsty and asks his young son (Rishi Kumar) to bring him water. But a sudden clap of thunder changes his mind. Rishi Kumar tells his father not to worry. The river is only a short distance away, and he will return soon. In the flashing violence of the monsoon and the dark distress of the creatures, Rishi Kumar is lost.
The Forest Gods and Goddesses beseech him to turn back but he presses on to fetch water for his father. King Dasharath, the valiant king and his hunters comb the forest, massacring all animals in their path. The King chasing a young elephant which eluded him in thick forest arriving by the river, he hears drinking. He shoots in the direction of the sound killing Rishi Kumar. With his dying breath, Rishi begs Dasharath to carry him back to his father. In his hut, the Sage and a young girl Lila waiting anxiously.
The remorseful Dasharath enters bearing the body of Rishi Kumar. He breaks the news to the Sage that he has unwittingly killed his son.
Devastated, the Sage curses the King and even though Dasharath begs for the Sage’s forgiveness, which the Sage give him at last, the curse lives on in the Ramayana. The world is now facing a big challenge due to Social, Political, Economic instability. Some countries and their people have involved violence with each other which not only increasing poverty but also many people including children are being killed. This violence needs to be end for the benefit of the whole nation and for the entire world.
Bhabna's purpose to present this Dance-Drama will definitely carry a strong message to the audiences to protest against the violence and forgive people for peaceful life.
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