Written by Ravikiran Rajendran
Language: Kannada
Approximate duration: 90 minutes
SYNOPSIS
In a Savarna world, how do Dalit women live is a question that is perhaps too ambitious to be addressed in a play. 'Live' is also a word that is packed with such an ambition. For centuries now though, Dalit women have practised art in various forms, and passed it down as heirloom from generation to generation. For a long time, this art was a way of identity, sometimes an escape from it. In an urban academic work space, how does a Dalit woman's art manifest? How is it received? What can she learn from how her mother and grandmother survived and how they managed to keep their art alive? In the words of writer Claudia Rankine, how does a self-self thrive in a world where people only recognise and value a historical self?
The World of Writing tries to ‘find’ voices from the margins - Dalit, Bahujan and Adivasi communities as if they never existed or the world of the dominant communities self appoints to be the voice/words of the oppressed. All throughout the history, women from the Dalit, Bahujan and Adivasi communities have preserved the stories from/of their ancestors like heirlooms to be passed on to the next generation. The subject and object of these stories are their own bodies, experiences, resistance and existence. Here we have Roopa, her story, her mother’s story and the stories of many women from her community. Teaching and Writing are the 2 compositions in Roop’s Oxygen. Can she imagine a world without words to live in the academia? What does writing mean to her? What does it mean to create, to narrate and to live those stories? Like the violin that Ambedkar played, the charaka in which Gandhi found solace, the extra saree that Savitri Ma kept in her bag to resist, the stars Rohit Vemula dreamt of, Roopa holds the pen to find and nurture her self-self to move away from the historical-self.
ಮಧ್ಯಮ ವರ್ಗದ ಮನೆ. ರಂಗದ ಬಲದಿಂದ ಮನೆಗೆ ಪ್ರವೇಶ. ಎಡಕ್ಕೆ ತಾಯಿಯ ಕೋಣೆ. ಬಲಕ್ಕೆ ರೂಪಾಳ ಮಲಗುವ ಕೋಣೆ.
ಕೋಣೆಯ ಪಕ್ಕ ಅಡುಗೆಮನೆ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊಂದಿಕೊಂಡಂತೆ ಟೇಬಲ್ ಇದೆ. ರಂಗದ ಬಲಬದಿ ಸೋಫಾ/ದಿವಾನದ ಮೇಲೆ ರೂಪ
ಕೂತು ಏನನ್ನೋ ಲ್ಯಾಪ್ಟಾಪಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದು ನಂತರ ಪಕ್ಕದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ದೇವನೂರರ ಕುಸುಮಬಾಲೆ ಪುಸ್ತಕ ಓದಿ ಕೆಳಗಿಡುತ್ತಾ ನಿದ್ದೆಗೆ
ಜಾರುತ್ತಾಳೆ.
ಬೆಳಕು ಮಂದವಾಗುತ್ತಿರುವಂತೆ ಬಾಬಾ ಸಾಹೇಬ್ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸಿ ಟೇಬಲ್ಲಿನ ಬಳಿಯ ಕುರ್ಚಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಕೂತು violin
ನುಡಿಸಲು ತೊಡಗುವರು. ಸಂಪೂರ್ಣವಾಗಿ ತಲ್ಲೀನರಾಗಿ ನುಡಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವರು. ಅದೊಂದು ಬಗೆಯ melancholic ನುಡಿಸುವಿಕೆ. .
ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಮೃದುವಾಗಿ ಕೆಲವೊಮ್ಮೆ ಉದ್ವೇಗಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾದಂತೆ ನುಡಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವುದು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಿದೆ. ಕೆಲ ಕ್ಷಣಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಅಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಗಾಂಧಿ
ಪೊರಕೆ ಮತ್ತು ಮೊರದೊಂದಿಗೆ ಬರುವರು.
ಗಾಂಧಿ: ಹಾಂ, ಗುಡಿಸಬೇಕು. ತೆಗೆದು ಹಾಕಬೇಕು. ಹೊರಬೇಕು. ನಾವು ಮಾಡಿದ್ದನ್ನು ನಾವೇ ತೆಗೆಯಬೇಕು. ನನ್ನಿಂದ ಮೊದಲು
ಸಾಧ್ಯವಾಗಬೇಕು.
ಎಂದು ಹೇಳುತ್ತ ಮೊದಲು ಸಗಣಿ ಬಾಚುವರು. ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಇದ್ದದ್ನ್ನು ಬಾಚುತ್ತ ಮುಂದುವರೆಯುವರು. Violin ಸಂಗೀತ
ಮುಂದುವರೆಯುವುದು.
ಗಾಂಧಿ ಮುಂದುವರೆದು ಮಲವನ್ನು ತುಂಬುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ರಕ್ತ ಕಾಣುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ಎಷ್ಟು ಉಜ್ಜಿ ಒರಸಿದರೂ ಕಲೆ
ಹೋಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ. ಕತ್ತಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಸ್ಪಷ್ಟ ಆಕೃತಿಗಳು ಗಾಂಧಿ ಒರೆಸುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಜಾಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಕಸ ತಂದು ಸುರಿದು ಹೋಗುವರು.
ಗಾಂಧಿ ಆ ಕಸವನ್ನು ಆರಿಸಿ ಅದನ್ನು ತನ್ನ ಮೊರ-ಗೋಣಿ ಚೀಲದಲಿ ತುಂಬುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಬೆರಳು, ಕೈ, ಕಾಲು, ಚರ್ಮ, ತಲೆ
ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಗೆ ಸಂಗೀತ ಇನ್ನಷ್ಟು ಉದ್ರೇಕಗೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ,
ಗಾಂಧಿ: ಇದೇನಿದು? ನಾನು ಬೇರೆ ಏನನ್ನೋ ಅಲ್ಲವೇ ಎಣಿಸಿ ತೊಳೆಯಲು ಬಂದಿದ್ದು. ಇದೇನಿದು!
ಗಾಂಧಿ ಮತ್ತೆ ಆಯುವುದನ್ನು ಮುಂದುವರಿಸಿದಾಗ ಅಲ್ಲೊಂದು ಭ್ರೂಣ, ಕರುಳು ಸಿಗುತ್ತದೆ. ಅದನ್ನು ಕೈಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಡಿದು “ಹೇ
ರಾಮ್!” ಎಂದು ಕೂಗುತ್ತಾ ಕೆಳಗೆ ಕುಸಿದು ಮೂರ್ಛೆ ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಕುಸಿಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಜಾಗಟೆ ಮತ್ತು ಶಂಖದ ಧ್ವನಿ
ಸಮೇತ ನಂಜು, ಮಂಜು, ಪಂಜು ಪ್ರವೇಶಿಸುವರು
ಮಂಜು: ಒಳ್ಳೇ ಊಟ! ನಂಜು, ಪಂಜು..
ನಂಜು: ಇನ್ನೂ ನೂರ್ಕಾಲ ಇದನ್ನೇ ಸವಿಯಬಹುದು ನಾವು.
ಪಂಜು: ಉದಯವಾಯಿತು ಸುಂದರ ಸೈತಾನರ ನಾಡು.
ಮಂಜು: ಮರಳಿ ಭವ್ಯ ಭೂತದ ಬಾಗಿಲಿಗೆ
ಗಾಂಧಿಯ ಹೆಣ ಹೊತ್ತು ನಿರ್ಗಮಿಸುವರು. ಮೌನಿ ಮತ್ತು ಕುಳ್ಳನ ಪ್ರವೇಶ. ಅವರನ್ನು ಯಾರೂ ಹಿಂಬಾಲಿಸುತ್ತಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು
ಮತ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತೆ ತಿರುಗಿ ನೋಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಹೊತ್ತು ಅತ್ತಿತ್ತ ನೋಡುವರು ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೇವಂದು ತಿಳಿಯದೆ ಎತ್ತ ಹೋಗುವುದೆಂದು
ತಿಳಿಯದಾಗಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ಮೌನಿ: ಎಲ್ಲಿದ್ದೇವಿ ನಾವೀಗ? ವಿಚಿತ್ರವಾಗಿದೆಯಲ್ಲಾ?
ಕುಳ್ಳ: ಬೇಗ ಬೇಗ ನಾವು ಹೋಗಬೇಕು. ಮೊದಲು ಎಲ್ಲಿಯಾದರೂ ಸುರಕ್ಷಿತವಾದ ಜಾಗದಲ್ಲಿಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಕಾಲ ಇರಬೇಕು. ಆದರೆ
ಎಲ್ಲಿರೋದು?
ಮತ್ತೆ violin aggressive ಆಗುತ್ತಾ ಹಿನ್ನಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಶಬ್ದ “ ಏಹ್ ಅವರು ಇಲ್ಲೇ ಹತ್ತಿರದಲ್ಲೇ ಇರಬೇಕು. ಹುಡುಕಿ ಹುಡುಕಿ.. ಸಿಕ್ತಾರೆ
ಮಕ್ಳು!” ಹಿಂಬಾಲಿಸುವವರ ಗಲಾಟೆ ಜೋರಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ತೆ ಚೀರುತ್ತಾ ರೂಪ ಏಳುವಳು. ಎದ್ದು ಸುತ್ತ ನೋಡುವಳು ತಾನು ಕೂತಲ್ಲಿಂದ
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಕುರ್ಚಿ ಖಾಲಿಯಿದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಗಾಂಧಿ ಇಲ್ಲ
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ದೂರದಲ್ಲಿದ್ದ ಕುರ್ಚಿ ಖಾಲಿಯಿದೆ. ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಅಂಬೇಡ್ಕರ್ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಗಾಂಧಿ ಇಲ್ಲ
ABOUT RAVIKIRAN
Ravikiran Rajendran is a Theatre Director and Film Actor based in Bangalore. An alumnus of National School of Drama, Bengaluru Centre, he has directed several proscenium and street plays. Ravikiran has also written plays based on short stories and novel such as Maaya Moogu, The Vanishing Nose Mystery, One Part Woman, The Last Hour and devised several street plays. His latest production was Saavirada Ramayana, a magnum opus of retelling of Ramayana with 150 students of government school, Bangalore Rural as actors. He has been working in the area of community theatre and theatre’s possibilities and applications in education through workshops, productions and research. His journey in cinema began with the role of Manja in the critically acclaimed Kannada Feature Film ‘Godhi Banna Sadharana Mykattu’. His role as Manja in the movie received wide appreciation. He has since worked in Kananda and Tamil in film, webseries and short film.
He is also the Founder Director of Haadibadi which has been working in the field of theatre, education and culture with an aim to provide equal opportunity and access to learning for all sections of the society. Haadibadi currently runs a community library in Roopena Agrahara, Bangalore for the children of underprivileged and marginalized communities.
He currently teaches as Guest faculty at St. Joseph’s College, Bangalore.
To contact Ravikiran, please email ravikiran2r@gmail.com
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
I am very fortunate for being part of the program for the program is unique, need-of-the-day, affordable as it is free for anyone who is aspiring to learn or start playwriting. Abhishek Majumdar is one of the few people who while talking to him can instill belief, break problems in to solvable cases specific to each student. The course also introduced to some amazing contemporary plays and playwrights of the world which were part of the course. The diverse background of the participants in the program made the course experience richer. The course offered exercises at looking at playwriting, addressing several problems and tools to help solve them at scene level, draft by draft in developing a play. The fact that the program allowed all of this happen along with participants’ writing plays in their own language and not necessarily English was certainly an added advantage.
I first thank Bhasha Centre for Performing Arts for opportunity to be part of the program. I had mostly followed Abhishek Majumdar’s work by reading about his work online but watched his only one of his work – Thathaagat. I thank Abhishek Majumdar for all his help, patience and the constant faith in me. I thank Anshuman Acharya and Anisha Anantpurkar, the Teacher Assistants for the constant help during the program. Meeting MD Pallavi was a fan boy moment and it took me a couple of sessions to realize I was sharing the same room with her and I thank her for the support during the program. I thank all my fellow writers from the program who have been an absolute delight to have met here and constantly offered their views and support for my writing process. I look forward for these new friendships in the long journey of theatre ahead. Thank you Vivek Madan for all the help through the program and all the guests we had for lectures.
I must necessarily thank my dearest friends Vijayashanthi Murthy and Vijetha Kumar who have patiently listened to my drafts and offered valuable feedback and inspiration in wiring this play. I thank Vinay Kambipura, TH Lavakumar, Bhushan LV, Aruna SN, of Hashmi Theatre Forum, the team I owe the significant part of my theatre journey, learning, love and friendships and lessons of theatre and life. I thank Ajithlal S, Akash S, Mallikarjun for their time and being there during the process of writing. I thank my mother Jyothilakshmi V, my first lessons of freedom and independency of woman has come from her. I thank my wife Geetha M for love and support she has offered all these years as a friend and is the reason I can consider taking a course and adventure like this.
ABOUT THE PROGRAMME
I am very fortunate for being part of the program for the program is unique, need-of-the-day, affordable as it is free for anyone who is aspiring to learn or start playwriting. Abhishek Majumdar is one of the few people who while talking to him can instill belief, break problems in to solvable cases specific to each student. The course also introduced to some amazing contemporary plays and playwrights of the world which were part of the course. The diverse background of the participants in the program made the course experience richer. The course offered exercises at looking at playwriting, addressing several problems and tools to help solve them at scene level, draft by draft in developing a play. The fact that the program allowed all of this happen along with participants’ writing plays in their own language and not necessarily English was certainly an added advantage.
I first thank Bhasha Centre for Performing Arts for opportunity to be part of the program. I had mostly followed Abhishek Majumdar’s work by reading about his work online but watched his only one of his work – Thathaagat. I thank Abhishek Majumdar for all his help, patience and the constant faith in me. I thank Anshuman Acharya and Anisha Anantpurkar, the Teacher Assistants for the constant help during the program. Meeting MD Pallavi was a fan boy moment and it took me a couple of sessions to realize I was sharing the same room with her and I thank her for the support during the program. I thank all my fellow writers from the program who have been an absolute delight to have met here and constantly offered their views and support for my writing process. I look forward for these new friendships in the long journey of theatre ahead. Thank you Vivek Madan for all the help through the program and all the guests we had for lectures.
I must necessarily thank my dearest friends Vijayashanthi Murthy and Vijetha Kumar who have patiently listened to my drafts and offered valuable feedback and inspiration in wiring this play. I thank Vinay Kambipura, TH Lavakumar, Bhushan LV, Aruna SN, of Hashmi Theatre Forum, the team I owe the significant part of my theatre journey, learning, love and friendships and lessons of theatre and life. I thank Ajithlal S, Akash S, Mallikarjun for their time and being there during the process of writing. I thank my mother Jyothilakshmi V, my first lessons of freedom and independency of woman has come from her. I thank my wife Geetha M for love and support she has offered all these years as a friend and is the reason I can consider taking a course and adventure like this.
Ravikiran
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