CNN Central News & Network–ITDC India Epress/ITDC News Bhopal: An eleven-day national workshop focusing on Sanskrit theater practices for students of Performing Arts, Dramaturgy, and World Theater was organized at Rabindranath Tagore University. This workshop was successfully completed under the joint auspices of the university’s Center for Sanskrit, Oriental Languages, and Indian Knowledge Tradition and the Faculty of Humanities and Liberal Arts.
During the eleven days of the workshop, two Sanskrit plays by the great poet Bhasa, “Madhyamavyayoga” and “Karnabharam,” were prepared. During this period, students were introduced to the intricacies of Sanskrit theater staging traditions by experts. They were also taught about the makeup and costumes used in traditional plays. Detailed explanations were provided on articulation and the art of acting.
In the last two days, captivating performances of the aforementioned plays, “Madhyamavyayoga” and “Karnabharam,” took place. Renowned theater artist and former director of Madhya Pradesh School of Drama, Alok Chatterjee, and Director of Central Sanskrit University, Bhopal Campus, Prof. Ramakant Pandey, along with the University’s Vice-Chancellor Sangeeta Johri and Dean Ruchi Mishra Tiwari, participated as experts. Alok Chatterjee, after watching the performances, remarked that the innovations made by the students in the play were extraordinary. Prof. Ramakant Pandey also praised the performances and advised staging these plays at various locations across India. Other experts also encouraged the students.
The performances of both plays organized under this workshop saw the support of Mr. Sharad Mishra, Abhishek Deshmane, and the staff and students of the drama school. Twenty-one students participated in the workshop. The workshop was coordinated by Dr. Sanjay Kumar Dubey and Dr. Savitri Singh Parihar, with Dr. Deepak Tiwari as the co-coordinator. Mr. Manoj Nair played a significant role as the theater director.