Jaat Sodhnu Jogiko (जात सोध्नु जोगीको)

This play was performed in 2057 V.S. for the first time. Our audience had applauded this play very much when we performed this play in Nepal Academy. Therefore, we, as per the demand of the audience, are enacting it once again. Some of you might find this play very shallow. But this presentation is a step in the series to be exposed to different theatrical styles and structures. In accordance with our thought to grow Gurukul into a wide and common platform, we asked Anup Baral to direct the play once again.

Anup Baral, a graduate from National School of Drama, is one of the most significant artists of this generation. He has already carved a niche for himself in the levels of thought and presentation observedin the plays like Malami, Apatra, Barai, Thangla, Kathadesh, Khuma and so on. Due thanks to Anup Baral and Pushkar Gurung of the actors' group of this play.

- Sunil Pokharel,

Director, Aarohan-Gurukul

यो नाटक पहिलो पटक २०५७ सालमा देखाइएको हो । प्रज्ञाा भवनमा प्रदर्शन गर्दा हाम्रा धेरै दर्शकहरूले यस नाटकलाई औधी मन पराउनु भएको थियो । त्यसैले धेरै शुभ चिन्तकहरूको आग्रह अनुसार फेरि प्रदर्शन गर्दैछौं । यहाँहरूमध्ये कति जनालाई नाटक अलि हलुका लाग्न सक्छ । तर, यो प्रस्तुति विभिन्न नाटक शैली एवं स्वरुपहरूसँग परिचित हुने एउटा क्रम हो । गुरुकुललाई फराकिलो र एउटा साझा मञ्च बनाउने सोच अनुसार फेरि हामीले अनुप बराललाई नाटकको निर्देशन गर्न अनुरोध गर्यौं । राष्ट्रिय नाट्य विद्यालयबाट स्नातक अनुप यो पुस्ताका अत्यन्तै सशक्त रंगकर्मी हुन् । मलामी, अपात्र, बरै, थाङ्ला, कथादेश, खुमा आदि नाटकबाट उनले विचार र प्रस्तुति दुबै स्तरमा आफ्नो दह्रो उपस्थिति बनाइसकेका छन् । अनुप र यस नाटकका कलाकार डबली समूहका पुष्कर गुरुङलाई धन्यवाद ।
– सुनील पोखरेल
निर्देशक, आरोहण

It is very difficult to write the directorial of a play. I, as a director of the play, feel like this at the moment. As drama is a representational art, there is every chance of wrong as well as exaggerated interpretation. In fact, the whole structure as well as presentation of the play is a directorial interpretation in itself. The feelings expressed and delivered through presentation tend to be stronger than the written words. ...... And, I feel that the final and truthful description is all audiovisual things staged in front of the audience.

As the present play is a translated version, I think I should write something about it in brief. This play was written by the famous Indian playwright Vijaya Tendulkar (who basically writes in Marathi) during 1970s. In every society, the main thrust of education is to lead the society to civilization by getting it rectified. To its contrary, the presence of education has developed into a fashion and moved towards malpractice. This fact has been densely sketched in the play in question. This density, however, hasn't been expressed seriously but in a rather Charlie Chaplian way. Or let's say the events are larger than life. This play, which makes a satire on the deteriorating condition of the pedagogy prevalent in the then Indian society, reflects the present condition of Nepali pedagogy. That's why we have chosen this play.

Another significant fact about this play is that the structure of this play is close to the story telling tradition like Balun, Jyapu theatre or Swang prevailing in our culture. So we can find the flavour of our own soil, and its theatrical language may be fairly familiar with us. We, therefore, can protect our own fundamental identity if we catch the style, which is very close to our culture.

Finally, I would like express my gratitude to Arohan, which has dared to provide its artist a platform by inviting me as a guest director. I wish all my best to Arohan's noble thought towards this cultural communality. May this journey be perennial!

नाटकको निर्देशकीय लेख्नु ज्यादै मुश्किल र अप्ठेरो हुँदो रहेछ । नाटक निर्देशकका रुपमा त्यस्तै अनुभूत भैरहेछ यतिखेर । उसै पनि नाटक कला पुनव्र्याख्यात्मक कला ९च्भउचभकभलतबतष्यलब िब्चत० भएको हुँदा गलत एवं अतिरञ्जनापूर्ण व्याख्या भइदिने पनि उत्तिकै सम्भावना रहन्छ । वस्तुतः नाटकको सम्पूर्ण रुपबन्ध र प्रस्तुतिकरण स्वयंमा एउटा निर्देशकीय व्याख्या हो । प्रस्तुतिबाट प्रवाहित र सम्प्रेषित भावना एवं अर्थ लेखिएका शब्दहरूभन्दा बढी सामथ्र्यवान् हुन्छन् । ... र दर्शकहरूका अगाडि मञ्चित यावत श्राव्य–दृश्य कुरा नै निर्देशकको अन्तिम अथवा सत्य बयान हो भन्ने मलाई लाग्छ ।

प्रस्तुत नाटक अनुदित या भनौं रुपान्तरित भएको हुनाले नाटकका बारेमा संक्षिप्त केही लेख्नुपर्छ कि भन्ने लागेको छ । यस नाटकलाई भारतका प्रसिद्ध नाटककार विजय तेन्दुलकर (जो मूलरुपमा मराठीमा लेख्छन्) ले ७० को दशकमा लेखेका हुन् । कुनैपनि समाजमा शिक्षाको मूल मर्म समाजलाई परिष्कृत गर्दै उच्च सभ्यतातर्फ दिशाबोध गराउनु हुन्छ, तर यसका विपरित शिक्षाको उपस्थिति एउटा फेसनको रुपमा हुँदै गएको र विसंगतितिर जान थालेको कुरालाई सघन ढंगबाट रेखांकन गरिएको
छ । यद्यपि यो सघनता गम्भिर रुपमा व्यक्त नभएर चार्ली च्यापलिनिश पारामा भएको छ । अर्थात्, घटनाहरू जीवनमा भन्दा ठूला छन्– लार्जर देन लाइफ । तत्कालीन् भारतीय समाजको शैक्षिक दुरावस्थाप्रति व्यंग्य गर्दै लेखिएको यस नाटकको भावभूमि यतिखेरको नेपाली शिक्षण अवस्थाप्रति पनि सामिप्य रहने हुँदा यो नाटक हामीले छानेका हौं ।

अर्को महत्वपूर्ण कुरा यस नाटकको प्रस्तुतिकरणको जुन स्वरुप छ, त्यो हाम्रै संस्कृतिमा पाइने कथावाचन शैली ९क्तयचथ तभििष्लन० जस्तो वालुन, ज्यापू नाटक वा स्वाँगमा पाइने शैलीसँग नजिक भएकोले मञ्चनमा हामी हाम्रै माटोको स्वाद पाउन सक्छौं र यसको मञ्चीय भाषा हाम्रो माझमा अधिक परिचित हुनसक्छ । त्यसैले पनि आफ्नो संस्कृतिको नजिक पुग्ने शैलीलाई पक्रन सक्यौं भने हामीले आफ्नो मौलिकतालाई पनि सुरक्षित राख्न सक्छौं ।

अन्त्यमा, आरोहणप्रति आभार व्यक्त गर्न चाहन्छु, जसले अतिथि निर्देशकका रुपमा आमन्त्रण गरेर आफ्नो रंगकर्मीलाई प्लेटफर्म प्रदान गर्ने साहस गरेको छ । यो सांस्कृतिक सामूहिकताप्रतिको आरोहणको सोचलाई मेरो साधुवाद यो यात्राले अविरल निरन्तरता पाओस् ।