Sunkeshari (सुनकेशरी)

Sunkeshari is a play based upon an often-said folk story in Karnali, the far western region of Nepal. The play has been woven out of the complex experience of a beautiful girl with golden hair due to her celebrated beauty and voice.

Sunkeshari, a well known singer of Maaghal (a typical Nepali folk song) is widely admired for her vocal quality and attractive figure with golden hair. Having so many suitors for marriage, Sunkeshari is the most wanted girl around and beyond the nation. Prajapati, the cousin brother of Sunkeshari loves her very much and wants to marry her. He is the person who holds the authority to marry Sunkeshari according to their culture. But Sunkeshari doesn’t like his attitude. There are two others who want to marry Sunkeshari. Vikram Shahi, king of Chhinasingh and Saaimal Shahi, king of Raaskot arealso cousin brothers but both of them wish to marry with Sunkeshari. Sunkeshari leaves home choosing one of the kings. Two separate journeys start from here. One of Sunkeshari’s who faces different situations created by her own beautiness and other of Prajapati’s who determinedly goes to take back Sunkeshari home. The meeting point of these journeys creates the climax of the play.

This play is the latest production of Mandala Theatre Nepal. It has been performed in three different international theatre festivals. Having its World Premiere at Rango Harshe Bingo Barshe, an international theatre festival held in Dhaka, Bangladesh on November 2012, Sunkeshari got selected for the opening performance of Kathmandu International Theatre Festival organized by Aarohan Gurukul on the same month in Kathmandu. Following the success Mandala got the chance to participate in Desh Bidesher Natya Mela 2012, an international annual theatre festival held in Behrampur, West Bengal, India with the same play, Sunkeshari.