The Sanskrit drama ‘Bhagavadajjukam’ enthralled the audience
Bhagawad means Sage (Sanyasi) and Ajjuka means Courtesan (Ganika).
The famous 7th century Sanskrit comedy plays ‘Bhagavadajjukam’ written by Bodhayan and directed by Rekha Sisodia was prepared in a Theatre Workshop organized by the West Zone Cultural Centre and the show was performed in the monthly theatre evening organized by the WZCC, in Darpan Auditorium, Shilpgram. The play shows how the souls of a monk and a courtesan get exchanged, and how the monk starts behaving like a courtesan and vice versa. Like the mind, like the speech and the body too behaves likewise. The story of the play provides answers to some serious questions of life in a simple manner. As a result of exchange of the souls, an interesting comedy situation arises which leaves the audience with laughter.
In Bhagawadajjukam, Parivrajak is a sanyasi who is a knowledgeable person and has attained Yog-siddhi. He is accompanied by a disciple named Shandilya, who is disoriented because of his fickle nature. He is not interested in meditation and studies. In the opening scene, Parivrajak and his disciple Shandilya have a long discussion about soul and body. Parivrajak is disinterested in materialistic world, but Shandilya is saddened by the teachings of Gurudev. Teacher-disciples wander around listening and preaching in a garden decorated with beautiful trees and colourful flowers of various kinds. Then at one place the guru becomes meditative and Shandilya sees a beautiful a courtesan named Vasantasena entering this garden t with her friends. Vasantasena comes to this park to meet her lover, Ramilak. In no time, a Messenger of God (Yamdoot) comes there to take the life of Vasantsena. He takes the life of Vasantsena sitting in the garden as a snake. Then Shandilya is saddened to see Vasantasena’s dead body and prays to Guru to bring it back to life.
Even after repeated persuasion by the guru, when he does not understand, then the guru enters his soul into the body of the courtesan to show the power of yoga to his disciple. Due to this the body of the guru becomes dead and the courtesan rises to life. Only then the family members of the courtesan, Ramilak, Vaidya and all other come there. Again, Yamdoot enters because the Vasantsena whose life he had taken was another. He comes to bring back Vasantasena’s life but he sees that the Vasantasena whose life he had taken is preaching to everyone like a sanyasi. The Yamdoot puts the life of the courtesan into the body of a Sannyasi (Guru). Now the Sannyasi starts behaving like a courtesan Vasantasena and Vasantasena behaves like a Sannyasi.
This combination mixed with the body of the Bhagawan (Sanyasi) and the soul of Ajjuka (Courtesan) is Bhagawadajjukam. The exchanges of soul and body create an illogical, comical and interesting situation in the play. In the end, with the arrival of the Yamdoot, both of them again get their bodies as they are. Simultaneously, the disciple becomes free from attachment and illusion and becomes devoted to the Guru. As the mind, so is the speech and so is the behaviour of the body. This play answers the serious questions of life in a very simple way in. Along with this, play also teaches that any subject is better learned not by preaching but through practice.
Bhagawadajjukam, directed by Rekha Sisodia, has been performed in Hindi only, but as per Bharatmuni’s Natyashastra, the Poorvaranga and Bharata Vakya have been designed according to Classical Theatre, in which Sanskrit language has been used. Also, elements of Odissi classical dance for Chari have been included in the Vidhi of Poorvaranga. An attempt has been made to give a glimpse of the Indian Classical Theatre of Natyashastra and also to connect this play with today’s audience.
Cast included Yash Shakdweepeey as Parivrajak, Mahaveer Sharma as Shandilya, Astha Nagda as Vasantsena, Urvashi Kanwrani as Paribhrutika, Bhuvan Jain as Yamdoot, Mukul Khandia as Vaidya & Sutradhar, Murli Aheer as Ramilak & Vidushak, Harsh Dubey as Mata. Music of the play was played by Mohammad Rizwan Mansuri, song sung by Shreya Paliwal & Harija Pandey, Krishnendu Saha choreographed the dance, lights was designed by Ashfaq Noor Khan Pathan and operated by Amit Shrimali, Yogeeta Sisodia designed costumes and did character makeup, Jomy Jojo, Agastya Hardik Nagda, Raghav Gurjargour, Mahesh Kumar Joshi were stage assistants. Hindi translation of Nemichand Jain was took up for the production. Assistant director was Amit Shrimali and play was designed and directed by Rekha Sisodia. Ms. Kiran Soni Gupta, director of WZCC, veteran theatre artist Mr. Bhanu Bharti, seinor painter Mr. Shail CHoyal and Prof. Amrika Singh -Vice Chacellor MLSU attended the show.
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