Guru - Thakurnagar Pratidhwani Sanskritik Sanstha

 About the Production:

The present drama production GURU staged by Thakurnagar Pratidhwani Sanskritik Sanstha is based on the philosopher-poet Rabindranath Tagore’s Achalayatan, the famous novel that hits the orthodox, conservative outlook of the religious group of the society. Our production is the dramatized version of the novel Achalayatan. As it was dramatized by Tagore himself as the same name Guru and our director Sri Bhaskar Mukharjee, a scholar from Rabindra Bharati and one of the eminent actors and directors of younger generation, edited it to show the so-called orthodox ideas of society and to give a sure indication that the barriers of conservativeness is going to be destroyed in the hands of Guru and his force of common people. Guru here is nothing but a symbol of the representative of common people, The workforce of the society. To those common people work is only worship and their religious beliefs generate from their daily life or it is connected with their daily activities. Their philosophy is related to their lives and works, not with celestial or mystic ideas.

The play begins with the scene where a ritual is being performed to pacify the deity who may get angry with a boy who looked outside. Here is the clear indication that there is no scope of logic to the orthodox people. Then there are scenes where the Acharya is informed of the misdeed of a boy of the Ashram and discussion of ways of making him free from unholiness for looking outside (Prayaschitta). The Acharya felt the negative aspect of orthodox mentality but he was banished when the orthodox group makes a conspiracy with the king. Here are the hints of the relationship between kingship and religion, one defends the other. There is a scene of Junak, the tribal group with their dance & their conversation with Panchak, the breaker of the religious chain, it becomes clear how unnecessary and illogical are the rituals performed by the orthodox people. Again there is a scene of Darvak People, the group of common people among whom the banished Acharya gets shelter and becomes more aware of the philosophy of life which should be centered on life on earth, not on any mystical existence. The culture of common people comes from their life itself and they sing out - "Eshob dekhi kanar hat bazar..." (All are blind; none has the inner eyesight logic but they are the guide). Here comes the message of coming Guru and the drama ends with the gigantic appearance of 'Guru' with his followers of Junak and others, who takes everyone under the shade of his love and peace without any complexity of life. He even wins Mahapanchak, the representative of the orthodox, with love. The spectators sigh a breath of relief with the hope of such a Guru in our present-day situation who will break the chains of conservativeness.