Sangeet Natak Akademi presents "Uttarpriyadarshi, play in Manipuri" video screening as part of Sanchayan - Screening of archival films & video recordings at Meghdoot Theatre, Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Ferozeshah Road > 4pm on 24th July 2015

Time : 4:00 pm Add to Calendar 24/07/2015 16:00 24/07/2015 17:20 Asia/Kolkata Sangeet Natak Akademi presents "Uttarpriyadarshi, play in Manipuri" video screening as part of Sanchayan - Screening of archival films & video recordings Event Page : http://www.delhievents.com/2015/07/sangeet-natak-akademi-presents.html Meghdoot Theatre, Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi-110001 DD/MM/YYYY

Duration : 80 minutes

Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served basis)

Venue : Meghdoot Theatre, Rabindra Bhavan, 35, Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi-110001

Venue Info : Events | About | Map | Nearest Metro Station - 'Mandi House(Blue Line)'

Area : Mandi House Area Events

Event Description : Sangeet Natak Akademi presents "Uttarpriyadarshi, play in Manipuri" video screening as part of Sanchayan - Screening of archival films & video recordings.

Akademi Awards, 2012

Synopsis (Scene-wise):

Prologue
Uttarpriyadarshi opens with the chanting of a prayer by the four samvadaks (monks). They are joined by eight other members of the chorus who bear symbols of the eight-fold path of Lord Buddha. They pray to Lord Buddha and praise his benevolence.

Flashback
A child plays with the dust of the earth in a courtyard. He stops suddenly as the wandering Sakyamuni (Lord Buddha) stands before him smiling, asking for alms. The child offers a handful of dust to Lord Buddha who sprinkles it on the surface of the earth, sanctifying it for this child, who will be reborn as Ashoka (also known as Priyadarshi), the future king of the Mauryas.

Time Wheel
As the samvadaks extol Lord Buddha, who looks upon all with compassionate eyes, they form a mandala (time wheel), and move from the past into the present. In the background, prayers are chanted. 

Scene One
Riding an elephant at the head of the victorious army, Priyadarshi returns home, having vanquished the kingdom of Kalinga. The samvadaks recount his exploits as conqueror of the vast continent.

Scene Two
Priyadarshi commands his bhat-charans (royal musicians) to sing a nandi, glorifying his victory and extolling his fame. But the emperor is mocked by the Samvadaks, who address him as a proud and lonely king. Priyadarshi throws away his bloodstained sword, and laments his unfulfilled dream of an empire where the people can live a contented life free from fear. Once again, he orders the royal musicians to singanandi. Instead, he is greeted by the cries of agony of the war windows. Engulfed by sorrow and grief, Priyadarshi feels the ghosts of his fallen foes advance and surround him. To drive them away, he vows to punish them by throwing them into hell. He orders his minister to find someone who is both ferocious and evil. The minister chooses Ghor, a wanton destroyer, and Priyadarshi, against the will of the people, appoints the malevolent Ghor, Lord of hell.

Scene Three
Ghor declares himself to be Mahakal, the deity of total destruction. He performs a dance of death and devastation with the female attendants, and the kingdom itself becomes hell. He commands his male attendants to destroy anyone entering his domain, including Priyadarshi.

Scene Four
Crossing hills, valleys and streams, the travelling samvadaks are lured into hell by Ghor's female attendants, disguised as pretty girls. The samvadaks are trapped and abused but finally escape.

Scene Five
Ghor’s means of torment are unveiled, their use illustrated as victims are tortured and killed.

Scene Six
A bhikshu (mendicant monk) enters with a message of hope for liberating all humanity from the wheel of suffering; he prays for the light that will wash away ignorance and bring enlightenment.
Discovered by Ghor, who taunts him, the monk finds the strength to endure, free from fear. The flames of hell are extinguished as the bhikshu sits alone on a lotus; the space around him turns calm and serene. An raged Ghor orders his attendants to display their evil power, but it all proves to be of no avail.

Scene Seven

Priyadarshi enters hell, findings it tranquil and still. Ghor torments him, ignoring Priyadarshi's reminder that he himself had made Ghor, the Lord of hell. Priyadarshi, seeing that the bhikshu is undisturbed by hell's misery, asks the monk how he has escaped. The bhikshu exhorts Priyadarshi to look deeply into himself, to recognize and accept the existence of the evil within him as well as the good, and then detach himself from both, rising above the pair of dualities, for only by doing so will he be able to liberate himself. Priyadarshi, longing for release from human suffering, accepts this gift of enlightenment and feels Ghor depart from within him.

Directed by Ratan Thiyam

Background : Over the past six decades, Sangeet Natak Akademi has built up an archive of audio and video tapes, photographs, slides and films on the performing arts.
Click here to read more about Sanchayan - Screening of archival films and video recordings.

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