Unique festival, acclaimed internationally for its ecofriendly
AS THE BADUNGDUPPA KALAKENDRA in Rampur, Goalpara district of Assam prepares to celebrate its 25th year of existence next year, the organization is inviting theatre, art, and culture enthusiasts to the 14th edition of the 'Under the Sal Tree' theatre festival. This unique festival, renowned internationally for its eco-friendly setup amidst a Sal tree plantation, will take place on December 15, 16 and 17.
The festival is organized entirely in a natural setting, with no artificial devices, including microphones, to enhance the actors' voices. The organizers use only bamboo and straw to construct the stage and seating arrangements for the audience.
As the festival, initiated by the late Sukracharjya Rabha, one of the most respected theatre personalities in the region, celebrates its 14th edition, the Badungduppa Kalakendra looks forward to its Silver Jubilee in 2024, commemorating its journey of relentless experimentation with theatre as an art form since its inception.
"It has not been an easy journey for us. We have faced many challenges, but your unwavering support has made everything possible and, most importantly, unforgettable. Your unconditional love throughout this journey of over two decades has been a testament to immense inspiration and true camaraderie. We would like to express our gratitude for your support and goodwill as we approach our 25th year of existence," said Madan Rabha, the managing director of Badungduppa Kalakendra.
The 14th edition of the 'Under the Sal Tree' theatre festival aims to take a reflective journey down memory lane, facilitating a discursive session of self-evaluation and retrospection before the upcoming Silver Jubilee celebration next year. Over the course of three days, five plays will be staged.
On the opening day, December 15, a Rabha language play titled 'Madaiah Muchi,' directed by Sukracharjya Rabha, will be performed by Badungduppa Kalakendra. In the afternoon, Kalabhumi from Agartala will stage the Bengali play 'Srijon Hobe Kabe,' written and directed by Bidyutjit Chakraborty.
On December 16, 'Pala Kuntala,' a Bengali play by Chena Adhuli from West Bengal, will be performed. The script and direction are by Rajat Das. Later in the afternoon, Purbaranga from Guwahati will present the Assamese play 'Ratnakar,' written and directed by Gunakar Dev Goswami.
On December 17, Naya Theatre from Bhopal will perform the Chhattisgarhi and Hindi play 'Charandas Chor,' directed by Habib Tanvir. Each day, the plays will be followed by discussions in the evening around a bonfire. In a statement, Badungduppa Kalakendra's president, Cheena Rabha, and secretary, Lakhikanta Rabha, urged theatre, art, and culture enthusiasts to be a part of the 14th edition of the 'Under the Sal Tree' festival as the organization continues the theatre revolution started by its founder, the late Sukracharjya Rabha.
In previous editions, theatre groups from South Korea, Brazil, Poland, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have also participated. Since its inception, the late Sukracharjya Rabha has spearheaded the avant-garde movement of "Hygiene Theatre."
He organized the theatre festival in the midst of nature to spread the message of the importance of coexisting with nature and establishing a symbiotic relationship. Started in 2008, the festival aims to experiment and inaugurate a new idiom of performance, with a special focus on redefining reality through self-realization by inverting the colonial 'self/other' binary and avoiding the tradition of imitating the 'other.'
Late Rabha and his theatre group, Badungduppa Kalakendra, gained international recognition for the open-air theatre festival, 'Under the Sal Tree.' Sukracharjya Rabha passed away in 2018. This year, the festival is supported by the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council, Indian Oil Corporation Limited and Bongaigaon Refinery.
Guwahati
December 14 202