Art for the masses
Uvindu ILLEPERUMA
It is reiterated that art is not for art's sake but for the sake of
society. That art is for the sake of society and is now getting rooted
among certain circles.
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Charandas |
Janakaraliya is a brainchild of veteran drama director Parakrama
Niriella. It is an effort to register art as a way of addressing the
society. Janakaraliya holds stage dramas wherever it is possible in the
country. Recently the Janakaraliya team visited Homagama and played out
on a temporarily set up stage. They were largely welcomed by the
residents. The dramas have brought relief to their hectic routine
lifestyles.
The festival began with Niriella's award-winning drama Charandas. The
drama is woven around a bandit whose life is dedicated to rob the rich
and make the poor rich. One wrong decision however challenges his fate.
All of a sudden he becomes an important figure.
He becomes a fugitive for having stolen a gold plate. By the time the
police tries to catch him, no one knows he had had broken the coffers of
a minister. To escape the police Charandas seeks shelter in a monastery.
But the abbot makes him take five vows: not to eat on a gold plate, not
to travel on the official state tusker, not to marry a queen, not to
take the crown even if people pleaded and not to tell lies.
He had to leave the place, because police gets closer. He even enters
the king's court without the slightest fear.
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Makaraksha |
He introduces himself as a bandit to an astonished king. The further
inquiry leads to many more revelations, and the king is pleased about
the bandit. Making the use of the opportunity Charandas makes sure king
treats the poor in a proper manner. Charandas gradually becomes the hero
among masses. The king was assassinated in the meanwhile as there is no
room for malpractices.
Many things come to the fore with brilliant plot twist. Charandas'
vow is repeatedly tested. He escapes all chances of ill-will because he
keeps to the vows. At the end when people offer the crown, he politely
declines that kingship is not essential.
The drama thus showcases the features of good governance.
Jana Karaliya is a mobile cultural organisation that uses a
collapsible theatre and travels through districts with its theatre
group. It provides the area with a cultural hub during its stay, using
drama and Theatre, with other art forms for social harmony. It
implements human development activities using drama and theatre at the
grass root level as well as the higher level of the society.
Its mission is to develop a culturally and spiritually awakened
society enabling it to live in peace and harmony and also make the Sri
Lankan society a sensitive, creative, wise, active and a just one.
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