Panchal Sabatham captivating the audience

Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar

Scenes from the drama

The Jaffna Tamil Sangam celebrated Mahakar Subramaniya Bharathi Vizha at the Nallur Sri Durgadevimanimandapam in Jaffna, presided by the President of Sangam Professor A Shanmugadas. To mark this glorious occasion a Musical Drama Panchali Sabatham from Maha Bharatham was staged by the Jaffna Naddar Valakkiyal Kalagam under the able guidance of Head of the Law Faculty of Jaffna, Dr T Kalamani.

Mahabharatham is an epic in which there was a war between Pandavar and Kauravar and finally Pandavar won the war and righteousness (Dharma) prevailed.

In this epic Pandavar were leading a dharmic way of life and were bequeathed with everything whatever they wanted. But seeing this Kauravar were very jealous and wanted to get all the wealth and property belonged to Pandavar by unlawful and unreasonable manner.

To achieve this wealth, Kauravar particularly Duryodanan staged a Yagam and built a massive and beautiful palace. For this house-warming ceremony of the newly built palace king of different countries and eminent saints and sages were cordially invited and tasty meals were served in plenty to the greatest satisfaction of all the invitees.

Finally on the advice of wicked Saguni, who was supposed to be the uncle of Duryodana, a game of dice was arranged in which Dharma the elder brothers of Pandasvar and Duryodana participated and Dharma lost everything including his kingdom, brothers and even his wife Panchali. Thereafter they were compelled to go to the forest to live as slaves in exile.

Before their departure Panchali the wife of Pandavar challenged Duryodanan that Dharma had no right to keep her as a dice, when he himself had lost everything before hand and had become a slave.

Hearing this Duryodana ordered his younger brother Dursathanan to drag Panchali by her hair and to bring her to the palace. When people watched the Dursathanan's cruel act, no one uttered a word.

Even Panchali's husbands Pandavar could not do anything. At this stage Panchali prayed to Lord Vishnu to save her and her saree which was pulled by Dursathanan started lengthening and Dursathanam got exhausted tired and fell down.

Then Panchali shouted at the top of her voice and took a vow, saying that she will kill Duryodanan and Dursathanan and take their blood and swear on her head and then only would have a bath.

Indeed, this is the Panchali Sabatham and the students who participated in this drama captivated the audience with this agility, involvement and concentration.