Panchal Sabatham captivating the audience
Chelvatamby Maniccavasagar
Scenes from the drama
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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. |