Chitrapata looks at Ramayana from a folk perspective

HS Venkatesh Murthy’s ‘Chitrapata’ directed by Manjunath L Badiger, will be staged on July 6 in Bengaluru

Samasthi, an amateur theatre group in Bengaluru, will stage Chitrapata. Originally written in Kannada, HS Venkatesha Murthy’s Chitrapata Ramayana looks at the epic from the folk perspective. Manjunath L Badiger, a Ninasam graduate, says, “Chitrapata is not the story of Valmiki’s Ramayana.”

There are traces of Helavanakatte Giriyamma’s poetic works in the play, Manjunath says. “The author has adopted a style where the story is narrated using Pattachitra, a traditional painting from Odisha. Pictures and folk songs and dances form an integral part of the play.”

Chitrapata draws heavily from the devotees of goddess Yellamma, who are called Bhootaes, says Manjunath, who was first introduced to theatre through a street play workshop during his graduation days in Benglauru two decades ago.

“The troupe was called Madhyam, spearheaded by Jayatheertha, who is a well-known Kannada film director. My theatre journey began there.” The director, lives in Mangaluru, near Kukke Subramanya, but travels for theatre. “Samasthi and I complete 25 years in 2025.”

Manjunath, Jayateertha and Ravindra Poojari, a chartered accountant founded Samasthi in 2000. “Poojari is passionate about theatre and Jayateertha, is also actively involved with our theatre troupe. He is always there to guide and mentor us,” says Manjunath.

Though the financial rewards in theatre are slim, Manjunath prefers to live within limited means and work without expectations. “I dream of giving my full time to theatre and motivating people passionate about theatre to do the same,” says Manjunath, who has worked as a guest lecturer in universities across in Karnataka and with other amateur theatre groups.

The folk approach to the epics, Manjunath says, looks at Rama and Sita not as deities but people, part of their daily lives. “This perspective, allows a different dimension for the Ramayana. For instance, being suspicious is not limited to mortals, but Rama and Sita as well!”