New Delhi: The love of language and common ancestry are enough to overcome all kinds of physical barriers, according to Pakistani theatre group Ajoka which staged two plays here recently.
The Lahore-based group brought to India the two plays - "Dara" based on the 17th century Mughal prince Dara Shikoh and "Bullah" based on the life of Punjabi Sufi poet Bulleh Shah.
"In today's world of injustice and hatred the message of Bulleh Shah is very relevant. His teachings are old but are still significant", says Shahid Nadeem, who directed the play.
The sufi poet and humanist Bulleh Shah who lived in the times of the downfall of Mughal Empire and his teachings and poems are a source of solace for both Indians and Pakistanis says Nadeem of the play written by Madeeha Gauhar.
"We came to India after partition from Dera Gazi Khan in Pakistan. I am here with my family to watch the play and revisit the Sufi culture we belonged to. Sufism and Bulleh Shah is part of our shared history," said R C Satija, a theatre enthusiast after watching "Bullah".
"Bulleh Shah was born in present day Pakistan but he belongs to all of us. He taught us to always remain on the path of peace and never get in the revenge mode in the wake of violence", adds the director.
The play "Bullah" is characterised by rebellions, civil and religious strife and total ideological and political chaos, times essentially not much different for the present day South Asia points out the theatre veteran.
Routes 2 Roots, a Delhi-based NGO which aims to build cultural bridges between India and Pakistan had brought the Ajoka theatre group to the country.
Visit Routes 2 Roots
Visit Ajoka Theatre
Posts
3 comments:
Since on the top of the website I see the Sacred Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful it becomes important to inform the readers that the Play Bulleh Shah r.u.a presented by Ajoka theater is an exploitation of Sufism and it does not represent the spirit of the teachings of the Sufi Poet at all .Any person with an average understanding could not discern the actual motive of Ajoka Theater .I would request the readers to visit the website www.AlQalum.com to understand in detail Ajoka 'stratagems to spread secularism and make religion the most unimportant feature of human life
Since on the top of the website I see the Sacred Name of Allah the Beneficent the Merciful it becomes important to inform the readers that the Play Bulleh Shah r.u.a presented by Ajoka theater is an exploitation of Sufism and it does not represent the spirit of the teachings of the Sufi Poet at all .Any person with an average understanding could not discern the actual motive of Ajoka Theater .I would request the readers to visit the website www.AlQalum.com to understand in detail Ajoka 'stratagems to spread secularism and make religion the most unimportant feature of human life
See Tayyaba Haq's article at http://www.alqalum.com/component/k2/item/15-ajoka-theatres-play-bullhe-shah-an-exploitation-of-sufism.html for criticism of the play, from the perspective that the author of the play was misrepresenting Bulleh Shah not simply as being anti-hypocrisy but as being opposed to practice of the rudiments of worship, such as daily prayer (salat) and fasting during Ramadan.
Post a Comment