Children’s plays deal with stirring real life incidents

Nagpur: Four plays dealing with themes ranging from revival of Marathi schools, praying for rains, life of an artiste in carnivals and frauds were staged on the last day of the 16th Maharashtra Rajya Bal Natya Spardha 2018-19 held at Scientific Society Hall, Laxmi Nagar, on Thursday.

The competition was for under 15-category and coordinated by Vaidehi Chawre.

The first play, ‘Dagad’, written by Nitin Naygaonkar, was presented by Sai Shravan Bahuddeshiya Sanstha. The play tells the story of a teacher who goes to a village to revive Marathi schools. Seeing the rapid rate at which the regional language schools were closing, the teacher shifts her base from a big city to a small village.

She opens a school which is met with resistance from villagers. She then brings her daughter studying in an English medium school in a city to the village. The daughter is admitted to the village school. This opens the eyes of villagers who gradually accept the school. The play highlights the trouble and lack of response Marathi medium schools face in today’s environment.

Thembache Tapal, written by Yatin Majhile, was staged by students of Channawar Bal Vidya Mandir. It tells the story of a young girl who writes a letter, asking for rains in her village.

On receiving the reply, the girl gets disheartened. However, her mother consoles her that drops from the cloud will be her answer. And when it does rain, the girl is overjoyed.

Khel, written by Hanuman Survase and performed by Aavhan Bahuddeshiya Shikshan Samatha, spoke about the life of the people performing in carnivals. It tells the story of a man who loses his drums which were essential to his perform. The story explores the necessity of these acts in the life of travellers as those are the source of their income.

Adimbachya Betawar, written by Dhananjay Sardeshpande and staged by Channawar E Vidya Mandir, talks about how two outsiders expose the leader of tribals who was cheating them by taking diamonds in exchange of bogus medicines.