Monday 19 August 2019

MAY THE VISTAS RESONATE WITH HIS VOICE!




“What’s written on our foreheads cannot be altered” asks Bhagavata to Hayavadana. Finally, the inevitable time has approached the creator of the noteworthy play Hayavadana to abjure and drown the life book. The doyen of Indian theatre, Girish Raghunath Karnad has bid adieu to the literary world by creating an impeccable void in the intellectual space. His versatility as an iconic actor, litterateur, playwright and above all a fearless social cum political activist saw a cosmos where nothing was beyond the human reach. This literary colossus buried himself in his own thoughts and creative arena unaffected and unaltered by the public sound and fury that signified absolutely nothing to his unfailing honesty. He never wanted to please or praise any and he was blunt in his opinions always and in all ways. His repertoire of plays spoke for him on and off the dais. He was a man of strong will and tempestuous mind of his own and he never bridled his freedom of expression despite receiving death threats in plenty. His beguiling blend of the mythology and history, the folk and the classics continue to convey the richness and legacy of Indian culture and civilization in alien shores too. His pan- Indian approach seamlessly adorns and transcends all manmade barriers and boundaries. This Jnanpith awardee had the magnificent insight of modern life that enables one to sail through diverse language, culture, custom, tradition and so on. He taught the admirers to walk a path without light and the impossibility to walk one bereft of dreams. His grandeur across films, television and theatre cannot be overlooked and his role in the TV series of Malgudi Days remains an excellent testimony to the 90’s kids in particular. How can one forget the unruly Swami and his imposing Father figure, W.T. Srinivasan, the role made immortal by Girish Karnad? His imagination knew no borders and he remained in his own creative domain allowing others to poke or make scathing attacks on him. He endured in his imaginative realm with a magic wand creating stories that can hit anyone hard. He and his plays did not shy away from the public and the day to day politics. His novel mode of writing enabled the readers to breathe a fresh air and his demise marked the loss of a cultural ambassador. He has inspired and molded the minds of keralites too. The progressive drama and theatre artists of Kerala were extremely carried away by his sole characteristic of remaining stable and same, inside and outside the stage, with and without the embellishment of makeup demanded to gratify a specific character. Although he marked his presence in Malayalam flicks, he is admired by the Malayalis especially for his undaunted fight for social justice and his imperative contribution to the theatre art. He always wanted to be a poet but he turned out to be a playwright. Who knows it was already written on his forehead to become a playwright? His rare repository of plays are brimming with the vitality to extinguish a fire in the heart of every youth. Everyone dies but not everyone lives. But, Girish Karnad has universalized his life with his incredible plays and he can feel contentment in his new horizon for the fate that made him an exemplary playwright par excellence.