Saturday, July 29, 2017

थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस” नाट्य दर्शन के 25 वर्ष : “दिल्ली” में 10,11 और 12 अगस्त 2017 को 3 दिवसीय ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस – नाट्य उत्सव’

थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस" नाट्य दर्शन के 25 वर्ष
10,11,12 अगस्त, 2017 को
"दिल्ली में 3 दिवसीय नाट्य उत्सव”
काल को चिंतन से गढ़ा और रचा जाता है.चिंतन आपके भीतर से सृजित होकर वैश्विक क्षितिज को पार कर विश्व में जीता है.कला मनुष्य को मनुष्य बनाती है. कलात्मक चिन्तन ही मनुष्य के विष को पीने की क्षमता रखता है.1990 के बाद का समय दुनिया के लिए ‘अर्थहीन’ होने का दौर है.ये एकाधिकार और वर्चस्ववाद का दौर है.विज्ञान के सिद्धांतों का तकनीक तक सीमित होने का दौर है. आज खरीदने और बेचने का दौर है. मीडिया का जनता की बजाए सत्ता की वफ़ादारी का दौर है.ऐसे समय में ‘जनता’ को अपने मुद्दों के लिए ‘चिंतन’ और सरोकारों के एक मंच की जरूरत है. ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस’ रंग सिद्धांत 12 अगस्त,1992 से जनता के सरोकारों का ‘चिंतन मंच’ बनकर कर उभरा है और आज अपने ‘रंग दर्शन’ के होने के 25 वर्ष पूर्ण कर रहा हैं. इन 25 वर्षों में ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस’ ने गली, चौराहों, गावों, आदिवासियों, कस्बों और महानगरों से होते हुए अपनी वैश्विक उड़ान भरी है और वैश्विक स्वीकार्यता हासिल की है.
थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस के सिद्धांत
1. ऐसा रंगकर्म जिसकी सृजनशीलता विश्व को मानवीय और बेहतर बनाने के लिए प्रतिबद्ध हो ।
2. कला , कला के लिए ना होकर समाज के प्रति अपनी जिम्मेदारी का निर्वहन करे । लोगों के जीवन का हिस्सा बने ।
3. जो मानवीय जरूरतों को पूरा करे और अपने आप को अभिव्यक्ति के माध्यम के रूप में उपलब्ध कराये ।
4. जो अपने आप को बदलाव के माध्यम के रूप में ढूंढे । अपने आप को खोजे और रचनात्मक बदलाव की प्रक्रिया आगे बढ़ाये ।
5. ऐसा रंगकर्म जो मनोरंजन की सीमाएँ तोड़कर जीवन जीने का ज़रिया या पद्धति बने ।
(“थिएटर ऑफ रेलेवेंस” नाट्य सिद्धांत का सूत्रपात सुप्रसिद्ध रंगचिंतक, "मंजुल भारद्वाज" ने 12 अगस्त 1992 में किया और तब से उसका अभ्यास और क्रियान्वयन भारत और वैश्विक स्तर पर हो रहा है।)
 आज विकास या विकास के नाम पर प्रकृति के विनाश के दौर में मनुष्य का मनुष्य बने रहना एक चुनौती है. नाटक “गर्भ”, “अनहद नाद – Unheard Sounds of universe” और “न्याय के भंवर में भंवरी” के माध्यम से आपको अपने अंदर के इंसान की आवाज़ सुनाने के लिए देश की सत्ता के केंद्र “दिल्ली” में 10,11 और 12 अगस्त 2017 को 3 दिवसीय ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस - नाट्य उत्सव’ का आयोजन हो रहा है. आपकी सार्थक और रचनात्मक सहभागिता की अपेक्षा. क्योंकि ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस’ रंग सिद्दांत के अनुसार ‘दर्शक’ पहला और सशक्त ‘रंगकर्मी’ है !
मंजुल भारद्वाज लिखित एवम् निर्देशित और अश्विनी नांदेडकर, योगिनी चौक, सायली पावसकर,कोमल खामकर,तुषार म्हस्के अभिनीत प्रसिद्ध नाटक “गर्भ” और “अनहद नाद –अनहर्ड साउंड्स ऑफ़ युनिवर्स” का मंचन क्रमशः 10 और 11 अगस्त, 2017 को शाम 6.30 बजे “मुक्तधारा ऑडिटोरियम” (गोल मार्किट , भाई वीर सिंह मार्ग नई दिल्ली -1) में होगा !
जबकि 12 अगस्त को सुबह 11.00 बजे, मंजुल भारद्वाज लिखित और निर्देशित, जानी मानी रंग अभिनेत्री बबली रावत अभिनीत नए नाटक “न्याय के भंवर में भंवरी” का प्रीमियर म ल भारतीय ऑडिटोरियम (लोधी एस्टेट , लोधी रोड, नई दिल्ली – 3) में होगा !


Contact : 9820391859 / etftor@gmail.com

25 years of “Theatre of Relevance” :3-days Theatre festival in Delhi

“Theatre of Relevance”-25 years of theatrical philosophy
10, 11, 12 August 2017
 "3-days theatre festival in Delhi"

Epoch is created and wrought through contemplation. Contemplation, being generated from within you and crossing global horizons, survives in the world.  Art make humans human. Artistic process & reflection alone possesses the capacity of soaking human poison. The period after 1990 has been an era of “Irrelevance” for the world. This has been a period of monopoly and dictatorship. A period of limiting the principles of science to technology alone. Today is the period of buying and selling. A period where media instead of being faithful to the people, is faithful to thy masters & rulers. In these threatening times, the “people” needs ‘contemplation’ for their issues and a platform for their concerns. ‘Theatre of Relevance” theatrical philosophy’ has evolved as a ‘contemplation platform’ for public concerns since 12th August, 1992 and it is completing 25 years of its theatrical philosophy today. In these 25 years, ‘Theatre of Relevance’ has appropriated its global flight via streets, squares, villages, tribes, towns, and cities and has gained global acceptance.


 Principles of Theatre of Relevance
1.    A Theatre that commits its creative excellence to make the world more “Better & Humane”.
2.    That is relevant to the context of the society and owes its social responsibility, not to Art just for the Art sake.
3.    Which caters to human needs and provide itself as a platform for             expression.
4.    Which explores itself as a medium of change/development.
5.    That comes out from the ' limits of entertainment ' to a way of living.

(“Theatre of Relevance” was conceived by famous artistic contemplator “Manjul Bhardwaj” on August 12, 1992 and since then it is practiced and implemented at Indian and at international level.)

Today in the era of the destruction of nature in the name of development, it is a challenge for humans to be humanA 3-day ‘Theatre of Relevance-Theatre festival’ is being organised at the epi-centre of power of the country , “Delhi”, on August10, 11 and 12, 2017 to connect you with  your inner human sound through the medium of the plays “Garbh”, “Anhad Naad- Unheard Sounds of Universe” and  “Nyaya ke Bhanwar me Bhawari”. Your meaningful and constructive engagement is expected. Because according to ‘Theatre of Relevance’ philosophy, audience is the first & foremost theatre person.



Famous plays “Garbh” and “Anhad Naad-Unheard Sounds of Universe” written and directed by Manjul Bharadwaj and starring Ashwini Nandedkar, Yogini Chowk, Sayali Pawaskar, Komal Khamkar, Tushar Mahske would be staged on 10 and 11th of August, 2017 respectively at 6.30 pm at “Muktadhara Auditorium” (Gol Market, Bhai Vir Singh Marg, New Delhi-01).

While on 12 August at 11.00 am, a new play “Nyaya ke Bhanwar me Bhawari” written and directed by Manjul Bharadwaj and starring well-known theatre actress Babli Rawat would be premiered at “M L Bhartia Auditorium”(Lodhi Estate, Lodhi Road, New Delhi -03).
.........Contact: 9820391859 / etftor@gmail.com

Thursday, July 27, 2017

"Theatre of Relevance"-The artistic roar of humanity! - Manjul Bhardwaj

25 years of  philosophy“Theatre of Relevance”- (1992 -2017)

"Theatre of Relevance"-The artistic roar of humanity!









-     Manjul Bhardwaj
(Initiator & practitioner of the philosophy “Theatre of Relevance)


90s is a decade of watershed transformation for the nation, the world as well as for entire humanity. Humanity, riding on the wheels of “industrial revolution”, nurtured a dream of breaking the shambles of feudalism.But, by the dawn of 90s, the fortress of communism collapsed and the “industrial revolution” instead of being the messiah of liberation for the masses turned out to be a dangerous, extremely exploitative, and inhumane enterprise of capitalism which not only strengthened the feudalistic mentality but by providing technological support to the scientific inventions turned the whole world into an exploited “village”through globalisation. In these trying times, India was not unaffected by the global processes.
Unipolar global events started ruining India's productive capabilities. Under the capitalist conspiracy, 66 thousand mill workers who were demanding their rights were laid off their jobs and the mills were locked down and the conspiracy of transforming Mumbai into Singapore and Shanghai was implemented which is still evident in the form of big ‘malls’ and ‘towers’ which were brought about on the site of mills .
At the time of such acute and humanitarian crisis the people needed a platform which could give them an opportunity of expression. This among them, could take own their views to the masses! It led to the beginning of an artistic contemplation and the commencement of a new artistic tenet. This artistic principle exposed the exploitative and subjugatory “art for art sake” aesthetic illusion conspiracy of capitalism and made new artistic elements available to the world:

The principles of Theatre of Relevance:

1.    A Theatre that commits its creative excellence to make the world more “Better & Humane”.
2.    That is relevant to the context of the society and owes its social responsibility, not to Art just for the Art sake.
3.    Which caters to human needs and provide itself as a platform for expression.
4.    Which explores itself as a medium of change/development.
5.    That comes out from the ' limits of entertainment ' to a way of living.


'Theatre of Relevance” philosophy was initiated on August 12, 1992 and the challenge of implementation came to the fore. Capitalism has its own scheme of desecration. It covertly expands through religion, ignorance, nationalism, and orthodox traditions. The most pious principle of Indian constitution and the fundamental idea behind India’s existence, “secularism” was openly challenged and a frenzied mob of religious fundamentalists razed Babri Masjid (mosque) and the country, Mumbai was scorched in the fire of communal riots.
In such a tense atmosphere, the committed artists of ‘Theatre of Relevance’, risked their lives and performed the play ‘Door se kisi ne awaazdi’, in every nook and corner of Mumbai. I still remember that day when I gave my artists a white kurta and told them, “This is our shroud”! But, all the artists filled the hatred of riots and the wounds with their art, love, and human warmth. Every such artist who has fulfilled their artistic obligation breaths in my heart! Though it was a small victory over the long struggle with exploitation, violence, and religious fundamentalism, it not only gave a sense of confidence to us and to our artistic principle but also gave the ‘Theatre of Relevance’ philosophy a mass acceptance.
Capitalism changes colour like a chameleon and the exploitative elements of any system are its carrier and friends. In the Indian context, it is present in the form of a middle class equipped with racism, patriarchal society, orthodoxy, and religious fundamentalism. ‘Theatre of Relevance’ faced these challenges categorically. For instance, it fought a prolonged battle for child rights which continues to this day. ‘Theatre of Relevance’ is a laboratory for “a Theatre can bring constructive change”. You can touch, feel & measure those changes. "Mera Bachpan” play was enacted in more than 12000 variants and it transformed the lives of more than 50000 child labourers who are getting educated in schools today. Some of them are attending colleges today and some are professional theatre artists.
"Theatre of Relevance" by connecting life to drama has awakened theatrical consciousness and has connected it to ‘masses’. It has trained the participants in its theatrical workshops about stage, relation between drama and life, theatrical writing, acting, directing, reviews, behind the scenes, stagecraft, costume and other such aspects and turned the artistic capabilities from being a divine gift to a scientific viewpoint. Over a period of 25 years more than 16 thousand theatre artists have participated in more than 1000 workshops. Capitalist artist never owe their artistic social responsibility and therefore are stranded in the quagmire of “art for art’s sake” and are subsequently subsumed in the grinder of sensualist art. "Theatre of Relevance" has broken the colonial and capitalist thinking of “art for art’s sake” with its substance and its meaningful experiments. It has ‘planted’ and expressed thousands of ‘theatrical concepts’.It has staged 28 plays more than 16,000 times.

It has challenged the authority of patriarchy through its more than half a dozen plays, “Dwand”, a play based on domestic violence; ‘Main Aurat Hoon’ play reverberated the voice of ‘half the population’ searching for its existence;  and “ Laadli” made ‘gender selection’ an issue of national discussion.
In fact, ‘Theatre of Relevance’ gradually transformed the colonial understanding deep-rooted in Indian psyche. According to ‘Theatre of the Relevance’, theatre is an experience. It could be and is created and re-created any time anywhere. In theatre, time and space are made alive with human experiences. Therefore, time and space are fundamental aspects in theatre. Theatre is an experience. In pure form it is that process which occurs in human’s humanitarian form & shape. This experience is unique, new in every person, every situation. It is not exactly 100 percent same, it keeps on varying. In this 'time' (duration) and Space (situational factors) are the dimensions and varying agents. In this agent is psyche (psychological). Therefore, theatre is not a stagnant art.
To perform theatre there is no requirement of great colonial resources or auditoriumsin the garb of professionalism. The basic requirement is that of a performer and a spectator and this is our fundamental and elemental need.  According to ‘Theatre of Relevance’ artistic principle, a theatrical performance is audience and writer centric instead of being director and actor centric. This is because audience is the biggest and the strongest theatre artist. It made the issues and the concerns of the ‘audience’ its mission.
Globalization has destroyed the biological and geographical diversity of the world and it continues to do so. Its face is squid. Against this obscenity, "Theatre of Relevance" made its global roar by performing the play"B-7" on invitation from Kinder Kulture Karawane in Germany in the year 2000. Against the privatization of humanity and natural resources performed the play, “Drop by drop: water” in Europe in the year 2013. This play criticises the privatisation of water not only in India but in any part of the world. Water is “our natural and birth right”. A governance system blinded by privatization has to understand that a government which could not make drinking water available to its citizens should stop chanting the hollow phrases of rites, culture, and development.
Right-wing political parties use various emotional issues such as public faith, religion, nationality, culture, values, and cultural heritage for pure political motives and they have hatched a successful conspiracy of misleading the youth, have tarnished the hearts of the youth. By igniting their feelings these parties have mocked the intellectual capacity of logical reasoning and thinking of the youth.They have poisoned the hearts of the youth against the sacred principles of Indian constitution and it is evident in a recent debate against “reservation” which was conceived as a principle to inculcate social justice and equity in Indian disparities. The general category youth who consider “reservation” a hurdle in their progress are not ready to rise above the coincidence of birth and think that in a country like India where the fate of the children is decided through the coincidence of birth, reservation is a fair constitutional provision.
In these challenging times, “Theatre of Relevance” is ensuring direct participation of youth in theatre. We celebrate the impact of theatre on society. But, still audiences direct involvement in theatre is negligible. Being viewers, we are deeply affected by the staging or presentation of drama. But,a direct participation in drama (theatre) transforms our personality, thoughts and values.
That is why theatre is ever changing. Connects with “self, with others, with everyone that is, in spite of being personal, it is collective”.Being personal in spite of being extremely collective and universal inspite of being collective is the unique aspect of theatre. Personal experience takes the shape of collective and universality and again becomes personal. And this process is an amazing process which changes ethics, thoughts, attitudes, value psychology and create newness, new ideas, expressions, thoughts, values, the process of personifying the subtlest and again becoming subtle. It is an artistic science of construction through destruction and destruction through construction.
‘Theatre of Relevance’breaks concepts, stereotypes, inferior glands, inertia, and human complexes. ‘It creates transparency’. At the emotional level it breaks all barriers and become one expression. This expression generates new vision (inner vision) by inspiring thoughts to rethink.
To ensure that human remains humans performed the play "Garbh". This play gives a vivid description of the struggle of mankind and humanity; It is concerned with the challenges of leading a humanitarian life. It poses a question on human psychology and that invisible cocoon which is being woven around each and every one of us by nationalism, racism, religion, and caste system.
Religion, Art, and literature were the cultural traditions for mutual dialogue, get together, and connectivity of humans but, after the second world war the capitalist and imperialist countries considered ‘trade’ to be the primary source of contact with the world and established it through WTO whose ultimategoal is ‘profit’.At the root of this perception, human, humanity, or culture is not primary rather profit is primary which has turned human into an entity of sale and purchase. Being governed by the principle of ‘might is right’, this new economic policy is based on bidding, market, consumption, and profit. Due to this system our farmers are forced to commit suicide today. Performed the play on the destruction of farm produce, “Kisano ka sangharsh”.
To liberate artists from the economic mechanism which makes them puppets, performed the play “AnhadNaad- Unheard sounds of Universe”. Drama is an artistic contemplation which is a process of understanding and examining art, the artistic needs of artists and fundamental artistic processes. Since art is not a commodity and artist is not a merchantand artist is not a balancesheet of profit and loss that is why this drama by liberating art and artist from commodity and commodification, inspires and ensures a better world through their positive, creative, and artistic energies.This globalisation which robs away humanity from humans and resources from the nature breeds inequality and injustice.Its progress is based on the destruction of air, water, forests, and humanity due to which the fever of earth is rising.
In such a scenario where the voice of democracy, ‘media’, is also earning profit, sitting in the lap of capitalists, ‘Theatre of relevance’-artistic principle not only accepts the national challenges but also set the national agenda.
Power is always afraid of artists be it the power of a dictator or of a democratic system. Power can face swords, canons or atom bomb but cannot face artists, composers, playwrights, painter or a personality filled with creative skills because an artist is basically rebellious, revolutionary and most importantly their art has immense effect on the masses.
"Theatre of Relevance" by connecting life with drama has led to the emergence of artistic consciousness and has connected it to the masses. The presentations of “Theatre of Relevance” are not limited to any particular iconic auditorium or are not dependent on theses auditoriums, neither are being funded by any government, non- government, domestic or foreign institution. Its real 'wealth' is its cause and the real resource, the ‘audience’ on the basis of which, against all odds, it is committed to create a better, beautiful, and humanitarian world by becoming the voice of humanity through its substance and positive experiments. By awakening cultural consciousness, it is committed to Cultural Revolution!
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Wednesday, July 26, 2017

थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस" नाट्य दर्शन के 25 वर्ष :दिल्ली में 3 दिवसीय नाट्य उत्सव

'थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस' नाट्य सिद्धांत की रंग यात्रा के 25 वर्ष पूर्ण होने के उपलक्ष्य में 10,11 और 12 अगस्त 2017 को दिल्ली में तीन दिवसीय नाट्य उत्सव और रंगविमर्श का आयोजन किया जा रहा है। 




सत्ता हमेशा कलाकार से डरती है


मुझे याद है वो दिन जब अपने रंगकर्मियों को सफ़ेद कुर्ता देते हुए कहा था ‘ये है अपना कफ़न’! सभी कलाकारों ने दंगों की नफरत व घावों को अपनी कला से प्यार और मानवीय ऊष्मा से भर दिया....
मंजुल भारद्वाज, रंगकर्मी
नब्बे का दशक देश, दुनिया और मानवता के लिए आमूल बदलाव का दौर रहा। 'औद्योगिक क्रांति' के पहिये पर सवार होकर मानवता ने सामन्तवाद की दासता से निकलने का ख्वाब देखा, पर नब्बे के दशक तक आते आते साम्यवाद के किले ढह गए और 'औद्योगिक क्रांति' सर्वहारा की मुक्ति का मसीहा होने की बजाए पूंजीवाद का खतरनाक, घोर शोषणवादी और अमानवीय उपक्रम निकला, जिसने सामंती सोच को न केवल मजबूती दी बल्कि विज्ञान के आविष्कार को तकनीक देकर भूमंडलीकरण के जरिये दुनिया को एक शोषित ‘गाँव’ में बदल दिया. ऐसे समय में भारत भी इन वैश्विक प्रक्रियाओं से अछूता नहीं था.
एकध्रुवीय वैश्विक घटनाओं ने भारत की उत्पादक क्षमताओं को तहस—नहस करना शुरू किया. अपने हकों की मांग करने वाले 66 हजार मिल मजदूरों को पूंजीवादी षड्यंत्र के तहत काम से निकाल दिया गया और मिलों पर ताला लग गया। मुंबई को सिंगापुर और शंघाई बनाने की साज़िश को अमली जामा पहनाया गया, जो आज मिलों की जगह पर बड़े बड़े ‘माल’ और ‘टावर’ के रूप में मौजूद हैं.
ऐसे विकट और मानवीय संकट के समय में जनता को एक ऐसे मंच की ज़रूरत थी, जो उन्हें अपनी अभिव्यक्ति का मौक़ा दे. जो उनके बीच उनकी अपनी बात को जन जन तक पहुंचाए! इसलिए एक रंग चिंतन की शुरुआत हुई और एक नये रंग सिद्धांत का सूत्रपात हुआ. इस रंग सिद्धांत ने पूंजीवाद के शोषण और दमनकारी ‘कला के लिए कला’ के कलात्मक भ्रम की साज़िश का भांडा फोड़ किया और नए रंग तत्व दुनिया के सामने रखे।
12 अगस्त 1992 को ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस' नाट्य दर्शन का सूत्रपात हुआ। पूंजीवाद के अपने शोषण के तरीके हैं, जो अक्सर धर्म,अज्ञान,राष्ट्रवाद और अन्य रुढ़िवादी परम्पराओं के तहत अपने कदम पसारता है. भारतीय संविधान के सबसे पवित्र और भारत के अस्तित्व के लिए आधारभूत सिद्धांत ‘सेकुलरवाद’ को खुलेआम चुनौती दी और धार्मिक कट्टरवादियों की उन्मादी भीड़ ने बाबरी मस्जिद ढांचा ढहा दिया और देश, मुंबई साम्प्रदायिक दंगों की आग में झुलस गया.
ऐसे नाजुक दौर में ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस' के प्रतिबद्ध कलाकारों ने अपनी जान पर खेलकर मुम्बई के चप्पे चप्पे पर जाकर ‘दूर से किसी ने आवाज़ दी’ नाटक खेला. मुझे याद है वो दिन जब अपने रंगकर्मियों को सफ़ेद कुर्ता देते हुए कहा था ‘ये है अपना कफ़न’! सभी कलाकारों ने दंगों की नफरत व घावों को अपनी कला से प्यार और मानवीय ऊष्मा से भर दिया।
मेरे मन में हर वो कलाकार सांस लेता है जिसने अपने कलात्मक दायित्व को निभाया! ये शोषण, हिंसा और धार्मिक कट्टरवाद से लम्बे संघर्ष की एक छोटी सी जीत थी, पर ये जीत हमें और हमारे कलात्मक सिद्धांत में विश्वास भर गई और ‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस' रंग सिद्धांत को जन स्वीकार्यता दे गयी.
भारतीय परिप्रेक्ष्य में जातिवाद,पितृसत्तात्मक समाज,रूढ़ीवाद और धार्मिक कट्टरवाद से लैस एक मध्यम वर्ग के रूप में मौजूद हैं.‘थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस' ने इन चुनौतियों का एक योजनाबद्ध तरीके से सामना किया. मसलन बच्चों के अधिकार की एक लम्बी लड़ाई लड़ी जो आज भी जारी है.
'थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस'‘नाटक से बदलाव आता है’ की प्रयोगशाला है। उस बदलाव को आप छूकर, नाप कर देख सकते हैं। ‘मेरा बचपन’ नाटक के 12000 से ज्यादा प्रयोग और इस नाटक के जरिये पूरे देश में 50000 से ज्यादा बाल मजदूरों का जीवन बदला जो आज स्कूल में शिक्षा ग्रहण कर रहे हैं। कुछ तो आज कॉलेज जा रहे हैं और कुछ पेशेवर रंगकर्म कर रहे हैं।
जीवन को नाटक से जोड़कर रंग चेतना का उदय करके उसे ‘जन’ से जोड़ा है। अपनी नाट्य कार्यशालाओं में सहभागियों को मंच,नाटक और जीवन का संबंध,नाट्य लेखन,अभिनय, निर्देशन, समीक्षा, नेपथ्य, रंगशिल्प, रंगभूषा आदि विभिन्न रंग आयामों पर प्रशिक्षित किया है और कलात्मक क्षमता को दैवीय से वरदान हटाकर कर वैज्ञानिक दृष्टिकोण की तरफ मोड़ा है। 2
4 सालों में 16 हजार से ज्यादा रंगकर्मियों ने 1000 कार्यशालाओं में हिस्सा लिया। पूंजीवादी कलाकार कभी भी अपनी कलात्मक सामाजिक जिम्मेदारी नहीं लेते इसलिए “कला– कला के लिए” के चक्रव्यहू में फंसे हुए हैं और भोगवादी कला की चक्की में पिसकर ख़त्म हो जाते हैं. अब तक हमने 28 नाटकों का 16,000 से ज्यादा बार मंचन किया है.
पितृसत्ता की सत्ता को अपने आधा दर्जन से ज्यादा नाटकों से चुनौती दी,घरेलू हिंसा पर नाटक ‘द्वंद्व’, अपने अस्तित्व को खोजती हुई आधी आबादी की आवाज़ बुलंद की नाटक ‘मैं औरत हूँ’ ने और ‘लिंग चयन’ के विषय को राष्ट्रीय विमर्श का मुद्दा बनाया नाटक ‘लाडली’ ने!
“थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस” ने भारतीय मानस में बसी औपनिवेशिक समझ को धीरे धीरे बदला. थियेटर एक अनुभव है। जो कहीं भी, किसी भी समय सृजित एवं पुनः सृजित किया जा सकता है, किया जाता है। थियेटर में समय और स्पेस को मानवीय अनुभवों से जीवित किया जाता है। इसीलिए थियेटर में टाइम और स्पेस मौलिक पहलू हैं।
थिएटर करने के लिए व्यवसायिकता के नाम पर बड़े बड़े औपनिवेशिक संसाधनों या रंग ग्रहों की ज़रूरत नहीं है. थिएटर की बुनियादी ज़रूरत है एक परफ़ॉर्मर और एक दर्शक यहीं हमारी मौलिक और आधारभूत ज़रूरत है. रंग सिद्धांत के अनुसार रंगकर्म ‘निर्देशक और अभिनेता केन्द्रित होने की बजाय दर्शक और लेखक केन्द्रित हो क्योंकि दर्शक सबसे बड़ा और शक्तिशाली रंगकर्मी है. दर्शक के मुद्दों और सरोकारों को अपना मिशन बनाया.
भूमंडलीकरण ने दुनिया की जैविक और भौगोलिक विविधता को बर्बाद किया है और कर रहा है. इसका चेहरा बहुत विद्रूप है. इसके खिलाफ नाटक “बी-7” से थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस ने अपनी वैश्विक हुंकार भरी और सन 2000 में जर्मनी में इसके प्रयोग किये.
मानवता और प्रकृति के नैसर्गिक संसाधनों के निजीकरण के खिलाफ सन 2013 में नाटक “ड्राप बाय ड्राप :वाटर” का यूरोप में मंचन किया. नाटक पानी के निजीकरण का भारत में ही नहीं, दुनिया के किसी भी हिस्से में विरोध करता है.पानी हमारा नैसर्गिक और जन्मसिद्ध अधिकार है निजीकरण के लिए अंधे हो चले सरकारी तन्त्र को समझना होगा की जो सरकार अपने नागरिकों को पीने का पानी भी मुहैया ना करा सके वो संस्कार, संस्कृति की दुहाई और विकास का खोखला जुमला बंद करे.

दक्षिणपंथी पार्टियां जन आस्था, धर्म, राष्ट्रीयता, संस्कृति, संस्कार,सांस्कृतिक विरासत जैसे भावनात्मक मुद्दों का उपयोग अपने शुद्ध राजनीतिक फायदे के लिए करती हैं। भारतीय विषमताओं में सामाजिक न्याय और समता के लिए अनिवार्य एक पहल आरक्षण पर बवाल इस बात का प्रमाण है कि सवर्ण जाति के युवा अपनी प्रगति में आरक्षण को एक बाधा मानते हैं। वो विचार करने की हालत में नहीं हैं कि भारत जैसे देश में जहाँ जन्म के संयोग से बच्चों का भविष्य तय होता हो वहां आरक्षण एक न्याय संगत संवैधानिक प्रावधान है.
ऐसे चुनौतीपूर्ण समय में थिएटर ऑफ रेलेवंस युवाओं की रंगकर्म में सीधी सहभागिता करवा रहा है. हम समाज में थिएटर के प्रभाव का गुणगान करते हैं, लेकिन रंगकर्म में हमारी प्रत्यक्ष भागीदारी नगण्य है। दर्शक होने के नाते नाटक के मंचन या प्रस्तुति का हम पर गहरा असर पड़ता है, लेकिन प्रत्यक्ष रूप से नाटक (थिएटर) में भागीदारी से हमारे व्यक्तित्व, विचार और मूल्यों में परिवर्तन होता है।
मनुष्य को मनुष्य बनाये रखने के लिए नाटक मंचित किया गर्भ. नाटक मानव जाति के संघर्ष और मानवता के साथ विशद जानकारी देता है, एक मानवीय जीवन जीने की चुनौतियों के साथ संबंधित है. मानव मनोविज्ञान और अदृश्य कोकून के अस्तित्व पर सवाल है जो हम में से हर एक के आसपास राष्ट्रवाद, नस्लवाद, धर्म,जाति, प्रणाली द्वारा बुना जाता है.
धर्म, कला, साहित्य और सांस्कृतिक परम्पराएं थी मनुष्य के आपसी संवाद, मेल मिलाप और सम्पर्क कीं, पर दूसरे विश्व युद्ध के बाद पूंजीवादी और साम्राज्यवादी देशों ने ‘व्यापार’ को विश्व के सम्पर्क का बुनियादी सूत्र माना, बनाया और विश्व में WTO के माध्यम से प्रस्थापित किया जिसका एक ही उद्देश्य है ‘मुनाफ़ा’.
इस संकल्पना की जड़ में मनुष्य, इंसानियत श्रेष्ठ नहीं है, सभ्यता श्रेष्ठ नहीं है मुनाफ़ा श्रेष्ठ है जिसने मनुष्य को केवल और केवल खरीद फ़रोख्त का सामान बना दिया है. ‘जिसकी लाठी उसकी भैंस’ के तत्व से संचालित नई आर्थिक नीति का आधार है बोली, बाज़ार, उपभोग और मुनाफ़ा. इस तंत्र का शिकार हमारा किसान आज आत्महत्या को मजबूर है. किसानों की आत्महत्या और खेती के विनाश पर नाटक किया ‘किसानों का संघर्ष’

कलाकारों को कठपुतली बनाने वाले इस आर्थिक तंत्र से कलाकारों की मुक्ति के लिए नाटक 'अनहद नाद-अन हर्ड साउंड्स ऑफ़ यूनिवर्स' का मंचन किया. नाटक कलात्मक चिंतन है, जो कला और कलाकारों की कलात्मक आवश्यकताओं, कलात्मक मौलिक प्रक्रियाओं को समझने और खंगालने की प्रक्रिया है।
ऐसे समय में जब लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था की आवाज़ ‘मीडिया’ पूंजीवादियों की गोद में बैठकर मुनाफ़ा कमा रहा है, थिएटर ऑफ रेलेवंस” नाट्य सिद्धांत राष्ट्रीय चुनौतियों को न सिर्फ स्वीकार करता है बल्कि राष्ट्रीय एजेंडा भी तय करता है।
सत्ता हमेशा कलाकार से डरती है चाहे वो सत्ता तानाशाह की हो या लोकतांत्रिक व्यवस्था वाली हो. तलवारों, तोपों या एटम बम का मुकाबला ये सत्ता कर सकती है पर कलाकार, रचनाकार, नाटककार, चित्रकार या सृजनात्मक कौशल से लबरेज़ व्यक्तित्व का नहीं. क्योंकि कलाकार मूलतः विद्रोही होता है, क्रांतिकारी होता है और सबसे अहम बात यह है कि उसकी कृति का जनमानस पर अदभुत प्रभाव होता है.
“थिएटर ऑफ़ रेलेवंस” ने जीवन को नाटक से जोड़कर रंग चेतना का उदय करके उसे ‘जन’ से जोड़ा है। इसकी रंग प्रस्तुतियाँ किसी विशेष प्रतिष्ठित रंग स्थल तक सीमित नही हैं या इन रंग स्थलों की मोहताज नहीं हैं, न ही किसी सरकारी, ग़ैर सरकारी, देशी, विदेशी संस्था से वित्तपोषित है.
इसका असली ‘धन’ है इसका मकसद और असली संसाधन है ‘दर्शक’, जिसके बूते ये हालातों के विरुद्ध ‘इंसानियत’ की आवाज़ बनकर राष्ट्रीय और वैश्विक पटल पर अपने तत्व और सकारात्मक प्रयोगों से एक बेहतर, सुंदर और मानवीय विश्व के निर्माण के लिए सांस्कृतिक चेतना का निर्माण कर सांस्कृतिक क्रांति के लिए प्रतिबद्ध है!

Monday, July 3, 2017

Theatre Thinker Manjul Bhardwaj facilitates youth to explore their political Identity in "#TheatreofRelevance -#राजनैतिकआत्मबोध " #स्वराजशाला

Facilitated 4 day "#TheatreofRelevance -#राजनैतिकआत्मबोध " #स्वराजशालाorganised by #Youth4Swaraj at #Smabhavana Institute in Palampur , Himachal Pradesh from 25-28 June ,2017 in which Youth from Delhi, Haryana, Himachal & Punjab explored their political self .... Lovey Vikram share her Journey of 'Swaraj Shala".. Must read story ....


Ye Swarajshala kiski hai?…….Hamari
_______my experiences of Swarajshala, Palampur
Swarajshala, an initiative by Youth 4 Swaraj(Y4S), gave me an avenue of working in a very different kind of group and of understanding a different group dynamics. Group or collective has been an area of interest for me owing to my research work. However, bringing theory to practice was very different. Swarajshala was a unique group as compared to the various groups that I had worked with or worked in. I have witnessed my apprehension and indifference towards political and social issues transform into a sense of belongingness and affirmation. Instead of being a passive recipient, I now want to be the active participant of social change. My feelings of restlessness, anxiety, and anguish were given a direction through the various activities performed at Swarajshala and through the various discussions.
What is particularly engaging about the whole process of Swarajshala is the format which is dynamic and encompassing. Unlike regular workshops, there is no set agenda, no particular syllabus, no pre-determined guidelines, no format, and no instructor. All the processes undertaken evolve based on the discussion of the participants inside the Swarajshala itself. The participantsalone get to decide what they want to learn based on their intentions, aspirations, and so on. Based on their views and their goals, the whole format is decided. Learning is through doing and that doing is not a routine group work. It may be through enactment of a particular social issue, through dancing in a group, through singing, or even through working together in the kitchen.
          In the recent Swarajshala, I have personally witnessed the unfolding of this process. Initially, all the participants were divided in groups to answer three basic questions (1.) What do you want to learn here? (2.) What do you want to do here (3.) What do you want to teach here? Based on the answers of the group, the agenda of the workshop was decided. It is important to mention here that an emphasis was made by the facilitator, Shri. Manjul Bharadwaj that working in the group doesn’t mean that the individual is subsumed. If an individual doesn’t agree with the group, she has the full right to put forth her views apart from the group view. After thorough deliberation, the agenda was set. It included the discussion of various issues such as (a)the current Indian political situation(encompassing various socio-political issues such as casticism, gender justice, Kashmir issue, cow protection, Nationalism, and so on) (b) Effective communication(including dialogue and questioning) (c) how to build a movement? (d) self- development(answering questions such as how to take initiative, how to get rid of the mental block and so on) (e) understanding group dynamics and group consciousness, and (f) an open session (to discuss other issues which may not be categorized under the above heads). On discussing the various topics to be deliberated, the order of discussion was also decided by the group. Unanimously, it was decided that starting from the self we shall reach social-political issues(the subject). It was also decided to discuss the view of ‘Swaraj India’ on various recent issues of national and international importance as well as to understand the functioning of Youth 4 Swaraj and to understand the role of student and youth politics in today’s society.
Like some others, I was very inquisitive about working on the self. I have been to several personality development workshops and was expecting something of that sort here as well. But to my surprise, the business here was not a usual kind of affair. It all just started as a part of the group activity which is rightly termed Chaitanyabhyas. In Chaitanyabhyas, there were plethora of activities but it was not confined to the four walls of the class room. Here, we got an opportunity to reunite with nature and our natural environment. We rekindled our relationship with nature just to realize how far we had moved away from it. The kind of activities in Chaitanyabhyas were not fixed. There was no monotony. It covered a range of activities from communication to voice modulation to blindfold walking, to shouting slogans, to dancing, to coining your own rhythm, and so on. The level of energy at the end of our daily Chaitanyabhyas session was remarkable.I must admit that I never felt happier than this in the past couple of years. My smile had come back. I witnessed remarkable change in my confidence level. After so many years I enjoyed rain. Talking to people became easier and smoother. It worked as an ice breaker for the participants.
Let me also mention that Chaitanyabhyas was not only limited to working on the self. Within the span of four days, we realized that it clandestinely covered all our agenda of discussion in one way or the other. It taught us time management, initiative, responsiveness, responsibility, and leadership. So, basically we were discussing some issue proactively in the class and realizedduringChaitanyabhyas that we have slowly started living it. In this way we come to understand how all the activities of Swarajshala were closely linked with each other. They were so nicely interwoven that none could be viewed in isolation with the other. We had already started imbibing those qualities in us without even realizing it and we come to realize only when we reflected on those activities.
Apart from Chaitanyabhyas which became anindispensable part of our mornings, the class room discussion on social issues and other questions also followed similar format. The discussions were supplemented by factual data as and when necessary (For example, we were provided with the data on reservation and verbal and non-verbal communication to get a clearer picture of the entire discussion) but primarily it was through a question-answer session with the participants. Sometimes the whole issue was put forth in the form of a play prepared and enacted by the participants working in groupsand sometimes a prelude to the entire discussion was put forth in the form of a play enacted by the team of Theatre of Relevance (the team comprising of Manjul sir, Komal and Smiley. They help us bring out our leadership qualities through self-realization or “atma bodh”). The two plays performed by them titled Main Aurat Hoon and Sampreshaṇ left a deep impact on all of us. It was not only owing to the fact that visuals are more appealing many a times than words but also because the artists were very interactive. They did not take the help of any outside instrument. Even the sound effects were created by them through voice modulation. They constantly engaged with the audience though eye contact and gestures and because of this we felt constantly associated and connected with them.The intensity in the performances and their passion to make a point shook me inside out.
By the end of third day I realised that I had already imbibed the discussions on movement and effectivecommunication into myself. It was even reflected in the open letter which we used to write to Manjul sir every morning. The open letter reminds me of yet another uniqueness of Swarajshala. In many academic workshops an oral feedback is asked for at many places. We rarely criticise the organizers, the faculty and the staff in such feedbacks. But, here it was not the case. Another facilitator, Shri. Rajiv Godara, prompted us to think and act critically. He was more than happy if the criticism was directedat him or at Manjul sir or ifa critical review of the proceedings of the Swarajshalawas done. His approach elicited many students to come up with their grievances and criticisms. The grievances were not just heard but were also carefully dealt with to the utter satisfaction of the grievance maker. I had never seen anyone taking criticism so positively and as a means of improvement. While discussing various issues as well, he promoted discussions and dialogues. Any contrasting view was not curbed, it was properly heard and contained.
In the course of the discussion of our prepared agenda, Shri. Yogendra Yadav discussed the meaning of Swaraj. I got a complete new insight into how the term “Swaraj” engulfs the individual,its interaction with the society, the nation, and the world and vice versa. The approach here was quite different from what we generally witness in today’s political debates. Yogendra sir was not radical but not superficial as well. He gave me a new direction of thought where listening to others’ point of view is as important as putting forth your own thoughts. I have seldom seen a social thinker so clear in his thoughts. He did not mince words and he did not dictate. He did not inculcate his own ideology but inducedus to think.
Apart from the formal interaction in the class room and an impersonal know how duringChaitanyabhyas, there was also ample moments of informal unification. This was possible through the discussions over tea, singing and working together in the kitchen, and an informal tour of the river side. I have personally felt that on the first day we all walked in as individuals but on the last day, we came out as “saathis”.There was no formal introduction of the participants on the first day but, we knew quite a lot about our saathis on the last day of Swarajshala. We started knowing, criticising, admiring, and loving each other. We learnt to appreciate and admire the individual differences as well as to respect group feelings. It was truly ourSwarajshala. The facilitators might have been the mediators between us and our thoughts but we truly were the decision makers and that sense of belongingness is unmatchable.I am looking forward to working in the direction that I have inculcated through my participation in the Swarajshala. I am thankful to Manjul sir, Rajiv sir, Yogendra sir, Komal and Smiley for their useful insights. I am also thankful to my friend Saira for indulging me into this unique learning process. It was a remarkable experience of my life and I do not want to get over it.

Regards

Lovey Vikram













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