Light Enhances Shadows
Backlight enhances the silhouette of shadow play – a drama scripted and enacted with shadow puppets created by IICD students of the PG Foundation.
October 2nd, 2019 on the occasion of 150th birth centenary of Mahatma Gandhi, a shadow puppet show – ‘Katre Katre me base Bapu’ was performed by IICD students at JKK, Jaipur.
Vipin Viswanath who comes from a traditional puppeteer family from Kerala facilitated the technique of puppet-making. The narrative was scripted by the students narrating four episodes from Mahatma Gandhi’s life.
SCENE 1
The first part portrayed a drama based on Gandhi as child Mohan and his understanding of truth, faith, and courage, which later developed into his life’s principles. The scene presented a set of witnessing a small enactment based on Raja Harishchandra which marked an impression on child Mohan’s mind on the path of truth; whatsoever the challenges in life. This scene was followed by an incident in which child Mohan overcame his fear of darkness and surrendered his faith in Lord Rama.
SCENE 2
This scene was a depiction of an episode when Mahatma Gandhi faced racial discrimination while traveling by first class compartment in South Africa. This one incident ignited the fire in him to start a revolution; a passive resistance against discrimination that the world had never seen before.
SCENE 3
This scene was a dramatic representation on the backdrop of a non-violent salt march satyagraha led by Gandhiji which released salt resources tax free from the British colonial rule and initiated the people of India towards empowerment.
SCENE 4
The narrative in this scene was a dialogue between a child’s enquiring mind and the Mahatma. It is based on Gandhi’s ideology behind the spinning of khadi as a symbol of self-reliance. Eventually, khadi became an integral part of the swadeshi movement. Khadi is not merely a piece of cloth, but a way of life deeply rooted in a holistic philosophy.
IICD student puppeteers enthusiastically delivered the enactment of the episodes through the shadow play; deeply engrossing the audience in the mood of light and shadow audio-visual drama. Predominantly, the train episode in South Africa was visually dynamic and engaging.
Each episode derived from Gandhi’s life left a thought-provoking mark on the viewer as to ponder on inclusive change; our responsibility as an individual in the socio-cultural scenario.
