TASHER DESH of Shohan

TASHER DESH of Shohan

Tagore finishes off ‘Ekti Aasade Galpo’ (An Absurd Story), one of his absurd short-stories in an optimistic note on the ideal situation for a free man in a free society. Roughly translated into English it goes on like this, ‘Instead of remaining an innate innocent under some insurmountable dictum now they are either good or evil according to their own wish’. How better can one describe a free society? After forty years, in 1933 he designed a symbolic play on this short-story of his and named it TASHER DESH. Full of songs with invigorating lyrics with mirthful tunes this drama has become a symbol of a society which revolts against and discards everything that is stale and old and spent up, and welcomes the new wind of change that ushers in new life. In Calcutta TASHER DESH had been a signature production of Suchitra Mitra and Dwijen Choudhury’s Rabitirtha. They even staged a version named ‘Ekti Aasade Galpo’. The then very popular Santiniketan Asramik Sangha under the indomitable stewardship of Kshemendramohan Sen had staged this drama throughout the country and the production had become a benchmark of some sort. Many troupes had produced this drama on the Calcutta stage but in the form of a dance drama with the singers singing behind the stage and renowned danseuse performing the leading roles. These productions did not take care of the Tagorean dramatics that is very much apparent in the drama. During Tagore’s times this drama was produced in Santiniketan and in Calcutta with Santidev Ghosh doing the role of Rajputra and has become a legend both in the forms of dance and dramatics. 

This prelude is for an appreciation of a Shohan production of TASHER DESH that is being staged in Calcutta presently. Ujjwal Chattopadhyay is the dramatist of this version of TASHER DESH. He is a very innovative playwright of our times and has been equally successful in both original plays as well as Tagorean adaptations. Shohan’s earlier production of MANBHANJAN was also his handiwork on one of Tagore’s short stories and I take this opportunity to quote myself from one of my earlier blogs where talking about Shohan’s production of MANBHANJAN I said, “The primary point that strikes the viewers is the diligence with which the group tried to present Tagore without any attempts of overstepping. It is a difficult job well done and requires a carefully crafted dramaturgy, done here by Ujwal Chatterjee that included necessary additions and alterations without tampering with the Tagore flavour.” In the present production Ujjwal has done it in the same way keeping true to Tagore. The viewers are comfortable with this version of his as he has never tried to forcefully bring in contemporary or rather present-day socio-political look to the characters. Very delicate nuances in the dialogues communicate social commentaries that bring out the rat-race of the modern lives. Other Tagore songs that fit in well with the run of the play have been added giving the drama its own identity. 

Gautam Ghosh’s music required a little more intervention though it went well with the performances. Hiron Mitra’s stage had much to be desired as was the dress-designing and colour schemes though Ashok Pramanik's lights were without fuss. Teamwork of the actors on the stage is perfectly coordinated and it is without any inhibition that one would agree that such disciplined movements are a rare treat. Everyone acted their hearts out, so as to say. Such spontaneity in each of the actors could only be achieved when the Tagorean spirit is infused into the members by the director. Anish Ghosh has once again proved his mettle in composing scenes on the stage and is, no doubt, successful in handling a production that is very much different from an ordinary drama.