Vol-5 Issue-1 2019 IJARIIE-ISSN(O)-2395-4396

The Investigations On Contribution of Girish

Karnard in Indian Theatre
Saurabh Kumar1, Dr. Babina Bohra2
1
Research Scholar, Department of English, Sri Satya Sai University of Technology & Medical Sciences, Sehore, M.P.,
India.
2
Assistant Professor, Department of English, Sri Satya Sai University of Technology & Medical Sciences, Sehore,
M.P., India.

Abstract
Now that India's writing in English has come of age, it remains one of the most important literatures in English-
speaking countries. Aside from regular scholarly studies, literary awards and translations into major languages around
the world that have placed some books on bestseller lists in different genres, it has received worldwide recognition.
English-language drama has been one such genre, and it has been slowly developing in India in regional languages.
Among the many talents that Girish Karnad (b. 1938) brings to the IED, he is an actor, director, poet, script writer, and
translator. He is a member of the generation of Indian playwrights who came of age in the post-independence era and
reshaped the Indian theater as a major national institution in the latter half of the twentieth century. He spends a lot of
time looking at the challenges of modern life and trying to connect them to the past. He has been widely acclaimed as
one of the world's greatest playwrights. He has received numerous accolades and accolades for his wide range of
creative talents.

Keyword: Indian, Playwright, Literary, Theatre.

1. INTRODUCTION

Because he was born and raised in the Kannada-speaking region, Girish Karnad is a member of the Kannada theater
community. His plays were originally written in Kannada. There is a long and illustrious history of Kannada theatre in
the south-west Karnataka region. Puppetry, puppetry, and other forms of folk art are popular in India.3 The plays he
has written have not only improved the quality of Indian drama, but he has also contributed to its growth. As a
playwright and actor, he is also a talented filmmaker and director. Kannada-language Yayati, which was written in
1961 and later translated into English, was Karnad's first play. It was during this time that Karnad was reading about
Jean Paul Sartre and other leading existentialists that he structured the play in a more contemporary way. The story of
Yayati's father and son's intergenerational exchange "seemed to me terribly powerful and terribly modern," he said in
an interview. Sartre and Existentialism were also on my reading list at the time. The Existentialists' incessant emphasis
on personal accountability sparked an unexpected connection with Yayati's story.

Tughlaq (1964), his next play, is a true history play that depicts an important chapter in Indian history from the Mughal
period. In this essay, Mohammad Tughlaq, the Sultan of Delhi, is examined as a paradox. There are all the necessary
elements in the play to make it playable. Speech, silence and gesture, irony, homour, tragedy, and suspense are all used
to great effect. To put it another way, it is free of melodrama and sentimentality. As Eunice de Souza had said, "Indian
plays in English do not go back to history to establish modern man's relationship with history, or interpret
contemporary problems." Karnad had responded to this by writing the play.

A play based on Thomas Mann's short story "The Transposed Heads" was Hayavadana (1971), his third and final play.
Karnad used the Yakshagaan, a Karnataka folk theater form, to write the play. Hayavadana focuses on the question of
man's identity in a world rife with conflicting feelings and expectations. Here, Karnad employs the Brechtian method to
deal with the issue of identity crisis. Bhagwata performs a pooja for Lord Ganesha at the beginning of the play (kind of
Sutradhara). Afterwards, Hayavadana takes the stage, allowing play to progress within play. When characters from one
story interact with those from another, it piques the interest of the viewers.

All of Girish Karnad's plays are playable, making him a pioneer in new drama. Its goal is to bring together the
diametrically opposed elements of life. "However, life absorbs and transcends paradoxes and reconciles opposites,"
says V.K. Gokak. It is only when you see them all together that you get a sense of the new movement's complexity and

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its all-encompassing unity. Girish Karnad's plays are full of this intricacy, and they sound great. Their foundation is
based on contradictions. The playwright Girish Karnad is regarded as one of the finest in contemporary Indian English.
Kurkoti wrote, "His work has the tone and expression of great drama. Any situation can be transformed into an
aesthetic experience with its genius and power. " On stage, Tughlaq and Hayavadana have had tremendous success.
Karnad pioneered the Indian English dramatic verse technique. This will have a long-term impact. Drama, by
definition, cannot exist in a vacuum. It is meant to be used by actors who play historical heroes. This is not a novel,
short story, or epic in its own right.

When it comes to theatre, Aristotle is regarded as a pioneer. Playwrights all over the world have adopted his ideas after
the release of his poetics. However, the Bible's dramatic premise was still believed by poets today. Epic film owes its
inception to Bertolt Brecht. When Aristotle's theatrical illusion became too much for him, he created epic theater as an
alternative. However, he pushes for the notion of estrangement as well as critical assessment, rejecting catharsis. It is
common for audiences to empathize with their characters and become sucked into the story. Indian folklore and folk
stories are used in this play to reflect the modern reality and personal pain of the author.

Karnad devotes a lot of time and effort to studying Indian culture. In spite of his admiration for mythology, he has a
strong interest in Feminism. Feminism is evident in many of his works. Through the defensive mechanism, this text
investigates the view of females in Indian patriarchal culture. Feminist critical approaches and norms have been applied
in analyzing Hayavadana (1971)'s theatrical methods, themes, and female characters. Thus, this investigation's
theatrical text explains the power linkages and female subjectivity in Indian culture and reveals how women utilize
clever and clear tactics to confrontation and attempt to destabilize the power system.

Major Work

India's revival in modern theatre is shown by the success of Girish Karnad in the realm of experimental models. In his
plays, he makes the case that only via a "return to the roots" will Indian theater find lasting popularity. Plays by him are
a fascinating mix of Indian theater's traditional and popular components. He uses Indian traditional and Sanskrit theater
methods in his performances. According to the general view, he himself has translated these plays into the English
language. Most of Karnad's plays were written in Kannada, which was a second language for him. A lot of people think
that English translations of his plays are superior than the Kannada originals in terms of literary value. It is also worth
noting that Karnad's plays are not based on any particular rendition of a folk story or a folklore. It is not uncommon for
them to spring from a clear and distinct English translation of the source. For example, Karnad claims in the prelude to
his play Naga-Mandala that it is based on two Karnataka traditional legends that he originally heard from Professor
A.K.Ramanujan.

2. THREATRE AND LITERATURE

Every element of human existence is linked to literature. 'Life is literature' and 'Literature is life' may both be stated to
be true. Poetry, fiction, and theatre are three of the most common forms of literary expression. Drama is the most
human of all genres because it depicts life on stage. In many ways, it is a reflection of the actual world. Drama, in
contrast to poetry and fiction, necessitates the use of human senses such as hearing as well as seeing. It is a thing with
many facets. To perform in front of an audience, you will need props like a script, a stage, and an artist. It is the most
successful means of communication since it unites people of all backgrounds and orientations. Drama has been a part
of human culture from the beginning of time, when it was first used for religious purposes. As a result, drama has a
long and rich history across the globe.

Theater and play are often used interchangeably to refer to drama. However, there are also some variances between
them as well. The term "drama" refers to the performance of a play on stage in accordance with the script. The 'Play'
refers to this piece of writing. And the term "theatre" refers to the area surrounding the stage, or more specifically, the
hall or area in which the performance takes place. A play, on the other hand, is not meant for a listening audience. The
playwright is well aware that only after his or her work has been appropriately interpreted by directors, actors, and
designers will it be properly received by an audience in a theatre. This is a group of professional readers—the actors
who will bring the play's written words to life on stage for an audience to see and hear.

Drama is a mixture of literature and sociology since it brings together both the knowledgeable and the uninitiated. It
provides us with a platform from which to express our views on societal issues. Using storytelling and the arts, it
conveys the prevailing values and beliefs of society. In some circles, it is said that the audience sees the real world
through the lens of an imagined one. Use it to bring about societal change. It connected the past and the present in a
unique way. There is a long and rich history of drama in both England and India. NatyaSatra, the Sanskrit word for
drama, seems to have a powerful influence in Indian play's beginnings. Also, the revered Vedas are linked to Natya-

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Sastra, it is said. Folk-theatre has been practiced in India from the earliest times. As part of their ceremonies, ancient
tribal people would impersonate other individuals and animals in order to better understand their surroundings.

3. GIRISH KARNAD’S THEATRICAL BACKGROUND

Karnad was born and raised in Sirsi, a rural town that lacked basic amenities like electricity at the time of his birth.
Tales of local stories and myths were the only kind of entertainment available. Karnataka's conservative upbringing
allowed him to get acquainted with the local folk theater. Karnad outlines his inspirations and why his history as a
playwright is so important in the following comment:

Because I grew up in Sirsi, I believe this is a contributing factor. There was no power at the time. During my time in
Sirsi, which spanned from 1941 until 1952, I never left. That indicates that the day used to end at about 8:00 p.m. I
grew up in a time when there was no television and just lanterns for illumination. The atmosphere was filled with tales.
Cooking for us was done by a single woman. As the sun began to set, she would come to visit and tell us tales. We used
to swap tales all the time in elementary school. To write about mythological people is easy for me since they were a
part of my childhood and my youth.

It is said that "the rich wealth of folklore, told and retold amid the frightening darkness of the surrounding jungles
transported the little boy to a world where the snake spoke like a man and the gods changed forms" that the natak
companies, the offshoots of the Parsi theatre, left an everlasting mark on his mind that formed the basis of his vision as
a playwright. Natak Mandalis, another name for natak companies, were traveling theater troupes. Author Karnad claims
that these troupes of professional performers were on tour throughout the year, based on his 'Author's Introduction' to
Three Plays: Naga-Mandala, Hayavadana, Tughlaq. On proscenium stages, the plays were presented with petromax
lights and lit by semi-permanent constructions with wings and drop curtains. In Maharashtra in the 1930s, several of
these natak (drama) groups were successful. The burgeoning Bollywood film industry had forced away most natak
firms by the 1940s.

4. CONTEMPORARY INDIAN DRAMATISTS

India's post-independence period is marked by a dramatic increase in the variety of theatrical genres that can be found
throughout the country. In addition, Indian theater came to age during this time period. During the two decades after
India's independence, a new generation of playwrights developed and rose to prominence. A growing number of
stylistic divergences might be traced back to their roots in early 20th-century Indian theater movements including the
Parsi stage and India's Peoples Theatre Association (IPTA). When it comes to topics, forms, structures, and
presentation, these excursions took on a life of their own in their own right. In addition to this, unique directions in
Indian theater have developed in the form of new notions of theater and dramatic practices. Among these playwrights,
innovation and restoration of tradition were hallmarks of their creative self-expression. It is hard to argue that Girish
Karnad, Dharamvir Bharati, Mohan Rakesh, Vijay Tendulkar, Badal Sircar, G.P.Deshpande and others are not typical
of the current crop of playwrights.

5. INDIAN THEATRE UNDER BRITISH COLONIALISM

In order to convey a broad tone and universality to his or her play, the contemporary dramatist uses the technique of
symbolism as a device. To them, the dramatic art is all about suggestion, therefore they avoid revealing anything
outright in favor of only inferring. As the country's rulers changed throughout time, India's theater passed through
several distinct stages. Indian Natya has a long and illustrious history that traces its ancestry back to Vedic ritualism
and a long-standing social-cultural anthropology that has traced the evolution of Indian theater's diverse dramatic
forms. During the British reign, theatre, which was essentially a form of amusement in medieval India, developed into
a more solid form. It is well known that Indian theatre dates back to the mythical past, when epics and tales were first
illustrated via theater. Over time, this kind of drama evolved into a more organised art form. A look at the rich history
of Indian theater shows how it has evolved from epic forms such as classical Indian play and Indian folklore to more
contemporary forms such as modern Indian theater.

It took a long time for Indian theatre to develop since the country was repeatedly invaded and a significant portion of
the conquerors' populations remained in the country they conquered, contributing significantly to the development of
Indian culture and history. During the Indian culture's heyday, folk theater was all but forgotten by many. A road away
from traditional Indian theater, India's folk theater has evolved into a crude and impolite performance. Many
organizations have started work on the redevelopment of the Indian theater in the last few years. In post-independence
India, Indian theatre, which had been a means of resistance to British colonialism, became a more logical method of
expression. London theaters' influence on Indian play provided a modern twist to the ancient traditions of the country's

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drama. After independence, Indian theater became a lot more realistic and naturalistic. Instead of focusing on historical
plays or mythical figures or virtues and vices, the contemporary Indian theatre was given a completely new voice.

Commercial hubs of Kolkata, Chennai, and Mumbai date back to when India was a British colony. The colonial towns
of the seventeenth century, according to Erin B. Mee, are the source of contemporary Indian play. These cities drew a
mostly upper-middle-class population, many of whom were fluent in English thanks to their public school systems.
Having a good education in English was seen as a way to rise through the ranks of British government and trade. In the
late eighteenth century, English-style playhouses were created in Bombay and Calcutta, and the Indian aristocracy was
sometimes invited to see English-produced shows. Also, they were given the opportunity to play particular parts. For
example, a proscenium arch with its background and curtains, Western furniture and other accessories such as
costumes, and a variety of mechanical gear for creating spectacular effects were all taken over by later Parsi
companies/theatre in the same rooms. The Indian aspects, such as theatrical acting and the usage of categories instead
than psychological persons, were also used. The landscape was painted by European artists. So that "the spectacular
stage effects of storms, waves or rivers in agitation, castle sieges, steamers and aerial movements and the like" might be
achieved. In addition, the British model had an impact on advertising and programming. There were playbills
distributed around the city announcing the next Saturday night performance. Western play was often imitated in terms
of aesthetics, dramaturgy, and even architecture in this area.

When it comes to using a mask, Karnad follows certain well-established customs, but he gives it a new identity as both
a theatrical prop and an emotional X-ray machine. On stage, one character in the 1971 Indian drama, Hayavadana, does
not put on a mask. This means that rather than being locked to the characters, his masks may express a variety of
moods as the drama requires.

The masculine characters Devadatta and Kapila in Hayavadana are both represented by physical masks designed by
Karnad (1971). Consequently, these masks serve as an early reminder of the physical differences between these two
pals. Bhagavata introduces Devadatta and Kapila as his closest pals in the film Hayavadana (1971), in which they are
shown as being the best of friends. Devadatta is "unrivaled" in intellect and the sole child of Vidyasagara, a Brahmin
(Karnad, 1994). He holds sway over the people of Dharmapura because of his education, intellect, and poetic ability.
The ironsmith Lohita's lone child, Kapila, is the second young man. In terms of physical prowess and dance ability, "he
has no equal" (Karnad 1994) despite his dark and "simple" (Karnad, 1994) look (Karnad, 1994). Running, trembling,
the actor arrives as Bhagavata begins to sing "Two buddies they were one thought one heart" (Karnad 1994). He kneels
at Bhagavata's feet and tells him that he has seen a horse conversing. Bhagavata, with the aid of the actor, attempts to
remove Hayavadana's mask. It turns out to be a "genuine head," though (Karnad, 1994). Hayavadana begs Bhagavata
for aid in regaining his manhood, frustrated by his dual identities. However, his head is the one thing he refuses to let
go of. In the primary narrative, Devadatta and Kapila's relationship is damaged as they both fall for Padmini, the same
girl. Padmini later swaps the heads of these two buddies in an accident. Karnad shows how the characters seek and
battle for fulfillment in the last act.

6. MAGICAL REALISM

The entire play is entwined in a web of supernatural intrigue. In Karnad's plays, the meaning of Indian fantasies is
consistently proposed as a means of addressing current cultural issues. He has given these stories and fantasies a new
meaning in today's society. He has re-emphasized the importance of these old legends and stories in today's society.
Karnad is a verifiable post-autonomy playwright who uses the resources of world theater to connect to India's
provincial past and post-pioneer present. When Lionel Abel conceived the term "Metatheater," he saw it as
simultaneously reflecting comedy and tragedy, where the audience can both laugh and sympathize. Reflecting the
world as an extension of one's inner voice, the strategy does not tolerate cultural norms, but it does take into account
possible social change. There are many different techniques of metatheatre, but this one is the most commonly used. In
the words of Simon (Simon, n.p. Web).

Nagamandala is regarded as a metatheatre's best-kept secret. The anecdotal writer, the flares, and Rani's tale all help to
pull in the audience and make it clear that this is a play. The disillusioned playwright addresses the audience directly at
the beginning of the play. As the vagrant predicted, he is agitated by the looming threat of death. Because to his
performances, several people had to take time off during the displays to recuperate. His promise to retract his work is
made at this time. The audience is made aware of the circumstances behind the development of the play in this
instance. Metatheatre or metadrama, according to Richard Hornby, consists of five techniques: a) ceremony inside a
play; b) role-playing within a role; c) reference to reality; d) self-reference to the drama; and e) play within a play
(Zatlin, p.55). There are a few examples of this in Nagamandala, when the Naga disguised itself as Appanna, Rani's
better half, in order to visit her at night. This is Appanna, the Naga's reincarnation. As a result, the author uses the

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magic of reality to elevate the Naga from the realm of animals to that of humans. The Hindus believe that snakes are
gods, and the Naga seems to have particular abilities that reflect this belief.

The 'external play' is framed by the author, but the 'interior play' is told by Rani. Myth has it that once the fires have
been put out in the homes of the hamlet, the flames congregate together and spend the night chatting. Rani's narrative is
narrated by a young lady who is the story itself. Wizardry authenticity is evident in the play, in which the tales are
presented into a more realistic setting. In the case of Rani, the tale is told through the eyes of an elderly lady who has
never before spoken about the story or the song she knows. Narrative no longer suited to stay within the woman's body
and the song no longer fit to a lovely sari, the story leaves the woman and enters the world. The audience quickly
realizes that this is a play, not a reality broadcast, because of the constant depiction of delusions and deceptions. As a
result, the mendicant's prognosis regarding the playwright's death as a result of his readers falling asleep is completely
unfounded. In the play: Man: ..... 'You must remain awake at least one whole night this month,' a beggar advised me.
You will have a chance at survival if you are able to do it. The final night of the month is when you will die if you do
not do anything. Magical realism and metatheatre may be seen in the change of the Naga into a human, the
humanization of the flames, and Kurudavva's promise of magical roots to Rani in order to win Appannas's love. To
illustrate the diverse classes of individuals in society, each character has a distinct name. In the context of this story,
Rani refers to the queen, while Appanna refers to any man. Kurudavva means "a blind woman," and she was given that
name purposefully because she was oblivious to the poisonous male hierarchies that were taking place in her
environment. Kappanna, a figure who refers to "the black one," is another character that symbolizes the lower-class
society. The story's heroine, Rani, is often seen tending to the plot. This suggests that Rani is aware of the narrative's
existence and that she is aware of the description of her story. Interruptions in the middle are used by the creator to
inform the audience that they are seeing a play or an execution. It is not necessary for the audience to have a personal
connection with the characters, but rather for them to be actively engaged in the play's relevance to the current social
context. The audience must be able to deduce the play's internal meaning from the play's plot.

7. CONCLUSION

The IED, which is still in its infancy, features several of Karnad's plays, which may be studied in-depth. In his creative
imagination, he uses Indian mythology, folklore, and history, which is based on the vast and diverse Indian culture. He
travels back in time to examine the lives and societies of brilliant individuals, their policies, political techniques,
secular ideas, and their greatest mistakes. For his message, he relies on the portrayal of Indian pre-colonial history on
stage, in which the whole country is shown. Among the plays he has written, a number address themes of religious
intolerance, such as the caste system within Hinduism, as well as the conflict between the dominant and minority faiths.
He encourages people to put aside their differences of caste and work together for the sake of India as a whole. His
non-violent, need based worldview does not provide preferential treatment to any one religion, even when he discusses
inter-religious and intra-religious conflicts. According to him, we must learn from the past since it predicts the present
and myths reverberate with current life. Karnad, a Postcolonial writer, has an extraordinary capacity to re-imagine the
past within a modern context. Reflecting on his history, he looks at the present with a new perspective. When it comes
to dealing with the problems that need to be addressed in our nation, Karnad does a good job of using myths and tales
to make his point. As in each of the three plays, the Indian past is a significant component or takes center stage.

8. REFERENCE

1. Anand, Mulk Raj. The Indian Theatre, London: DennisDobson,1950

2. Dahiya, Jyoti. “Nagamandala: A story of Marriage and Love”, Galaxy: International Multidisciplinary Research
Journel, Vol 2, Sep 2013.
3. Nair, Lakshmi R. “Mythopoesis in Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala, “Paulene Journal of Research and Studies”,
Vol 2, August 2010.
4. Thomas, Namitha Merin. “Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala as a metatheatre play”, The Criterion, Vol 10, August
2018.
5. Gokak, V.K. “The Concept of Indianness with reference to Indian Writing in English.” In Indian Writing in
English. Ed. Ramesh Mohan, Madras: Orient Longman, 2010.
6. Karnad, Girish. N. Three Plays: Naga-Mandala, Hayavadana, Tughlaq. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 2012
7. Dharwadkar, Aparna. Interview with Girish Karnad. “Performance, Meaning and the Materials of Modern
Indian Theatre”. New Theatre Quarterly, Vol.XI, No.44, November 1995.
8. Girish Karnad, Author’s Introduction to Three Plays. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 1997
9. Verma, M.R. and Swarnakar, Sanjay. “Girish Karnad’s the Fire and the Rain: A Textual Interpretation”
Perspectives and Challenges in Indian English Drama, ed. Neeru Tandon, New Delhi: Atlantic Publishers, 2006.
10. Rao, Bhargavi. Interview with Girish Karnad, at the Triennial Conference of Association for Commonwealth
Literature and Language Studies, Nov. 21, 2007.

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