Loknayak

Synopsis of Loknayak 

Gurudoyal, father of Mukunda Das went to Barishal from Bikrampur and started living there permanently after leaving behind his ancestor’s profession of being waterman. Gurudoyal used to earn his livelihood by working as a footman in central court of Barishal and managing a grocery shop. Adolescent Joggeshwar was admitted into a primary school. But he couldn’t set his mind in study. Restless Joga’s mind used to roam around crossing the walls of his classroom in search of melodies. At one stage, he took shelter in a fancy Kirtan troupe of BireshwarKirtaniya (chanter) leaving his school behind. The days of homeless Joga were spent by being intoxicated with music in cremation grounds and singing praise/kirtan houses after evening. Tensed Gurudoyal got balky vagabond baulMukunda married with Shotodolbashini, a girl from Bikrampur. He thought his son would be dragged back to home for the sake of his wife after marriage. But Mukunda went out with kirtan troupes leaving his newly married wife in home. Days after days, nights after nights, he used to praise songs in villages. The popularity of Mukunda Das started to increase. After reading his composition “SadhanSangeet” and other writings in papers and hearing about his talents, Ashwini Kumar Dutta, an undisputed leader of South Bengal of that time introduced Mukunda with everyone present in “Banikunja”; a literary gathering of national minded people. Lord Krishna devoted Mukunda discovered the identity of the goddess of power Shyama. Mukunda, who was madly devoted to vaishnava sentiment of Lord Krishna took initiation to power of Goddess Shyama. The call for Swadeshi movement through his songs got stronger after that. He sang “Come Bengali come, come equipped, come let’s start working for the country”.  From liability to country, land and people, Mukunda Das with his elevated, harmonious and firm voice inspired the Swadeshi sentiment by singing songs about the freedom of bleed, tortured, neglected people through his music and drama. As a result, the British Government banned his ballad and music shows. British Government 36 times issued ban over his music shows. After capturing from a music show, Mukunda Das was imprisoned for 3 years and his brother for 6 months in deceptive trial. He was fined 300 taka at that time. British Government collected that money through an auction of the gold medals he earned by singing in his whole life. MukundaDas’s wife Shotodol died when he was imprisoned. Mukunda Das suffered economically in his last ages. He couldn’t sing the way he used to. He had fallen sick while singing again thinking about the others of his troupe and left his last breath.

Explanation of the Director:

As an artist, the thing that mostly attracted me is the liability part of Charan king Mukunda Das to country, land and people. Anti-British movement was at its pick during the time of Charan king Mukunda Das. The Charan king also felt the heat of that movement of his homeland in his heart. And so, Charan king moved around the whole Bengal with his balled songs and dramas to awaken the Swadeshi sentiment among the bleed, deprived, helpless people of Bengal from the sense of liabilities to his country, land and people. Naturally, he became the victim of the anger of British Government. “SadhanSongeet” compilation and “Matripuja” opera of Mukunda Das were forfeited by British Government. After capturing from a music show, Mukunda Das was imprisoned for 3 years and his brother for 6 months in deceptive trial. British Police 36 times issued ban over his music shows. It didn’t end there. He was fined 300 taka at that time. British Government showed the cruelty of collecting that money through an auction of the gold medals he earned by singing in his whole life. Not only in Bengal, there is no example of such tortures on an artist in the history of the world. Many operas and songs including “Matripuja” written by Mukunda Das lost in the eclipse of time, still operas like “Somaj” and others which were found lately; that bold part of his words and melodies filled with the liability to country-land-people hidden in those creations can be felt by watching “Loknayak”, hopefully.

It is undeniable that “BarishalUdichi” and “BarishalNatak” had a deep impact in setting up the mind to write and create “Loknayak”. Besides, Late BabuPonchanan Ghosh, Babu Nikhil Sen, Professor Badiur Rahman, Bishwanath Das Munshi and Saifur Rahman Miran are especially memorable. Young, talented drama director Fayej Jahir, veteran light artist ThanduRayhan, friend Nuna Afroz and young enterprising friends of the group are the partners of this arrangement. The decision of the drama-specialists and audience about how far “Loknayak” could become theatre or it couldn’t is the final decision. But, in this drama arrangement, almost every member of “Prangonemor”, which is more than 30 drama loving new theatre workers were on stage even in this eclipse of time. As a theatre organizer and a member of “Prangonemor”, I feel proud for this.

We, the artist from theatre, music, dance, film, architecture, writing or any other medium who have been detached from contemporary society, country, land and people by being captive in the gyre of establishment, popularity, money-opulence, the life history of Charan king Mukunda Das, the “Loknayak” of last century tells us that the artist who is real is only the artist of his art, only of his country, mass people. The one who is a real artist, his pulse beats for his country, his liability of heart is to his countrymen.

Regards: Ananta Hira

Writing & Direction:  Ananta Hira
Premier show- 15 september 2006
Venue – Mohila Samity Milonayoton, Baily Road.

Loknayak Back Stage & On Stage

 Back Stage:

• Mukundos Songs Trainer:          Biswanath Das Munshi, Saiful Islam Miron
  Stage Designer:                             Foyez Jahir
• Light Designer:                              handu Rayhan
• Light Projection:                          Towfiq Rabin
• Music:                                            Shishir Rahman
• Costume:                                        Nuna Afroz
• Poster Design:                               Majumder Biplob
• Stage Manager:                            Ramiz Razu, Litu Roy
  Writing &  Direction:                     Ananta Hira

On Stage:

• Mukunda,Mataji,Lasmi:                                  Nuna Afroz
• Mukunda & Kobi Nazrul:                                Ramiz Razu
• Mukunda,Bireshwor,& Puthi Bikreta:            Shishir Rahman
• Fullar,Brajmohon,Chittaranjan:                      Abu Yousuf Polash
  Modhu:                                                              Awal Reza
• Nony:                                                                 Jahidul Islam
• Gurudoyal,Lolit,Sottagopal:                           Sarwar Alam Saikot
• Biswanath:                                                       Rigan Ratna
• Mukul:                                                               Ekram Mahfuj,Shuvo
• Jagodish:                                                         Tawheed Biplab
• Satta Gopal:                                                     Monir
• Assini Kumar Datta,Horiharan:                      Ananta Hira
• Purohit:                                                              Ananta Hira,
                                                                             Bandhu Tuhin, Litu Roy
• Sona Thakur:                                                    Sayem Opu, Litu Roy
• Satodolbasini:                                                  Chaitaly Samaddar,
                                                                              Nuna Afroz,Asha
• Horolal & Robindranather Potro Bahok:         Shimanta Amin
• Mukhujjebabu,Oushodh Bikreta:                      Chowdhury Nizam(Liton),                                                                                      Ekram Mahfuz
• Poritosh Ramchad:                                            Abu Hayat Jashim
• Sekhar Sing:                                                        Mir Salauddin Babu,Sagor Roy
• Purohiter Sahokari & Robindranath:                Mainul Tawhid
• Ajmot Majhi, Pondit:                                           Musfiq
• Loliter Stri:                                                            Suvechha