Habib Tanveer and Naya Theatre in WSF 2004 (Student Volunteers, Paromita Vohra)

Habib Tanveer and Naya Theatre in WSF 2004

Director: Student Volunteers, Paromita Vohra

Duration: 00:56:22; Aspect Ratio: 1.333:1; Hue: 18.181; Saturation: 0.112; Lightness: 0.280; Volume: 0.129; Cuts per Minute: 1.738; Words per Minute: 33.383

This performance of Ponga Pandit by Habib Tanvir and the Naya Theatre took place at the World Social Forum in 2004 in Bombay. A collective of artists, calling themselves @Culture had done the organizing of all cultural programs at the WSF, with an aim of getting more involved in a space that seemed to rejuvenate the links between those involved in activist work. The privatizing economy, the relentless development through exploitation of tribal land and communities and the expansion of a global cultural media had taken their toll on the energy of activists combined with the fact that the BJP government at the centre had been involved in rewriting the text books and reinscribing the cultural landscape with a Hindutva focus and a strong penchant for censorship of the alternative arts, including theatre and documentary film.
The cultural activities were many but their thrust was similar – that culture is a space where politics is refined and created, not merely illustrated. The effort was to provide space for the many different registers and scales of political art and performance.
Hence there were diverse stages – those that involved formal spectacle, those that allowed for small performances, street theatre, music and one amphitheatre, named the Brecht theatre where larger, formal performances were done by professionalized community groups. For instance a group of LGBT performers from the Philippines called Sexy Divas, performed a Broadway show-style work.
Habib Tanvir is one of the great crossover artists of a time – his work is well known and well loved by both those involved in alternative politics and culture and those largely familiar with the mainstream. The droll biting fun of these performances which combine a formal muscularity and a strong political heart, Brechtiean ideas and indigenous forms, has made them very popular.
It was especially important that he performed Ponga Pandit, a play about caste and religious hypocrisy, as it was a play that the BJP government and RSS identified groups in Chhatishgarh had come down on hard – there had been attacks on performances by Hindutva identified rabble rousing groups threatening performers and audiences alike. The play had once been performed as a point of principle to an empty hall. The film by Sanjay Maharishi and Suhandvan Deshpande – A Day in the Life of Ponga Pandit – follows this experience.
This performance however, was not to an empty hall – far from it. There was a stampede at the WSF grounds to get into the theatre. It was an example of how political art is made great by people claiming it for their own, and loving it the way fans of rock musicians do – not just by making the right noises.
When the amphitheatre was full, people were angry and demanded to be let in, so the organizers requested Habib Tanvir to do two performances. The only problem was that there was a municipal restriction on loudspeakers after 10 p.m.
The second performance then took place without a microphone.
Habit Tanvir was already close to 80 at that point. Yet, his voice was the loudest and lustiest in the play, as the footage shows. The woman singing along with him is his daughter Nageen.
The performance was shot by student reporters who were producing a twice-daily news bulletin. This material was later used to make an hour length film called Work in Progress: At the WSF 2004
The part of the performance we used in the film was the song – khoon phir khoon hai, katta hai tho beh jaata hai (Blood is blood after all, if you cut, it will flow), a poem by the progressive Urdu poet and film lyricist Sahir Ludhianvi, who had also famously written the poetry of social comment in the film Pyaasa, which told the story of an artist’s struggle to write the kind of poetry he wants.
It is an extremely beautiful poem, precise in its phrasing, sharp and reflective and it speaks about the cycle of violence and how violence once done, clings to the sleeve of the king, the trouser cuff of the devout and whoever has been part of that violence. Performed in the dark of the amphitheatre, the song seemed to draw the audience inward, create a hush, emphasize that the rousing quality of political comment must be followed by the silence of poetic reflection.

Nesco Ground, Goregaon (E), Mumbai
2004
Chhattisgarhi
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf
Nesco Ground, Mumbai

World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
amphitheatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
(Song) Blood is after all blood.
Once spilt, it runs its course.
Oppression overreaches itself and leads to its own destruction.
Blood is blood.
Unseen in the dust of the desert, or staining the cuff of the killer.
Manifest in the weight of injustice, or trapped in the prisoner's shackle.
Whether blood congeals on the tip of the spear, or on the corpse of the slaughtered one.
Blood is blood, it takes hold where it falls.
Even oppression has its limits when crossed, it is brought to an end.
Blood is a crazy one.
Yes, it will cling to the hem of your scarf.
Blood is a hungry flame.
It will lap at your bower's edge.
You know, its blood.
It begets hundred faces.
Such faces- try as you will they will not be erased.
Such embers- try as your might they will not die away.
And call to arms- try as you will they will not be suppressed.
Blood, in the end, is blood.
If you spill it, it will spread.
How far will oppression go, before it meets its end?
Blood is…blood.
2004
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

Habib Tanvir: People get inspired from the traditional stories, mythologies, jatak katha or some real life incidences so they make it into stories and divide the roles amongst themselves. They change the language a little bit and enact the roles. I was surprised when I went for first of such plays after this briefing, I did not have much clue what to expect. I had just returned from England and these people were going to perform in Roshanara garden there was a huge crowd and I was dressed in suit and tie, it was winter season. These people made such a spectacle out of me, the man who was playing the barber's role was eating beetle nut and he spat it out, the whole thing came on my clothes and my coat became dirty. The play was very long, and I got inspired from it, there are very few inspirational moments like these. Guru Gopinath was sitting there waiting for a Kathakali performance, but the play stretched for 20 more minutes. The play was for 20 minutes, but it stretched to 40-45 minutes. So I said sorry to Guru Gopinath that he had to wait for so long, but he said no need to say sorry I really enjoyed it. These artists are doing this play from 1935, during that time I was in school; I did not know anything about plays at that time. In 1935 there were two artists Sita Ram, Sukh Ram, they were very good artists I met them and they were part of my workshop. Later I even worked with them, they both died. Sverna Kumar Sahu of Rajdhan village had written two songs for the play, Ajay Kumar was the folk poet of the group he wrote one song and the play went on like this. Thakur Ram did a role of a crude farmer of the village, and Lalu Ram did the role to the priest. Before that Madan Lal used to do this role. Both Lalu Ram and Thakur Ram also died they were part of our theater.
Madan Lal is now about 93 years old, he is handicapped now and is spending his days in his village. There was a man Babu Das and another called Brij Lal, they also died. Bholua Ram who used to play the role of the female sweeper, like in our traditions men do the women's role, he is old and has become rich and clever. He is also in his village now; we go to meet him sometimes.
World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

Habib Tanveer: People who have got it in heritage from generations, according to their skills they add more dialogues to it. And then with civilization this style began to be called as folk play of Chattisgarh. It is also called naccha, gamak, nakal; these are the names with which it is popular in Chattisgarh. All the old people associated with this play died, but even the children there know about this play not only those of old generation but also the new generation knows about it since the play has been going on for years. Recently in the month of July, we did this play in 25 cities in a span of 30 days on roads. People were very happy as the play is very humorous and comic. It is full of satire and drama, I am giving you this example again as we were attacked by the right wing due to the use of drama in the play. You will watch it, it will be entertaining and you will also understand the deeper meaning of the play. I am sure you will not find it anti- religious, the play has been there for last 60-65 years and the Hindu community has also accepted it, only the right wing has not accepted it. The play from one angle makes fun of the greedy priest, and the simple foolish farmer who wants to get Satya Narayan Katha in his house, the play makes fun of the priest through him. On the other side is the sweeper who makes the most religious statement, she says that human becomes bad from his actions and not from his birth. She says that if you think that all these things have become impure because I have touched them, I will take it to my house. I will bath, clean my self and do the prayer myself. I do not need a greedy priest to connect with the god. There is nothing blasphemous in it, Hindu religion is very open, it is a way of life, and I have respect for it because in that you can follow any god you want, like Vishnu, Shiv, Parvati or Kali. The gods have many forms, you can worship anywhere by making a temple in your house or just by praying in your mind and it is done. There is no fixed time for prayer, you can pray anytime you want. I do not understand why this beautiful religion is being made so limited by these rigid people who think of themselves as the protector of the religion.
Traditionally in drama, brahmin (Upper caste Hindu) is made fun of; in Sanskrit and traditional plays also they have been projected as comic. Also those written by Kali Das, Bhabuti, Bhat, Rudraraksha and Vibhagdut you will see that the clown is a brahmin, he is shown to be foolish. You can find signs of such drama in many other plays, but now it is very difficult to write in the same manner.
World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
Habib Tanveer: Despite this tradition, people respond negatively. When we took this play to 20 cities of Madhya Pradesh, 6-7 shows went fine, but in Gwalior one man came on the stage and took the microphone from my hand. He said you have spoken enough, like I am speaking in front of you now, so he told me to stop. I said I had not started talking because you asked me to so I will not stop because you want me to stop. Then I took the microphone from his hand. The hall was full Sunil Dutt was also there, I asked later that the man was a powerful goon and he looked strong, how did the microphone slip from his hand? If he wanted he could have snatched it back and used it as weapon. People told me that he recognized me and was scared that I would recognize him too. I thought why I should be able to recognize him. So they said that ten years back when we had a meeting here for the first anniversary of Ayodhya, professor K N Panikar, Rajendra Yadav were all part of it, the meeting went on very peacefully in the day, with seminar, discussions and in the evening we showed this play. So few goons came there and attacked us with stones. This man who took the microphone from my hand was part of the gang who had chased away the goons then. Now he is part of the different group and he was scared that I might recognize him. I was surprised, but still the play went on peacefully.
Later the party also issued a letter saying that this play should be banned as it is anti- Hindu. In Bradford there is a centre of Vishva Hindu Parishad, there also they had announced that Habib Tanveer should not be allowed in England, he is anti- Hindu and all this plays are bad. The leader of a Kenyan community in England is a nice man, he is aware of my work and my name; he felt it was wrong to ban my work. The director was also very confused and worried about what to say to me, so he wrote to me and told me to fax him a letter saying that the play Ponga Pandit, which we called Zamadarni some time, they asked me to write about the play. So I wrote what I just told you that this play is not my play, neither is it my original work and I have not directed it. It is a traditional play that has been enacted from ages, it criticizes the practice of untochability in a satirical manner, and it is not anti-religion. And then I told them, but I am not getting this play to England, I am bringing four of my original work which I have produced. So they had a meeting in Lester and they discussed that my letter was very clear and why should they boycott me. The leaders told them that the decision to boycott me or not, is left on people's conscience, but they advised them not to come. They said that you should not go, but there is no restriction. Everyone showed up for the play, Britishers and Indians both. The play was also staged in Glasgow. Though these Hindu Parishad followers are everywhere and they tried to create some problems. The journalists from London's national paper had come to Lester to cover the show and they send their stories to Delhi saying that we went expecting to see a riot but it was peaceful and there was no sign of boycott.
This is the history of this play and you will see it now. The actors in this play are from village, they are illiterate in a sense that they can not read and write, but they do not lack imagination. They are educated in a manner that they understand the world. They have a world view, even if it is not very scientific. But they are well aware of the nature's gifts, plants, food, clothes, traditions, culture. Traditions like Ramayan, Mahabharat are known to them, they are cultured and are thus educated but are un-schooled. You all will witness their talent now; Govind Ram is playing the Priest's role who had played the tea seller in the last play. Uday Ram played the horse-cart rider in the last play and in this he will be the dumb farmer. And Bholua Ram who is old and sick in his village, his son Chaiyt Ram is playing the zamadarni (Sweeper) he is a man who is playing a woman's role. So these are the three characters who will come in front of you now.
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
2004
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

2004
World Social Forum Ground, Mumbai
amphi theatre
artists
audience
brecht
chhattisgarhi language
communalism
culture
drama
folk theatre
jis lahore ni dekhiya
mobilization
multi-culturalism
music
naya theatre
nesco ground
performance
play
ponga pundit
protest art
religious intolerance
sahir ludhianvi
video bulletin
world social forum
wsf

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