Gullakayajji

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The Play
The story reflects the triumph of Ahimsa (Non Violence) against Himsa (Violence). The play begins with Bhagavatamela singing the story of Bharata and Bahubali, sons of the First Jaina Thirtankara – Rishabadeva to Chavundaraya, the Commander-in-Chief of the Western Ganga dynasty of Talkad. After hearing the story, Chavundaraya and Kalaladevi (His mother) wishes to go to Poudhanapura. The same night, Goddesses appear in their dreams and tells to erect a statue of Bahubali at Shravanabelagola . . When Chavundaraya made the elaborate arrangements to perform the abhisheka of Bahubali, the milk did not descend lower than the thighs. But when guru directed him to use for anointment the little milk brought by a pious old woman in a Gullakayi, it instantly ran down
all over the statue in streams and covered the hill. It is said that Gullakayajji or the Granny holding the Gullakayi was the Goddess Padmavati, who, in order to break the pride of Chavundaraya, appeared at the time of the anointment in the guise of a poor old woman. According to another tradition she was the mythological Kushmandini.

Director’s Note
The Play Gullakayajji written by Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara is unique in its way and is written on historical lines. At the times when communism and terrorism mock at the world, this play preaches peace and universal brotherhood. The caste and social hierarchy, which saddles in the Indian society too, is well used by the playwright to showcase the pureness in Bhakti and truthfulness which finally triumphs. The story revolves around the bonding of two brothers i.e, Bharata and Bahubali, their ego, war for supremacy, reconciliation and sacrifice. It on another side shows the unconditional love between Gulakkayajji and her grandson. Younger generation who are the pillars of the country should adapt the morals of this play which is to be carried forward for generations.
The Director Born in Konchigeri in Gadag district of Karnataka, Malatesh Badigera is a well known actor, director and organiser of Kannada theatre . After graduating from Neenasam, he has developed skills in large scale stage construction – costume designing, make-up and most importantly, in mask-making. Malatesh has directed several popular plays like Madhavi, Mahamayi, Tukarana Kanasu, Smashana Kurukshetra, Romeo Juliet, Surya Shikari, to name a few. In recognition to his talents, the Karnataka Nataka Akademi has conferred upon him the “Ustad Bismilla Khan “Youth award for the year 2006-07. Besides, he is also a recipient of Sammukha award, Antaranga award etc.

The Playwright
Chandrashekhara Kambara is a prominent Indian poet,playwright,folklorist, film director inKannada language and the founder-vice-chancellor ofKannada University inHampi. Kambara's plays mainly revolve around folk ormythology interlinked with contemporary issues, inculcating modern lifestyle with his hard-hitting poems. He has become a pioneer of such literature. After his post-graduation, he did his PhD fromKarnataka University,Dharwad. He has been conferred with many prestigious awards including theJnanpith Award in 2011, Sahitya Akademi Award, thePadma Shri byGovernment of India, Kabir Samman,Kalidas Samman andPampa Award. He has served as the chairman ofNational School of Drama Society, New Delhi from 1996 to 2000 and as the president of Karnataka Nataka Academy from 1980 to 1983. Kambara has to his credit 25 plays, 11anthologies of poems, 5 novels, 16 research works and several scholarly write-ups on folk theatre, literature and education. He was a pioneer in introducingBailahongal's famousSangya Balya (bayalata) andJokumaraswamy, a traditional ritual of his native district, to the literary world which have seen thousands of performances, not only in Kannada, but several otherIndian languages as well. His most recent novel,Shikhar Soorya, is rated among the best Kannada novels.

Cast and Credits

Gullkayajji Pushpalatha
Bharata Chakravarthi Bommi Sai Sandeep
Bahubali, Kalkuda Sujithkumar Reddy
Chakrarathna V Bremnath
Chavundaraya Amogh R
Kalaladevi Akshata Arun Naik
Ruvari Sanju
Devathe Nireeksha
Sachiva Sojin K R
Ranna Akhil
Attimabbe, Bhagavatha Rekha
Kalkuda Rahul
Hiriya Vishnu Geetham
Ranna, Soldier Vivekanand
Soldier Leo Frank
Hiriya Dadapeer Rajesab Bandiwad
Bhagavatha Head M Nagabhaskar
Attimabbe Kumari Jalaja
Soldier Thilak Nayak A
Hiriya Alagar M
Set Design : Malatesh Badigera
Stage Props & Costume Design Chaaya Bharghavi, Mahendra
Property Execution Sandeep , V Bremnath, Alagar M, Sanju, Sojin
Costume Execution Akshata, Jalaja, Rekha, Nireeksha, Pushpalatha
Make Up Mohan
Make Up Assistant : Chaaya Bharghavi
Music Execution M Nagabhaskar
Lighting Vinay Chavan
Stage Manager Thilak Nayak A
Publicity Design Sojin and Sanju
Brochure Shilpa Nagaraju
Documentation Praveen and Thai Lokesh
Playwright Dr Chandrashekhara Kambara

 

Manohar Khushalani

Manohar Khushalani

Prof. Manohar Khushalani is a former Visiting Faculty at Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology, Delhi. The courses he taught were: Animation & Graphics, Non-Linear Editing for Film and Radio and Theatre Appreciation.  He has won a total of nine Excellence in Teaching awards for all the courses he has taught at IIITD Earlier he retired from Government of India as Director Environment Management, Central Water Commission and held many senior positions in the Government Based on a Belief that Culture and Environment are the two keys to global sustainability , Manohar Khushalani has launched two portals: A Portal on Environment and Water called One Vorld at url: www.onevorld.org and two Ezines on Culture called Stage Buzz at url: www.stagebuzz.in He has taught extensively in varied subjects such as Dam Safety, Instrumentation, CAD, IT, Animation, Theatre, Newspaper Editing. He has conducted Courses on Environment Management, Water Shed Development, Team Building and Personality Development. He was an Expert Member of Prasar Bharti’s Committee for Grading & Short listing Films for Telecast on all channels of Doordarshan.  He is a Radio Anchor for All India Radio and has moderated several programs for the Rajdhani Channel He is a well-known Theatre Actor/Director and Critic, has been involved in theatre since 1977. He has worked as an actor in over 50 plays with almost every leading director/Actor in the Country including Badal Sircar, Feisal Alkazi, Amal Allana, M.K. Raina, Anuradha Kapoor, Maya Rao, Manohar Singh, Prasanna, Rati Bartholomew and Sushmita Mukherji. He has been active in the social sector as a street theatre activist. As a member of Workshop Theatre, Theatre Union and Prayog, Khushalani has participated in street plays taking up major social issues such as dowry, bride burning, Sati, banned medicinal drugs and communalism. Dario Fo’s Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Can’t Pay Won’t Pay, both directed by him, received rave notices from critics and audiences alike. Other plays directed by him include Badal Sircar’s, Sagina Mahato and Boris Vian’s Empire Builders for Ruchika Theatre Group. Khushalani has also acted in a few films such as Sudhir Mishra's Hazaron Khwaishen Aisi , Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Café and Pradeep Krishan's Annie Gives Those Ones. He is an Animator & Graphics Designer and has directed a number of documentaries. He also held a number of Honorary positions and was President of North India Films Association, He was the Chairman of  Jury for UGC CEC Educational Films Competition and has been on their Preview Committee since last many years. He was on the preview committee of Door Darshan Channel 3, was a visiting Professor at National School of Drama, New Delhi, and Film & Television Institute of India, Pune, AJKMCRR, Jamia Milia Islamia and Professor in Media at FICT, Delhi  He has judged a large number of Drama Competitions and conducted a number of Theatre / Management Games Workshops with Institutions such as AIIMS, NTPC, CWPRS, NWA, Karve Nari Prakshishan Sansthan, FICT, IIT, MAMC, Gargi College, KNC, Tagore International School and Vivekananda School. He is a Theatre Critic for IIC Diary, has also been a Columnist with Midday and Pioneer Daily and wrote Column's Called Culture Cocktail and Footlights Respectively. He was also the Guest Editor for an issue on Folk Theatre of ICCR Journal Horizons. He has written for Times of Indian, Hindustan Times, Blitz, Hard News, Hindu Business Line, Theatre India & Art Times. He has designed dams and hydraulic structures for the Government. He is a programmer and has developed Engineering design software in Fortran. He is a co-author of Irrigation Practice & Design (Vol 1 to5 - 1500 pages) published by Oxford & IBH and sponsored by National Book Trust. He has been a Director, Environment and Sociology, at the National Water Academy, Khadakwasla and Director, Environment Management Directorate, Central Water Commission and Member Secretary, National Environmental Monitoring Committee for River Valley Projects. He was also Director of Instrumentation Directorate in the Dam Safety Organisation. He was Chief General Manager and Head of Water Resources at Scott Wilson and is an accredited consultant with numerous other organizations He is a Delhi Public School, BITS Pilani, IIT Delhi and FTI Pune Alumini. He was also the President of BITS Pilani Alumni Association, Pune.

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