4th All India People’s Theatre Activists’ Meeting

Arjun Ghosh

THE Fourth All India Meeting of People’s Theatre Activists was held in Guwahati on June 13-16, 2003. The meeting, the first to be held in the north-eastern part of the country, coincided with the centenary celebrations of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala (1903-1951) a colossal figure of modern Assamese literature and culture and the founder president of the Assam unit of the Indian People’s Theatre Association (IPTA).

The meeting was attended by 41 delegates representing 25 organisations from 11 states of India. Other than wide ranging discussions on the challenges facing theatre activists today, the meeting particularly focused on the questions of the relationship between aesthetics and politics and questions of organisational importance.

These meetings of people’s theatre activists have evolved as a result of the need felt by theatre activists for exchange of skills, methods, and experience. The first concrete step towards fulfilling this need was realised in Delhi in 1998, as a part of the 25 years celebration of Jana Natya Manch. The second meeting was held once again in Delhi in March-April 2002 at a time when the saffron brigade had unleashed a communal carnage in Gujarat. Gujarat, therefore, became the focus of the meeting, which ended with a call for nationwide observance of Combat Communal Fascism Week. The third meeting held in Hyderabad in November 2002 provided a platform of interaction of organisational experience. The Hyderabad meeting also saw the formation of regional working groups to facilitate the growth of the movement in states where it is weak.

In Guwahati, the meeting was inaugurated on June 13 by Hiren Gogoi, editor of the weekly Ganashakti. In his inaugural speech he pointed out the multi-cultural essence of Assamese culture, and the role of culture in developing an all-India consciousness through mutual exchange and respect.

On June 14 the delegates deliberated on the ‘Questions of Aesthetics and Politics’. To facilitate the discussions, papers were presented by Ashis Chattopadhyaya, IPTA (West Bengal), Subha Prasad Nandi Majumdar, IPTA (Silchar, Assam), and Sudhanva Deshpande, Jana Natya Manch (Delhi).

A paper by Indranath Bandopadhyay, the general secretary of West Bengal Writers Artists’ Association was also circulated. In his paper Ashis Chattopadhyaya discussed the class position inherent in every creative effort and pointed out that in a class divided society there cannot be any neutral art. It is the task of progressive artists to take the side of the toiling masses.

Subha Prasad Nandi Majumdar emphatically argued in favour of the need of progressive artists to trace their lineage from the elements of people’s struggles embedded in tradition. He sounded a word of caution against the dilution of aesthetics in the name of simplicity. The people’s faculty of appreciation should not be underestimated.

Sudhanva Deshpande discussed the debate between Georg Lukacs and Bertolt Brecht on the relationship between theory and practice of art. While the two were ranged on opposite sides in the debate, he argued that there was common ground between Lukacs and Brecht: both argued in favour of partisan art which intervenes in class struggle, and in their analysis of capitalism, both highlighted the unity underlying processes of capitalism despite the fragmentation and alienation which it brings about.

The presentation of papers was followed by group discussions. The delegates felt that the relationship between form and content is dynamic, not static. Progressive art forms can gain aesthetic value only when they are informed by the audiences’ participation in the debate.

On June 15 the delegates deliberated on ‘Questions of Organisation’. Papers were presented by Devi, Praja Natya Mandali (Andhra Pradesh) and Brijesh Mohan, Jana Natya Manch (Delhi). A paper by Hasan Imam, Prerna (Patna) was also circulated. There was a broad agreement in the ensuing discussion on several issues. While democratic decision making and internal democratic structure were felt essential, in the process of creation, the director holds the final say, of course after considering the opinion of other members of the group.

Some groups delegate responsibilities under several heads to different members of the group, thus developing leadership capabilities among the newer activists. In almost all groups the scripts of plays take shape after thorough discussion among the members, as well as seminars and research on the issue under consideration.

For organisations with mass membership when the state level leadership gives a call for political cultural actions the local committees and the grass root level organisations are free to shape its implementation. It is, however, important to maintain uniformity on policy matters.

On the relationship with NGOs, a dialectical view was upheld. While recognising that many NGOs are engaged in commendable work, caution must be taken not to dilute politics. A similar view was taken towards funding from government agencies. It was recognised that the government’s fund ultimately belonged to the people; therefore, people’s theatre organisations must demand their rightful share in such facilities and programmes without, however, compromising on their ideology.

Attracting new activists is a priority for all organisations. Most organisations organise cultural programmes to identify fresh talent. Intervention at the school and college level is another way of augmenting the organisation. The delegates also exchanged notes on the need and strategies of organisational expansion among dalits, tribals, women and other disadvantaged sections of the people.

While most groups expressed the opinion that the most effective method of cultural training was through productions and production related workshops, there was a vibrant debate on the method of political-ideological training. While some organisations maintained that new members were apprised of the political goals and objectives of the organisation at the very onset, according to others gradual initiations through the issues encountered in productions were more effective. Some organisations also periodically hold political classes for their activists.

Devi shared with fellow delegates the experience of Praja Natya Mandli (PNM) in Andhra Pradesh. PNM has over 1,100 teams and 25,000 members. Yet PNM feels that to combat the vicious influence of imperialist culture the reach of progressive forces needs to be increased multifold. To do this progressive cultural organisations need to break the myth that only some people can become artists, thereby bringing in greater sections of the people within their fold. This will serve the dual purpose of increasing the democratic intervention of the people in the field of culture, as well as addressing the democratic aspirations of larger sections of the people. People’s culture means involving all people, not merely some superior artists.

A seminar on ‘The Work and Contribution of Jyoti Prasad Agarwala’ was held on the evening of June 14. It discussed Jyoti Prasad Agarwala’s pioneering contribution to Assamese literature, theatre, films and music. The seminar was presided over by Hiren Gogoi. The Rupkonwar Centenary Celebraion Committee also organized a performance of dance drama Nimati-Koina (Mute Princess) by Jyoti Prasad Agarwala. An active participant in the struggle for Independence and a Gandhian, Jyoti Prasad was disillusioned with the power hungry character of the post-Independence Congress government and leadership and was attracted to the IPTA. He was unanimously elected president of the Assam (undivided) unit of the IPTA in its first state conference at Silchar in 1947. He took deep interest in the growth and activities of the organisation and encouraged the use of the folk forms practiced by the people of Assam. His untimely death proved to be a great loss to Assamese art and culture. A song composed by Jyoti Prasad continues to be the organisational anthem of the Assam IPTA.

On June 15 the delegates watched a street play Lajja performed by the Samahar Natya Goshthi. The play was followed by a public lecture by the eminent filmmaker Gautam Ghose, who expressed his grave concern on the assault of the culture of imperialism which in turn gives rise to the culture of religious intolerance. He spoke of the people as the ultimate source of resistance – ‘We are many they are few’ – and that cultural activists should learn from the people.

The closing session was addressed by Indranath Bandopadhyay, general secretary of West Bengal Writers Artists’ Association. While recounting the benefits which the people’s cultural movement in West Bengal has reaped from the active assistance provided by the Left Front government, he insisted on the need for greater patience and lack of sectarianism among cultural workers, which alone can lead to a greater unity of forward looking artists and intellectuals against consumerism and fundamentalism.

The meeting ended with a call to all cultural activists and the people to observe Premchand Week from July 24-31, 2003 through song, dance, theatre, seminar, symposia, etc., to protest against the CBSE’s attempt to remove Premchand’s Nirmala from the syllabus.

The resolution adopted by the meeting set the task before the people’s cultural movement to confront the twin evils of globalisation and communalism by highlighting the elements of pluralism, multiplicity and diversity. It also called for endeavour for the empowerment of dalits, tribals and women. The people’s theatre movement can play an important role in establishing a cultural bond between different ethnic groups and bring them to the national mainstream. According to the resolution the north-eastern region of our country demands special attention of the people’s democratic movement. The problem of insurgency and militancy is basically a socio-economic problem related with the policy of development and devolution of power to lower levels. The sangh parivar is making efforts to make inroads and to get foot hold in the region by raising the bogey of Bangladeshis and divide the Adivasis in the name of Hindus and Christians.

The fifth meeting of the All India People’s Theatre Activists’ will be held in February 2004, and will be hosted by Prerna, Patna.