Mull on the politics of faith

Religion and politics are two of the world’s touchiest topics. While it’s important to engage in debate about it, what if it’s going nowhere? That’s what led playwright Abhishek Majumdar to do what he does best – weave a tale for the stage in response. Presented by India Foundation for the Arts, allow Muktidham to let you mull in thought on January 28 and 29 at Ranga Shankara.

Set in an eighth Century matha (monastery) in the fictional town of Beerpur, Buddhism is at its peak with mass conversions in order. The 135-minute Hindi play follows the story of Nath Nand, the head of the matha, who is soon to retire to Muktidham to attain salvation and pass. The protagonist who has always separated religion from politics is faced with a dilemma – which of his students shall be the successor? Will it be Yuyutsu, who believes in opening up the doors of the temple for the lower castes? Or Agnivesh, who believes in raising an armed resistance to Buddhism? “Close to the last general elections, when the polarisation in the population was extremely visible, I took an added interest in pursuing the reading of various texts which deal with early Hinduism,” says Abhishek, about what inspired Muktidham. The play weaves several potent and relevant themes together — power, politics of language and the distinction between Brahminism and Hinduism, “But essentially, it explores the hypotheses that the current right wing seeks to establish — that we were once non-violent and that everything changed when violence was inflicted upon us. It was important to me to go back to a time when this was actually true and argue from within,” says the director, believing that fiction is the opposite of fact, but not necessarily the opposite of truth. 

You can’t miss the eye for detail or the extensive research that has gone into the making of the play by the Indian Ensemble. “We were asked to read Dr BR Ambedkar’s Annihilation of Caste and Manusmriti. For my role, I was also asked to spend time in a temple every day,” actor Shubhrajyoti Barat who plays Nath Nand, tells us, giving us an insight into the process. “The creative challenge was to align truthfully with a character whose value system I reject in my personal life – to see the world from the perspective of a higher caste Brahmin who existed 800 years ago, and to be able to understand and empathise with his conflicts while vehemently disagreeing with his ideas, is a challenge,” he says.

Since religion doesn’t come close to being apolitical, it could touch a few nerves. But the ensemble is up for it. “We would love to engage with the audience, even if our viewpoints and opinions don't dovetail. That's what plays do, involve the makers and watchers in a dialogue that could and should transcend the events in the play itself,” says Abhishek in conclusion.