Itihas Theater presents the first show of the season in Guwahati
They are among the torchbearers of one of the most popular cultural communities in Assam which carries the legacy of people’s participation through performing art as professional folk theater, namely ” Brahmayman ”or“ traveling theater of Assam ”.
Along with other performing arts, the official sign of easing the COVID-19 protocol has helped the struggling cultural industry get back on track after two years of obscurity.
Mridul Bhuyan, a popular ‘Bhramyaman’ star thanking the government of Assam and mainly Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, said: “During the sudden closure of all performances for about two years, we went through a terrible crisis. . And these untold stories of survival taught us a different lesson. We theater artists never thought of saving money because with the flow of traveling / mobile theater we are just continuing our life journey. But the pandemic has changed our life cycle. It made us think about savings, which we had never felt before.
Now, after the Assam government eased COVID-19 protocols, four major theaters in Assam, including the Itihas Theater, have come back to people with their presentations. The Itihas Theater is the first of them to have presented the first show to bring the traditional flavor to Guwahati. And the response from the public is gradually increasing to come and see the artists’ performances.
Besides being a platform for performing artists, Bhramyaman Theater helps professionals like stage designer, makeup artist, transporter, team leader, musicians, light men, assistants of stage, porters and many others, who work with dedication behind the scenes. Moreover, the mobile theater as an industry is the respite for a large number of so-called professionals whose socio-economic life depends on this cultural industry.
Ranjit Dutta, the man behind the stage at the Itihas Theater, said: “We have all had a difficult life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have also lost a few of our colleagues on this devastating journey through the lockdown. But we had faith that the theater will never die. He has to come back and we are happy that he is back on track.
With the Itihas Theater’s first performance with their most popular play “Bhul Nubujiba Bhupen Da” in Guwahati, the natural vibe of “Bhramyaman” that was lacking in the past two years due to the pandemic, returned.
Remembering his days with the legend of the late Bhupen Hazarika, Mridul Bhuyan is proud to once again project the everlasting melodies of “Bhupen Da” after a 13-year hiatus to connect the nascent Assam generation through theater with the great all-time play “Bhul Nubujiba Bhupen Da”. The play tells the story of a big fan who waited until his last breath for a phone call from the legendary “singer of the people” whose popular numbers touch everyone.
The very adorable traditional spectacle has returned to people’s doors after two years of silence. Now it is the responsibility of the people to pass on the legacy with the utmost support.
