Seminar as preamble to ‘Parva’

As a preamble to ‘Parva’, the mega-production of Rangayana-Mysuru, ‘Parva: Virat Darshana’, a seminar, is organised on February 21, Sunday at Kalamandira from 10 am to 5 pm.

Speaking to media persons, Rangayana Director Addanda C Cariyappa said, "Many professional and amateur troupes stage plays. But, Rangayana repertory and training institute should play the role of a theatre laboratory. The thought of staging literature of an unexplored writer occurred during lockdown, when Rangayana artistes had to stay within the premises and audience could not be allowed in large numbers."

"Parva, a novel based on Mahabharata, sans miracles and divine intervention, is one of the best works of S L Bhyrappa. The preparations and rehearsals are underway since lockdown, for the play that would debut on March 12. The seminar is a part of the large exercise,” he said.

Honorary secretary of S L Bhyrappa Sahitya Prathistana G L Shekar said, "The seminar is planned as ‘Purva Ranga’ for the play, in view of the vastness of Parva, which was published in 1979 to see 18 reprints. Kannada and Culture Minister Aravind Limbavali might inaugurate the seminar. But, his programme is not confirmed."

"Scholar and critic Shathavadhani R Ganesh will deliver a talk on Parva in two sessions, from 10.30 to 11.30 am and from 11.45 am to 1 pm. He will elaborate on the differences between Mahabharata and Parva and deliberate on the deviations. Cariyappa and director of the play Prakash Belavadi will speak on their experiments and experiences on Parva,” he said.

Cariyappa said, "The seminar is held in association with the Prathistana as Parva is the biggest ever project of Rangayana, since its inception 32 years ago. Bhyrappa himself will speak in the last session. A few more similar exercises would be conducted as part of the Parva project,” he said.

Prakash Belavadi said, "A project like Parva cannot be experimented on the commercial format, either cinema or television. Theatre has an advantage to choose. There is expression and experience on the same platform. There are modifications to suit the format, from literature to theatre. But, the literature of the play is approved by Bhyrappa himself."

"The ‘Rangapatya’ of Parva will be released in both Kannada and English, once the play is launched. Earlier, we thought of dividing Parva over five or six days. Finally, it is being staged in three parts and all three parts can be independent plays. While, it is staged in other states, it will have a sub-titles in English,” he said.