Celebrating Janmashtami through theatre

Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna, is around the corner.

Mumbai and parts of Maharashtra are abuzz with preparations for Dahi Handis, a ritual in which young men and boys form a human pyramid to break an earthen pot filled with buttermilk tied at a height.

In Delhi and north India, especially Mathura- the birthplace of Krishna, the festival is celebrated with a different fanfare. Theatrical enactment of Krishna's life is an inseparable part of the fun, frolic and spirituality of Janmashtami.

An epic saga of Lord Krishna's life was staged in Delhi on Thursday. Somnath Pawar, the prodigy of British-era theatre company, iconic Parsi Theatre, brought to life the rendition of Shri Krishna Avataar, the first performance of which was held in 1926.

Almost a century later, the history repeated itself as Pawar chose the same play as the maiden performance of his theatre company. He left a cushy job behind to revive the theatre.

"However men try to reach me, I return their love with my love; Whatever path they may travel, it leads to me in the end," the artists quoted the Bhagwad Geeta, before they poured emotions on stage.

While mythological serials revolving around Lord Krishna may occupy the TV space these days, theatrical performances- the raw and rustic, without special effects, not only entertain the people but also strive to revive the traditional form of media- so much so that audience doesn't cry and laugh on artists but cry and laugh with them.