Play seeking justice for slain rationalists crosses 300-mark

To create public pressure for speedy arrest of the killers of Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare, rationalists in Maharashtra have created a unique theatre performance which adopts elements from the street play format as well as the Warkari tradition.
The activists of Maharashtra Andha-Shraddha Nirmulan Samitee (founded by Dabholkar for eradication of superstition) have staged more than 300 performances of the play 'Socrates to Dabholkar Pansare via Tukaram' over a year.
"It is almost two years since the murder of Dabholkar and culprits have not been found. We stage the play to protest and to present our anguish. It gives us no happiness that the show has crossed 300-mark (because murders remain unsolved)," said Sanjay Bansode, an activist from Islampur, after a performance at Prithvi Theatre here last evening.

The play seeks to show how the rationalists have always faced persecution, from Greek philosopher Socrates to medieval saint-poet Tukaram and people like Dabholkar and Pansare in present times.
Last year, ahead of the first anniversary of Dabholkar's murder, renowned theatre director Atul Pethe conducted several workshops for activists of MANS.
Pethe told PTI that during the workshops, participants who came from diverse backgrounds were encouraged to write, and the result was 16 short plays including "Socrates...".
"I suggested them to do Socrates...In the 'Ringan' form which basically comes from the Warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal who form a prominent Bhakti sect). There is a stress on holding hands and performing in a circular fashion," Pethe said, asserting that it is not a street play.

Unlike the street play, which is performed with floating audiences, Ringan is done in front of captive audience.