Theatre Olympics offering a national stage to indigenous theatrical forms

The heightened interest in vernacular theatre has also spurred research on the various forms - insights from these are further fuelling experimentation and dialogue.

For centuries now, Bhand Pather — a form of vernacular theatre — has been performed in village squares in Jammu and Kashmir. Satire is at the heart of this form, which combines myths and legends with present-day social realities. A vibrant spectacle greets the audience, as performers move to the beats of the mukam and dhol. A long whip, or koodar, is often a central prop, producing the sound of a gunshot and symbolises oppression. 

Now, this age-old form is travelling many miles — to Bhopal, as part of the 8th Theatre Olympics, being hosted in India for the first