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International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN: Print: 2347-5021 ISSN: Online: 2347-503X Research Chronicler: International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN: Print: 2347-5021 www.research-chronicler.com ISSN: Online: 2347-503X The Vision of Darkness in Andha Yug Basavaraj Naikar Professor & Chairman, Department of English, Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka, India Dharmavir Bharati (1926-97) the Hindi convey. Thus the premiere had to wait till author was born in Allahabad, Uttar 1962, produced by Satyadev Dubey on Pradesh. He studied there and participated Theatre Unit‘s rooftop stage in Bombay. in the anti-British Quit India movement. Subsequently the National School of He earned a doctorate in Siddha saint Drama performed it in 1963, directed by literature in 1947, and then became a full- Alkazi, and revived it several times. Many time journalist, editing the weekly directors in other languages, like Ajitesh DharmaYug from 1960 to 1989. His Bandyopadhyay (Bengali, 1970) and Ratan journal was a war correspondent in Thiyam (Manipuri, 1993), also staged Bangladesh in 1971, made a tremendous important versions.‖ 1 impact. He was also a poet, novelist and His play, Andha Yug, translated into essayist. His two novels, Gunahonka English by Alok Bhalla, deals with the Devata (The God of Sins) and Suraj Ka epical theme of the conflict between the Satvan Ghoda (The Seventh Horse of the Kauravas and the Pandavas culminating Sun) are classics of Hindi literature. He into climax on the eighteenth day of has published five one-act plays under the Kurukshetra war. Although the theme is title Nadi Pyasi Thi (The River was borrowed from the last part of Vyasa‘s Thirsty, 1954), often produced by schools, Mahabharata, Dharmavir Bharati has colleges and amateur groups. accentuated it in such a way that it remains He wrote only one full-length play Andha relevant even today. It was written Yug (Blind Age, 1954), originally as radio immediately after the Partition of India, drama, now recognized as a classic of but it appeals to the reader even in the modern Hindi theatre. ―Set late in the twenty-first century, which is vitiated by Mahabharata, it concerns the eternal values international terrorism and of life that are damaged or broken and re- fundamentalism. Though the story of established again and again. Bharati was Kauravas and Pandavas is incidental to it, deeply perturbed about the perpetual it achieves the universality of appeal by problem of war becoming global and highlighting the metaphysical conflict destroying humanity. Obviously reflecting between Good and Evil. It is on account nuclear conflict, his play also interrogated of its universality that it becomes relevant the received wisdom of Krishna‘s in every age and nation. assurances. An epic drama in blank verse, The play begins with a prologue, which it applied various forms such as folk foreshadows the theme in advance. It says theatre, Parsi theatre, Katha-gayan (singing that the play is concerned with the age of of tales), and Western tragedy as required. darkness as described in Vishnu Purana in The use of symbols and imagery provided which there would be a decline in a new dimension to the theme. It was a prosperity and dharma and the whole earth challenge to directors because the text‘s would slowly perish; the one, who has poetry and dramatic beauty is not easy to wealth, would rule; the one, who wears a Volume V Issue III: May 2017 (7) Editor-In-Chief: Dr. B.N. Gaikwad Research Chronicler: International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN: Print: 2347-5021 www.research-chronicler.com ISSN: Online: 2347-503X false mask, would be honoured; the one, fragrant breeze, have become widows who is greedy, would be a king; the now. They are sad to notice that the people, weary of misrule, would hide in Kaurava Kingdom is ruled by an old and dark caves and wait for their days of blind ruler and therefore all their actions misery to end. It says further that it was are meaningless. Now the guards are only Lord Krishna, who was dispassionate surprised to see the Kaurava Kingdom is and detached, whereas all the others were overcast with thousands and thousands of blind and self-absorbed and that the play is ravenous vultures, which are eager to feed the story of enlightenment through the life on the dead. The guards consider them as of the benighted and the blind. a bad and dreadful omen. The shadow of The first at begins with the narrator the vultures indicates physical darkness commenting on the central event and its symbolizing other kinds of darkness like negative nature, ―Both sides in the war/ ocular, psychological and one moral ones. violated/ the code of honour/ smashed it/ King Dhritarashtra‘s blindness is ripped it into shreds/and scattered it - / the indicative of ocular darkness. Queen Kauravas perhaps more than the GAndhaari‘s voluntary blindfolding of her Pandavas‖ (P.27). 2 He comments further eyes shows her extraordinary loyalty to her that it is a strange war in which both sides husband. But both of them, in addition to are doomed to fail; that blindness rules this being physically blind (or blindfolded) are age and not reason and that blind fear, morally blind also because of their blind affection for and attachment to their blind love, blind power and blind justice shall prevail in the end. The Kurukshetra children i.e. Kauravas. The different kinds war is obviously an archetypal one as it of blindness unfold themselves as the play suggests the metaphysical war between proceeds forward. Good and Evil. Whereas the Kauravas When Vidura comes to see King represent Evil, the Pandavas represent Dhritarashtra, the guard tells him that the Good. The war is necessitated by the king could not see the terrifying scene of blindness of the Kauravas and war, as he is physically blind. He is consequently the Pandavas have suffered waiting for the latest news bulletin to be countless sorrows. But in the war there has brought by Sanjaya. But when Vidura been a reversal of situation. So far Good meets the king, the latter confesses that he was helpless against the force of Evil. But is afraid for the first time in his life. Good is slowly gaining victory over Evil. Vidura tells him, As a consequence of this unwanted war the Afraid? common people feel that their whole life The fear you experience today has become meaningless. For example, Had gripped others years ago. (P.33) the two guards express their opinion, which voices that of the common people. Vidura reminds the king that the latter had They say that they are very tired but yet been warned by Bhishma and Dronacharya they have to march up and down guarding and that Krishna had also advised him, these desolate corridors. They are Do not violate the code of honour. unhappy to learn that the Kaurava queens, If you violate the code of honour who once wandered gracefully like the It will coil around the Kaurava clan Volume V Issue III: May 2017 (8) Editor-In-Chief: Dr. B.N. Gaikwad Research Chronicler: International Multidisciplinary Peer-Reviewed Journal ISSN: Print: 2347-5021 www.research-chronicler.com ISSN: Online: 2347-503X Like a wounded python Krishna. The same view is corroborated by And crush it like a dry twig. (P.33) the Guard 2, who says, ―And the one they But King Dhritarashtra had not bothered to worship as their Lord takes the responsibility for all of them!‖ (P.43) But listen to this advice. On the contrary his physical blindness was accentuated by the those, who have no faith in the moral order moral blindness caused by his filial symbolized by Krishna, happen to be the attachment to his sons, blind King Dhritarashtra and his blindfolded Queen GAndhaari. My sons were the flesh of my flesh They were the final arbiters of truth The second act begins with the chorus, for me. which describes Sanjaya, the rational My love for them was my law sculptor of words and his bewilderment in My code of honour. (P.34). the forest of doubt and confusion. Then Sanjaya himself comes on the stage and In other words, his attachment to his sons expresses his sense of confusion, ―I have is an extension of his selfishness, which lost my way on this path of thorns and prevents him from understanding the stones‖ (P.47). Although several soldiers world from a wider perspective. He has have died, Sanjaya has not died. He is realized his mistake rather belatedly, very sad to be alive and witness the defeat Today of the Kauravas by the Pandavas, I realized Yes, I am still alive. That there is a truth The earth for miles around is That lies beyond the boundaries strewn Of my selfhood. With the corpses of Kaurava I realized that only today. (P.35) soldiers He feels terrified by what he has learnt Slaughtered by Arjuna. today. Queen GAndhaari also feels that The Kaurava army is scattered; the ideals like dharma, duty and honour are All its heroes are dead. (P.48) mere illusions; that there is a ferocious Sanjaya was about to be killed by Satyaki, beast in each man; that everyone is but Vyasa had told the latter, ―Sanjaya hypocritical and self-interested. She does cannot die. He is immortal‖ (P.49). not have any faith in Krishna. That is why Sanjaya was cursed by Vyasa, ―You will she has blindfolded herself. In the survive disasters, floods, revolutions, and seventeen days of war, all her sons except wars of annihilation so that you can tell the Duryodhana have been killed one by one. truth‖ (P.49). Sanjaya is thus destined to Now she desperately hopes that tell or report the whole truth of the events Duryodhana will be victorious in the war.
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