‘Gadhe Ki Baraat’ Leaves Audience in Splits

Udaipur,  The monthly theatrical evening ‘Rangshala,’ organized by the Paschim Kshetra Sanskritik Kendra, Udaipur, showcased the hilarious satirical play ‘Gadhe Ki Baraat’ on Sunday, 5 January 2025. The play highlighted the disparity between rich and poor through humor and satire, winning the hearts of the audience with an outstanding performance by the artists.

Director of Paschim Kshetra Sanskritik Kendra Udaipur, Furqan Khan, shared that the monthly theatrical evening Rangshala featured this iconic play at the Darpan Sabhagar in Shilpgram, Udaipur. The play, presented by Saptak Cultural Society, Rohtak, marked its 345th performance. Prior to this, it has been staged at Lahore (Pakistan), LBSNAA Mussoorie, and the National School of Drama in Delhi.

Through ‘Gadhe Ki Baraat’, it was depicted how anyone who rises from the gareeb basti to the grandeur of a rajmahal never returns, forgetting their poor brothers. Written by Hari Bhai Vadgaonkar and directed by Vishwadeepak Trikha, the play captured the audience's attention with its humor and poignant satire.

The performance and acting by the cast received immense appreciation from kalapremis. At the end of the event, all the performers were honored. The program was conducted by the center’s Assistant Director (Finance and Accounts), Durgesh Chandwani.

Cast Details:
Kallu - Avinash, Gangi - Parul, Raja & Baba - Surendra, Diwanji - Tarun Pushp Trikha, Indra - Shakti Swaroop Trikha, Chitrasen - Amit Sharma, Dwarpala - Anil, Rajkumari - Khushi, Bua - Prerna, Barati - Nalinakshi, Chhoti Bai, Vanshika. On Harmonium - Vikas Rohilla, on Nagada - Subhash Nagada.

The Storyline:
The play begins with a humorous nok-jhok between a potter Kallu and his wife Gangi, where she insists that Kallu bring back a donkey. Reluctantly, Kallu sets out to graze donkeys and encounters Devo ke Guru Brihaspati. Through persistence, Kallu finds himself in Indra’s darbar, where he witnesses Chitrasen, a gandharva, holding the hand of apsara Rambha in jest, which angers Raja Indra. As a punishment, Indra curses Chitrasen to roam Earth as a donkey but blesses him with the promise that he will be freed from the curse once he marries the daughter of Andher Nagari ke Raja Chaupat Singh.

Chitrasen, now a donkey, joins Kallu’s herd. One day, Raja Chaupat Singh announces that whoever builds a bridge overnight from the palace to the poor’s colony will marry his daughter, Rajkanya Chandni. Using his cleverness, Kallu arranges for his daughter to marry Chitrasen (the donkey). As soon as Rajkanya puts the varmala around the donkey, he transforms back into a gandharva. Chitrasen, now free from the curse, refuses to acknowledge Kallu and Gangi. Delighted to have a gandharva as his son-in-law, Raja Chaupat Singh has Kallu and his wife thrown out of the palace.

The play’s brilliant narrative and satirical undertones left the audience thoroughly entertained while subtly delivering a message on class disparity.