Yatrika

by
Tathagata Chowdhury

The struggle of Women from 1892 to Present day & Centuries

to come
 ACT 1
VOICE OVER
Celebrating a 125 years of an institution that
empowers. A school that not only teaches the prescribed
syllabus but fiercely induces the spirit and essence of
being a Woman. YATRIKA is the journey of not just a
gender but a symbol called ’ Woman’. A belief of
indomitable courage and power , the Creator’s most
divine and finest creation, whose mere absence is loss
of fragrance of life. YATRIKA is exhibition of the path
traveled by HER who bears, rears and nurtures the life
of all. YATRIKA is the voice and steps , the songs and
the grace, the enactments and the audio visual
reminders of the SHE who don’t beg to be patrionised ,
but are simply meant to be loved, respected and yes,
worshipped. St. John’s Dioceson school presents
Yatrika, a 125 years of empowerment.
Single Top Spot. CS
ACTOR 1
Our presentation is divided in seven eras.Each era
showcasing a journey of 25 years. In this journey we’ll
see the evolution of fashion, we examine a woman of
substance from across the globe or from our very soil
or we witness the state of women as they are or, we
envision our women as they will be . The first era is
from 1894 to 1900 , followed by 1900 to 1925 , and then
1926 to 1950, moving on from 1951 to 1975 , eventually
1976 to 2000 , and finally , from 2000 to 2019. But
that can’t be the end. There is a future.
scene 1 - YATRIKA ’In The
Beginning’

SKIT (1)
An empty stage. SPOT DL and DR. A young girl is
seen sitting on the floor and crying DL. DR is an
empty chair.

Five ’Voices’ emerge from the darkness.

VOICES
Yatrika - In the beginning

LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (1)

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.

ACTOR 1
In the late 1890s, we saw high collar and narrow
sleeves. Masculine style and tailoring was then the
fashion designing.

Sharp Follow for the First Fashion segment

(There are two actors who will take turns in the
fashion segment and they will introduce the
costume designed)

DANCE (1) EASTERN

DANCE (1) WESTERN
ENACTMENT

NARRATOR 1
How many of us know of Martha Hughes Canon? The first
female State senator in the United States.
Audio Visual docu on Martha Hughes Canon

We will need three actors to perform the three

stages in the life of Martha Hughes Cannon, they
are all three short monologues
COSTUME - Smart Formals

LIGHTS OFF
MARTHA 1
I, Martha Maria Hughes Cannon, am a Welsh born
immigrant to the United States. I started working at
the age of 14. At 16, I enrolled in the University of
Utah, from where I received a Bachelor in Chemistry.
And then I attended University of Michigan to receive
my MD.
MARTHA 2
I became the fourth of the six wives in a polygamous
marriage to Angus M Cannon. This was during anti
polygamy crusade.
MARTHA 3
I exiled myself to Europe so that I wouldn’t have to
testify against my husband. My moment of empowerment
was when I helped put women enfranchisement into Utah’s
constitution when it was granted Statehood in 1896. In
1896, 3rd November, I became the first female State
Senator, elected in the United States defeating my own
husband who was also on the ballot.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.

LIGHTS OFF
NARRATOR 1
During this time in India, we saw the rise of Annie
Besant. Let’s witness a History class where a chapter
on Annie Besant is taught.

AV presentation of Annie Basant

SR, A History teacher is teaching students on
Annie Besant

COSTUME - Teacher in a saree, students in school

Uniform.
TEACHER
She wasn’t an Indian but when we talk about our Women
who advocated empowerment, we can’t ignore Annie
Besant.
STUDENT 1
She praised India as the mother of spirituality.

STUDENT 2
She lamented that Indian civilization has been
tarnished by the effects of Muslim and British
Civilization.
STUDENT 3
She wore the traditional sari and furnished her
dwelling in Indian style.
STUDENT 4
Annie Besant was empowered to improve the education of
girls. Orthodox Hindus criticized her even though she
advocated Hinduism.
TEACHER
Annie Besant fought against all odds to establish
Central Hindu College in Banaras and made public
declaration in 1901 in a series of lectures published
as Ancient Ideals in Modern Life, where she expressed
grief against Child Marriage.
LIGHTS OFF

CHOIR (1) - KNOCKING ON HEAVENS DOORS

during the song, we can have slight dash of human
props, with cut outs of trees flowers bees sky
clouds, but on the floor and not on stage, the
light here is faint blue or faint green and
maximum lights on the singers. The school needs to

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.

arrange for the cut outs or the props. We will not

have singers carrying props. The lights should not
take away the focus from the singers. Here the
primary section may be included but should appear
very organised

LIGHTS OFF
Scene 2 - YATRIKA - 1900 to 1925
SKIT (2)

The girl now stands up, She becomes aware of the

chair.
VOICES
Yatrika- 1900 to 1925

LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (2)
Fashion segment, same light code for fashion
segment. The actor is attired as Sarojini Naidu.
ACTOR 2
In the next era we’ll see Sarojini Naidu’s Literature
representing the mind of a culture inclined evolved
Indian woman. Though bold in her thoughts, she was
simple in her attire.
AV presentation on Sarojini Naidu
LIGHTS OFF

DANCE EASTERN (2)

DANCE WESTERN (2)
ENACTMENT (2)

STUDENT 1
Sarojini Naidu was known as the Nightingale of India.
STUDENT 2
She was a celebrated poet, playwright and Indian
Independence activist.

STUDENT 3
She was the first woman to become President of the
Indian National Congress, in 1925 and the first woman
to achieve the post of Governor, of Uttar Pradesh.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.

Costumes in this scene - Humayun and Zubaida will

be seen in costumes , to be shared. The actors in
the Indian Love Song to wear black and white
salwar suits with red dupattas. Half the number in
black and other half in white.
The elocutionists to wear salwar suits , one
attired in black and other in blue. Both on SR and
SL respectively and under spot lights. The
performance in SC in a big zonal light.
ELOCUTIONIST 1 & 2
Lift up the veils that darken the delicate moon
of thy glory and grace,
Withhold not, O love, from the night
of my longing the joy of thy luminous face,
Give me a spear of the scented keora
guarding thy pinioned curls,
Or a silken thread from the fringes
that trouble the dream of thy glimmering pearls;
Faint grows my soul with thy tresses’ perfume
and the song of thy anklets’ caprice,
Revive me, I pray, with the magical nectar
that dwells in the flower of thy kiss.How shall I yield
to the voice of thy pleading,
how shall I grant thy prayer,
Or give thee a rose-red silken tassel,
a scented leaf from my hair?
Or fling in the flame of thy heart’s desire the veils
that cover my face,
Profane the law of my father’s creed for a foe
of my father’s race?
Thy kinsmen have broken our sacred altars and
slaughtered our sacred kine,
The feud of old faiths and the blood of old battles
sever thy people and mine.
What are the sins of my race, Beloved,
what are my people to thee?
And what are thy shrines, and kine and kindred,
what are thy gods to me?
Love recks not of feuds and bitter follies,
of stranger, comrade or kin,
Alike in his ear sound the temple bells
and the cry of the muezzin.
For Love shall cancel the ancient wrong
and conquer the ancient rage,
Redeem with his tears the memoried sorrow
that sullied a bygone age.
This is accompanied by a group dance.
ELOCUTIONIST 3 & 4
You flaunt your beauty in the rose, your glory in the
dawn, Your sweetness in the nightingale, your white-
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.

ELOCUTIONIST 3 & 4 (cont’d)

ness in the swan. You haunt my waking like a dream, my
slumber like a moon, Pervade me like a musky scent,
possess me like a tune. Yet, when I crave of you, my
sweet, one tender moment’s grace, You cry, “I sit
behind the veil, I cannot show my face.” Shall any
foolish veil divide my longing from my bliss? Shall any
fragile curtain hide your beauty from my kiss? What war
is this of Thee and Me? Give o’er the wanton strife,
You are the heart within my heart, the life within my
life.

This is accompanied by a Duo Dance.

LIGHTS OFF
CHOIR (2) - BOULEVARD OF BROKEN DREAMS

More students from primary department to take

position as human props. The school faculty has to
help with this
Scene 3 - YATRIKA - 1926 to 1950

SKIT (3)
The girl moves Center Stage.
VOICES
Yatrika - 1926 to 1950
LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (3)

Here we have provision for more actors to be

attired as Nehru, Gandhi, the main character here
is Vijay Lakshmi Pandit. We can have two more
characters. Please finalize these characters. The
school needs to provide costumes for all.

ACTOR 3
In the 3rd era, we have decided to examine the life of
Vijay Lakshmi Pandit. Women in Indian Politics were at
same par with the men, and Indira Gandhi was the first
Indian Woman to become the Prime minister.

AV presentation on Vijay Lakshmi Pandit.

LIGHTS OFF
DANCE EASTERN (3)

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.

DANCE EASTERN (3)

ENACTMENT (3)
SPEAKER 1
Vijaylakshmi Pandit is an eminent persona in the
history of India’s women upliftment struggle. She was
born in Alahabad on the 18th of August, 1900; and
belonged to the politically renowned Nehru Family. She
was the eldest daughter of Motilal Nehru and was 11
years younger than her brother, Jawaharlal Nehru.

SPEAKER 2
India as a society back in her time was extensively
male dominated and white privileged. Yet her creed,
colour and gender did not stand in the path of her
academics. She was informally but firmly educated at
home and later on became a member of the Aligarh Muslim
university executive council, in Uttar Pradesh
SPEAKER 3
Her brilliance in academy fetched her a height which
therefore only added on to her glory. (Edited)

SPEAKER 4
It is to mention, that apart from being a keen diplomat
and a politician she was an ardent human activist. When
India was struggling, she contributed to the freedom
struggle by becoming the first person to hold a cabinet
position of the self-government and health in
pre-independent India. She was also an integral part of
the civil disobedience movement and got arrested thrice
for raising her voice for the oppressed
SPEAKER 5
Here, we are talking about a woman, who went on to
become an idol to the underprivileged women in India.
She inspired other women to stand for their rights - to
fight for their ever-downtrodden position in the social
hierarchy, and claim a sort of respect which was never
given to them before. This is how we remember
VijayLakshmi Pandit, a personality who withstood
Patriarchy and made her country proud. She is a symbol
of righteousness, rendering a light to women
empowerment in India.

LIGHTS OFF
CHOIR (4) - BEKHAUFF
 8.

Scene 4 - YATRIKA - 1950 to 1975

SKIT (4)
The girl summons the courage and moves towards the
chair. Single SPOT DR

VOICES
Yatrika - 1950 to 1975
LIGHTS OFF

FASHION SHOW (4)

Actor 1 and 2 attired in complete black and change
of hairstyle. They will talk about Shakespeare’s 3
witches.

ACTOR 1
To reflect on the 4th era, we’ll take a break from
History and turn our focus on the entertainment
industry.

ACTOR 2
A panel of three witches will question why in all it’s
years of the Academy Awards, only one woman has won the
Best Director award.
LIGHTS OFF

DANCE EASTERN (4)

DANCE WESTERN (4)
ENACTMENT

A Cut out of a TV screen. A simulation of channels

being changed.
lights flicker and SOUND.

CHANNEL 1
India wants to know
CHANNEL 2
Melody Itny chocolaty kyo hai?

CHANNEL 3
Kyuki mummy ne aaj tide lagaye
CHANNEL 4
Isiliye mere daant white hai

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.

CHANNEL 5
kyuki mere toothpaste me namak hai
CHANNEL 6
TATA salt, Desh ka namak

CHANNEL 7
Pehle istemal kare phir whiswash karo
CHANNEL 8 - TV REPORTER
Good evening everybody. since 1929, the year of the
Academy award ceremony, only one woman has ever won the
Academy award for Best Director. Of course, before
1980, women were rarely opportunities to direct film,
especially in Hollywood. Our panellists will discuss
this mind boggling scenario.

LIGHTS OFF.
Threer panelists sit Centre stage. The are dressed
as Witches. A moderator stands DL
MODERATOR
Why are the numbers so low? Let’s ask our audience, why
only 5 women in 90 years have been nominated for Best
Director in the Academy Awards. Is this at all a
disturbing statistics? Let’s hear it from you.
PANELIST 1
Though an increasing number of women, especially these
days, are making films, it’s strange that as of 2019,
only one woman in the History of Academy Awards, has
won the coveted Best Director Award.

PANELIST 2
In 2010, Kathryn Bigelow won for directing The Hurt
Locker. In 1977 Lina Wertmuller was nominated for the
Academy award for Best Director, for Seven Beauties.
Jane Campion was nominated in 1994 for The Piano. Same
year Spielberg won it for Schindler’s List. And a
decade later Sofia Coppola was nominated for her
creation of Lost in Translation. This was in 2004.
PANELIST 3
Finally in 2010, more than 8 decades after the first
academy award ceremony, and about 35 years after the
first woman was nominated for the Best Director award,
in 2010, for the film The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow
managed to bag it. This was a 2009 film.
MODERATOR
(conclusion, edited)

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 10.

LIGHTS OFF
CHOIR (4) - Sei Fuler Dol
Scene 5 - YATRIKA - 1976 to 2000

SKIT (5)
The girl seems more confident now. she musters the
courage to sit down on the chair.

VOICES
Yatrika - 1976 to 2000
LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (5)

Actor 1 in modern outfit. No Sarees or Salwar.

Actor 1 in casuals and Actor 2 in formals with
specs.
ACTOR 1
In era 5 we see, we aren’t modern in attire alone.
ACTOR 2
In era 5, we are modern in our attitude.
LIGHTS OFF

DANCE EASTERN (5)

DANCE WESTERN (5)
ENACTMENT

GIRL 1
Women in India slowly started recognising her true
potential. She has started questioning the rules laid
down for her by the society. As a result, she has
started breaking barriers and earned a respectable
position in the world. Today Indian women have excelled
in each and every field from social work to visiting
space station.
GIRL 5
There is no arena, which remains unconquered by Indian
women. Whatever it is politics, sports, entertainment,
its women power all along.
GIRL 2
Today names like Arundhati Roy,

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.

GIRL 1
Anita Desai,

GIRL 3
Kiran Desai,
GIRL 4
Shobhaa De,

GIRL 5
Jhumpa Lahiri can put any writer to shame.
GIRL 1
In the field of cinema women like Rekha,

GIRL 2
Smita patil,
GIRL 3
Shabana Aazmi

GIRL 4
Vidya Balan
GIRL 5
and Konkona Sen

GIRL 3
are such names who don’t play feminised roles, but have
asserted themselves over this male-dominated realm.
GIRL 4
In the field of Politics, from Indira Gandhi to Sheila
Dixit,
GIRL 5
Uma Bharti,

GIRL 1
Jayalalithaa,
GIRL 2
Vasundhra Raje

GIRL 3
and Mamata Banerjee today, women are making their
presence felt.
GIRL 4
Today the modern women is so deft and self-sufficient
that she can be easily called a superwomen, juggling
many fronts singlehandedly. Women are now fiercely
ambitious and are providing their metal not only on
home front, but also in their respective professions.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.

GIRL 3
Women in India are coming up in all spheres of life.
They are joining the universities and colleges in large
numbers. They are entering into all kinds of
professions like
GIRL 1
engineering,

GIRL 2
medicine,
GIRL 4
politics,

GIRL 5
teaching, etc
GIRL 2
A nation’s progress and prosperity can be judged by the
way it treats its women folk. There is a slow and
steady awareness regarding giving the women their dues,
and not mistreating them, seeing them as objects of
possession. Despite progress, the very fact that women,
along with being achievers, also are expected to fulfil
their roles as wives or mothers, prioritising home
against anything else.

GIRL 1
This point of view haven’t changed much, there is still
a large section of women who are prioritising home
against anything else.

LIGHTS OFF
CHOIR (5) - Eto Chawa Niye Kothai Jai
Scene 6 - YATRIKA 2000 to 2019

SKIT (6)
The girl begins laughing vehemantly
VOICES
Yatrika 2000 to 2019.

LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (6)
both actors 1 and 2 in torn and battered outfits.
Disheveled.
This is the scene showing violence against women.
AV to project news reports on violence.

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 13.

LIGHTS OFF
DANCE EASTERN (6)
DANCE WESTERN (6)

ENACTMENT (6)
A ’Human Video’ is presented on stage as the
actors deliver their lines from the audience.

GIRL 1
Reimagining our city to be more women friendly is
crucial to our social and economic success as a
country. Today women’s’ experience of our cities is
horrendous and most women feel unsafe and insecure as
we engage with the public spaces and the “built
environment” of our cities.
GIRL 2
This sense of anxiety is corroborated by data put forth
by India’s National Crime Bureau which highlights that
four women are raped every hour. Therefore, design of
safe urban environments can play a crucial role in
addressing such heinous crimes and making our society
better.
GIRL 3
Furthermore, inclusive cities are not just crucial to
our goals of social equity but are also essential to
our economic future.
GIRL 4
Today approximately 18 percent women make up the urban
workforce and this number has been in decline over the
last decade. We need to improve female participation in
our workforce to be an economic success.
GIRL 5
According to a study of McKinsey Global Institute, the
world can add $28 trillion or 26 percent of GDP by 2025
if women participate in the economy like men do today.
GIRL 3
The way a city is designed affects women’s freedom and
access. It can deter or empower women from going to
school to being an entrepreneur. Therefore, India has
to build the ultimate women friendly cities if the
“India” story has to shine on.
GIRL 1
Vienna in Austria is seen as the most women-friendly
city in the world and offers a preview of what this
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.

GIRL 1 (cont’d)
idea means. The city stumbled upon female-friendly
urban policies after a citizen survey threw up several
inputs from women.

GIRL 2
The city had a major civic engagement campaign to
include women’s perspective in the design process. Ease
of access to services like education, healthcare,
social amenities close to work and home has been a
major result.

GIRL 3
Other manifestations of the policies include
residential buildings designed close to mass transit
with childcare services, kindergartens, community
health clinics, community markets, social parks for
play dates and caregiving services close by.
GIRL 4
Places where parents can socialize and share child care
with community was one of the major design outcomes.
Public spaces designed with female mind led to
diversity of games and spaces within parks and public
spaces as well.
GIRL 5
Access to good transport itself is crucial to adjust
and economically productive city. Ultimately,
transportation enables women to participate in the
society and workforce. Last mile connectivity is
another vital constitute of our experience of the urban
environment. Wider sidewalks and safe streets are the
most crucial mobility infrastructure in an inclusive
city.
GIRL 1
Ultimately, rethinking our cities to be gender
sensitive is an extension to being an inclusive city
that offers equal opportunities to all its citizens.

The actors make their way onto the stage. They

join the Human video.
LIGHTS OFF

CHOIR (6) - BRAVE

 15.

Scene 7 - YATRIKA 2019 and

Centuries to come

SKIT (7)
The girl now confidently picks up the chair, drags
it to Centre stage, sets it down and puts her leg
on it. She stares at the audience. A new woman.

VOICES
Yatrika - 2019 and centuries to come.
LIGHTS OFF
FASHION SHOW (7)

The Fashion sequence has actor 1 only.

ACTOR 1
It’s time to Rise.

LIGHTS OFF
DANCE EASTERN (7)
DANCE WESTERN (7)

ENACTMENT
Five different girls are making use of space,
energy level FIVE, suddenly that drops to level
ONE, and complete collapse

GIRL 1
You may tear me down in History, with bitter twisted
lies. You may dump in the very dirt,
But still, I shall rise.

Now the risen 5 students, walk from upstage to

down stage, with focus at the audience
GIRL 2
Does my sassiness upset you?
Know that my kind aren’t few.

The students now cross hands and cover faces.

GIRL 3
you wanted to see me broken
Bowed head and lowered eyes.

Now we see them shift their hands, shoulders

straight, not hiding faces, but boldly looking at
the audience

(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.

GIRL 4
my shoulders won’t fall like tear drops.
They won’t be weakened by soulful sobs.
The five students now grab a chair each and sit in
the opposite direction on the chair as if to make
a statement.
GIRL 5
Does my haughtiness offend you?
Don’t you take it awful hard?
Cause I laugh like I got goldmines.
Diggin’ in my own backyard.
Lot of newspapers on the floor. The actors have to
open the papers, and continue to be in motion,
suddenly stop, and force their faces through the
newspapers.
GIRL 6
you may shoot me with your words,
You may chop me with your eyes.
You may kill me with your hatefulness,
But still like air, I’ll rise.
GIRL 7
I know I dance like I got diamonds,
At the meeting of my thighs.
No matter how hard you try to body shame,
No longer will I be game.
Cause now I have learnt to Rise
LIGHTS OFF
CHOIR (7) - PARADISE

Curtains.

END.