Various Aspects Depicted in Asif Currimbhoy and

Mahesh Elkunchwar’s Plays

DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO
Dr. BABASAHEB AMBEDKAR MARATHWADA
UNIVERSITY, AURANGABAD

In partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

“DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY”
IN
ENGLISH

Submitted By
Kirti Prakash Sangole
Research Student,
Department of English,
Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada
University, Aurangabad

Under the Supervision of

Dr. Vaishali S. Pradhan
Principal,
Milind College of Arts,
Nagsenvana, Aurangabad

May - 2021
 CHAPTER-VI

CONCLUSION

The research work includes the study of the origin of the play as a
genera and the importance of the play from the point of view of Indian text as
foremost. The study also explains how the drama which had the major role of
entertainment and edification later on changed the form of presentation
according to the class and the society.

The class of humans has being shaping their identity since ages in
different forms. This form has changed with time and the development seen in
the human environment has also changed considerably. These changes made
the individual to develop the thought process according to the conditions and
which developed the genera’s of studies which could place individual problems
and challenges. This development of genera took place with the form of society
and people living in the society.

Drama being an art form has developed considerably from the time
period of human existence. The early form of presenting the life events started
with the presentation skills when language and written skill was not that
proficient. Presentation skills of the people were meant for bestowing the daily
life events so that next generation could understand the culture. The culture of
daily works, hunting and social needs for the food and in turn survival made by
the human society to carry forward their tradition. This tradition later on
created a class of genera which was meant for the entertainment and knowledge
development of the individual class. Class in this part meant the division based
on the basis of the category, caste, race and gender. Development of the social
constrains started with this idea of classification where one class consider self
as dominant and the other as recessive. The dominance and recessiveness
started the problems among the self and others. These hitches then became the

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source of presentation so that the people can understand their own difficulty
and were able to solve them.

The study describes the purpose of drama started with the back ground
to be found in the Greece, Rome, England and India had the major impact on
the class of people to understand them. Rise of the drama in the country (India)
ways back from the era when Sanskrit was the major language of education and
this was granted to a typical class only. The emergence of the Sanskrit theatre
presented ideas before the people of certain class which included the Brahmins
and the kingly class. The presentation was based on the mythological events of
the time which included the plays like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. The
good always wins was the sole purpose of the play. The study also describes
the origin and role of Natyashastra. Bharata Muni’s Natyashastra considered
as the sole of the study as being the first and most important text to describe the
entire process of drama. This text explains the emergence of the performing art
with combination of the different art forms which are called as ‘Vedas’. We
study that the Vedas contributed in the creation of the Indian drama with
regards to the Indian culture and norms.

Further study focuses on the conflict as the major part of work presented
through the drama which creates play and brings it to life with the condition
that whether the conflict is resolved or not.The research work promotes and
looks forward into these questions about the culture, politics, and ethics
changing psychology through some of the best performed plays. The social
reality is one of the major concern which has been discussed through the plays
were the domestic life was seen for characterization and understanding
characters, social norms and society which creates and binds the individual into
one body. With the start of the work the chapter includes few references of the
playwright such as ‘Big three’ and the details about their plays. The study also
included the pattern of change in the form of the drama. The colonial and the
post-colonial agendas are discussed through the study.With the development in
the theatre art modern Bengali theatre became popular with the writings of

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Ramnarayan Tarakaratna, Michael Madhusudhan Dutt and Dinabandhu Mitra
who started writing for the internal conflict of the country. The plays by the
three were based on the protest of the Brahmin and hardship of planters in
India.

It is studied that the Indian English drama found its strength through the
contemporary writing. The notions of presentation used were the myths, epics,
history and legends with transformation of the plays from the vernacular
language to English. The most common form of the works presenting were
translation work. With the contemporary studies and ideas the writers which
came forward had the notion of presentation which could bring a change in the
thought process of the people. Many of them had the idea of bringing the
change with the historical characters as the centre point. The freedom struggle
being the recent issue could bring the change in people gave the literature
related great activities. Few such plays which cannot be avoided include
Sammy! writtenby Pratap Sharma brings in front of us the inner voice of
Mahatma Gandhi. The play shows that the method of self-conversation of
Mohan and Mahatma. Similarly, Manjeri Isvaran’s plays Murder At the Prayer
Meeting deals withthe assassination of Mahatma Gandhi are few in the list of
few which explains the influence of the great leaders and the freedom struggle
over the writers and their writings. With reference to the writings with
contemporary method in focus we have writers like, Girish Karnad, Mohan
Rakesh, Badal Sircar, Vijay Tendulkar, Mahesh Elkunchwar, Mahesh Dattani,
Uma Parmeswaram, Mahasweta Devi, and many more. These writers seem to
have developed their writing skill from the point of view of Indian context as
the major source.

With the understanding of the idea of drama and its change over with
time period the study of analysis of the plays of Asif Currimbhoy is done. The
plays of Currimbhoy mention his use and creation of a variety of themes with
the use of history, culture, political, and social concerns. Asif Currimbhoy
presented his plays undoubtedly from the point of view of what he observed.

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Through the study we can consider that his plays are the reaction to all the
situations which he observed. With the initial study understanding of historical
background of wirters is carried out. The study mentions that the writer is being
of the popular theatre writers and was a great follower of Gandhi. This also
makes clear that his mention of the Gandhi and his philosophy has the major
source because of his belief in the philosophy. Currimbhoy has placed many
contemporary elements in his play which helps to trigger the ideas of the
people. The use of the dramatic element which the writer has used to present
his plays creates a difference. The study explores the political plays through An
Experiment with Truth,Goa, and Inquilab which also defined the changing
political agendas within the country. Through the study of Currimbhoy's plays,
we find that he did not try to write from the fictional point of view rather the
use of history, philosophy within the plays takes the readers and viewers back
into the past time zone which could help them to connect easily.

With the start of the study of the political plays of Currimbhoy, the
emergence of the political theatre is also being discussed with its different roles
and agendas. We find that the form and the use of political theatre changed
from time to time and country to country. It was always the focus of presenting
the society and its complexity through these plays. The discussion is also made
on the point as to how the politics used the pattern of plays to create
propaganda also termed as 'Agti-prop'. The sole purpose which can be study
seems to be gaining political power through various medium out of which
theatre was one. These political agendas took a major part in changing from
only propaganda form to Street theatre and finally causing protest. The protest
can be seen to be the starting point for educating the people of the country who
were then the audience.

India is a country with varied cultures and several states working under
one head have a huge source of politics for the changeover. Politics being the
foundation of the country we have several philosophers and their ideas about
political agenda. Yet every political philosopher can be seen to have a varied

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opinion with each other. Through the study of Asif Currimbhoy's play, we find
that the writer has taken the help of major historical events to present his
political opinion. Rather through most of the plays of Currimbhoy we find that
the writer leaves the play in an open-ended form with the idea that the readers
or the viewer will try to find out the solution for the problem he has placed.

The study starts with the play An Experiment with the Truth written by
Currimbhoy in 1972 after a huge gap of the Assassination of Gandhiji. We
throughout the play find that the writer tries to explore the 'experimental' nature
of Gandhiji. Also, the play can be the major political play that records the
incidences among the political leaders. Not just because the play mentions the
political leaders, but the focus turns on how the experimental idea and political
agenda played by the leaders of the country brought about a revolutionary
change is important. The play mentions the great political leaders who played a
major role in developing and changing the political status of the country. The
characters like Gandhi, Ambedkar, Savarkar, Patel, Kasturba gives us glimpses
of the politicians and history which they have created. Also, the writer
mentions many conflicting incidences within the play which takes the help of
historical events like Salt March, Hindu-Muslim unity, Separate Electorate,
etc...The play presents the life of Gandhiji and the people around him and the
working of the agenda for the country and country people. The play is
considered much different as compared to other political plays for the reason as
with the use of 'stream of consciousness'. The writer has written the entire play
in a flashback mode with a stream of consciousness concept which was meant
to be used only in poetry and novel. It is the first time in the playwriting
especially the theatrical art where the idea and the discussion do not flow in a
sequence but, rather jumps from one idea to another. Also through the study,
we find the major conflicting part which is there among the politicians is their
consideration of fasting of Gandhiji as a political agenda to control the country
people.

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 The next play studied is Goa which mentions the political changes and
the effects of these changes on the people. The writer uses the historical event
of India taking over Goa which took place in 1961 and the liberation from the
Portuguese in 1971. The play discusses the disputes being caused by the city
and people. The theme of the play moves around with colour discrimination
and love but seems to find its end with death. The play Goa has a very special
place in Currimbhoy’s collection as it being his first contemporary play to be
performed at Michigan State University. Politics is a factor that gives rise to all
the other factors making conditions more complex. The play mentions that with
the emergence of the Portuguese within Goa where the city was the motherland
for them. With the attainment of freedom and gradually the charges of the
Indian state was taken over it was Goa that had a major impact. This was the
political change that caused an impact. The liberation of Goa from the Portugal
system made a drastic change in the thought process of the people. Through the
study, we find that during the liberation period where the Portuguese
considered Goa as their state was suddenly being declared alien. These orders
of leaving the state and dismissal of the powers of the people caused
delinquency. The characters like Miranda with changeover in the political
strategies wanted to prove her power which she tried in the form of colour
difference. Here we find that the political agendas and racism even though have
no connection with each other yet the power of being white tries to generate
dominance over black. Through this one cannot deny the truth of colonizer and
colonized which has a direct impact on political status. Though the study we
find that the characters like Krishna and Rose being the major sufferer. The
writer has not only created the characters but, symbolically used them so that
the suffering of the class of people can be placed. The study also finds that the
hatred of Miranda towards black colour is at a large extinct were Rose is not an
exception. It is a presentation that the white (colonizer) consider their political
status higher and consider that they could only rule, control, and run the
country which is more prominent through Senhora Miranda. The writer has
mentioned the major change over in the psychology of the people as an

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outcome of political conflict. Through the study of Goa we find and which
cannot be denied as the nasty truth that political change can create many
disturbing relations and resulting in psychological and emotional turmoil.

The next play for the study was Inquilab. The analysis of the play gives
us the idea of the versatility and the use of the dramatic elements of the writer.
In the study of the early play with An Experiment with Truth and Goa, the
political powers which took place with the colonizers are being discussed. This
makes clear that the change was caused by external indulgence, but the
play Inquilab mentions the internal conflict. The play is counted as a political
play as it mentions another important historical event. Inquilab discusses the
Naxalites moment which was popular in the 1960s in the regions of West
Bengal. The play gives the details about the political conflict which was caused
within the students and the political powers. The writer has given the play a
complete political face with the use of characters, scenery, and elements. The
use of the slogans, symbolic use of the Mao hammer and sickle, and the
conditions created throughout the play brings before us the true-life event of
the political fight. Through the study, we also conclude that the real problems
within the country started when the ruling powers were given to the class of
people so that they could solve the problems of the mediocre and poor citizens
of the country.

These powers created a class of people called Zamindar’s, who had a

major role to help the country's people. But, as said and being the truth that
politics brings power within the class of people. Through the play, we find that
political agendas that were meant for the betterment of the society and people
rather turned on to be a disadvantage for them. The zamindars became more
financially strong and the poor were the sufferer. In short, we find that the
richer became richer and the poor as poorer. The fight between the self-formed
political parties of the college students who wanted to work for poor people can
be seen to gain powers over the philosophical and social placed norms. In
short, they can be seen to follow the same route of power. The fight among the

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philosophical ideas of violence and non-violence is so strong within the play
that the reader and viewer are presented with the flush of events. Again this
concept of violence and non-violence is the mention of the influence of
Gandhian thoughts on the writer. Whether the philosophy worked or not but,
mention of made the play historical and political at same time.

Denial of the Gandhian philosophy of adapting non-violence against

violence brings into light the changing state of society. The values of life for
younger generations are to fight and get rights. Through the play, we also find
that politics have created a great change over in the minds of the young
generation which is directionless and purposeless. The play also studies that the
political powers have not only influenced the college students but, the entire
city where we find the emergence of poverty, hunger, and loss of values being
major. This makes clear that politics was generating a class looking for self-
interest.

The greatest feature which can be studied through the plays of Asif
Currimbhoy is his use of different techniques for the first time in theatre art and
on the international stage. His use of dialogues and presentation of the stage
created a huge impact on the audience. Also, the political plays which were
meant for propaganda to protest through the writing of Currimbhoy can be seen
to present the true face of the powers and indirectly tries to impart a vision on
the audience with regards to their rights. Also, the detailing of the plays of
Currimbhoy mentions the use of treating the audience more psychologically.
The act of creating the emotion among the audience calls on him for the great
theatre writer. Through the study, we also find that the event ends with death.
The death may be of the protagonist or other character. But all the characters
for Currimbhoy are equally important and hence a changeover is made. His
vision of country people, their life, sufferings, and the expression of the
solution to it makes the study clear regarding hope. Even though the writer uses
the dark side of the life of pain and suffering causing death yet the hope to

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receive good never ends. The play ends with much optimistic idea to take over
equality among the country people.

With the start of the study of plays of Mahesh Elkunchwar the focus is
made to understand the historical background of the writer. The study also
deals with understanding the role of the writer to present the structure of the
society closely. Study of Mahesh Elkunchwar’s plays brings the female identity
presented in his plays in focus. The writer portrays the female identity under
the patriarchal bindings. During the study the selected plays of the writer are
considered. The plays selected are having variation in its background which
ranges from the discussion of the urban and the rural areas. The norms which
are discussed during the study present the writer offering different cultural and
geographical concerns. The change in economy and the altered conditions of
the people with time lapse is being focused. The women and their changing
role with changing conditions and the effect of the social, political, cultural and
economic status becomes the focus point of the study. The female characters
presented in the pays of Mahesh Elkunchwar are belonging to variety of class
zones. Few of them been from the part of urban while the other from the rural
area, yet the conditions of the female characters presented are almost the same
which focus on their detoriating conditions. These sufferings of the women are
the universal truth against all geographical, social, economic and cultural
norms

The plays studied give a discourse on the patriarchy and the constructed
standards of the society and the male towards the female characters. The study
explores the unexplored layers of the female class and with it talks about the
affected life of the female characters due to the patriarchal norms. The play by
Mahesh Elkunchwar articulates not only the single role of female through the
play, but rather explores many folded parts of a single female with different
roles at each point. We also, through the play study explore the point of
changing role of female characters from time to time with every factor. These
changing roles finds much critical study which explains the fact that the female

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does not have a stagnant role and ass compared to other male character it
always changes. The change in the role of the female is not the resultant of the
social and the cultural norms but, rather a major psychological change which
the women undergoes to fulfil all the wishes of the society and its constructed
norms is being presented. The patriarchy is always structured and followed in
the form of an ideology. The study focuses on the study of such plays which
represents the major change in the female characters as a resultant of the
surrounding changes, which is controlled by their own psyche rather than any
other individual. The study focused on the plays Wada Chirebandi (Old Stone
Mansion), Garbo and Desire in the Rocks (Vasanakand). The study is made
from the point of contemporary view. The female characters presented through
the plays display various subject of problems and the solution for the same
given by them respectively. The major characters discussed through the study
are Dadi, Aai, Vahini, Anjali, and Prabha, through Wada Chirebandi. Garbo
and Lalita being the solo female characters presented in the plays Garbo and
Desire in the Rocks respectively.

Through Wada Chirebandi the writer has presented the complex

systems and the beliefs which the female characters in the play follow. The
characters like Dadi, Aai, are being presented to a class where the culture has
been given the priority. The culture and its norms meant the change of these
female characters and their rules with time change. The writer presents both the
characters which we can find almost at every part of the country. Both are so
much engrossed in the male systems and norms of the society that from the
early age they seems to be depend on the male characters of the house for their
roles. Dadi being the oldest person in the house was completely dependent on
Tatyaji (her son) and later unknowingly on Chandu (grandson). Aai on other
hand is sufferer indirectly in the hands of her son’s and society which never
allowed her to place her decision. During her martial life she was under control
of Tatyaji and later under Sudhir and Parag. This did not allow her to even take
a basic decision for her daughter’s life regarding her education. She is also
shown to be the person with most changing role who carries the complete play.

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With the death of Tatyaji suddenly changes Aai from being the active member
of the wada to just being a passive listener and handing away all the charges to
daughter-in- law. These characters are victimized more emotionally through
social verdict as placing them into inferior class.

The theme of being insensitivity towards female is through loneliness

and gender discrimination with ‘Prabha’ as the centre focus. She is controlled
by her father at the early age and later by her brothers. Not allowing the basic
right of education under the norm of culture and system of gender is the cause
of her suffering. The writer has presented that even though the geographical
and the life style changes yet, the role of the women never changes through
‘Anjali’ who is indirectly presented as an individual to be under male
dominance. Throughout the study of the play we find that Anjali’s husband is
dependent on her completely for his daily routine and medicine being
completely physically well. But it gradually turns on the condition that she
even though being working women under the name of care and duties was
binded by the social norms to be fulfilled every day. The fall down of the
modernized classified character is ‘Ranju’. Through the study we find that the
female characters are not the member having single role but, carry multiple
roles within a short span of life which is considered as their sole duty.

As patriarchy becomes an important part of the change in a female role,

similarly their status symbol also concentrates on the element of sexuality and
violence which they suffer. The elements also define the economic status of the
female characters. The theme is being presented in the play Garbo where
Garbo being the central and only female character within the play influences all
the other male characters. The study explores that Garbo is the sufferer from a
sexual and economic point of view. The male characters like Shrimant consider
every female to be a sexual toy and their major role only is to fulfil the desires
of the male. The play also discusses the deteriorating role of the female through
Garbo, which explained that when a woman is being enjoyed by a male she
becomes useless. While the women like Garbo who for their economic status

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have to depend on the male regardless of all exploitation. For money and
maintaining the inflow of currency, they are indulged in prostitution and
always being exploited. A psychological change also is seen through Garbo. It
is not always the woman as the sufferer rather it is also focusing on the idea
that the woman can change the entire situation when her psychology changes.
From being a sex symbol to entering into the role of a mother the character has
complete command over the male characters. The female being gifted with the
nature of creation also has the ability of destruction is being discussed.
Through the study, we find that as the role of female changes her psychology
gradually changes and deviates over from the powerless to the powerful. She
also can create, giving identity to the male character which is completely her
wish. Garbo being a sufferer at her very early stage is shown to deny the
identity of the men as they can easily take control over her. Apart from
sexuality and desires, the theme of violence and murder is also highlighted. The
play depicts that ego and thought process of the male characters creates a
psychological change in Garbo resulting in murder. Here the murder is the
resultant of the fact where the men consider a woman cannot take over her own
decision and be independent. But, Garbo apart from the character of Wada
Chirebandi is facetious, licentious but, at the same time cruel enough to kill her
unborn child for the sake of her own identity.

The ideas of freedom, liberation are being presented by many writers

through generation. But with these major themes the idea of loneliness is
represented by Mahesh Elkunchwar through Desire in the Rocks. The insight
into the understanding of the themes defines that the freedom and liberation
gives the person their identity and the enables the person as the decision maker.
Yet, the contrasting feature is created through the play is the generation of the
loneliness and rather the loss of freedom within new zones. Through the study,
we find that Garbo can be called to be a bold attempt with the use of dialogue
and the technique of presentation. But Desire in the Rocks moves ahead and
describes the raw passion of the characters without the consideration of the
relationship they carry.

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 The play runs within two characters with some symbolic presentation
which gives the idea that women are used at each and every stage. The only
idea which 'Lalita' through the play follows is finding of freedom and love. But,
the patriarchal characters Hemakant controls her is always in want of the fame
that he could directly or indirectly get from her. The theme of ‘desire’ here
presented becomes the sole factor of the suffering of the female character. The
desire of Hemakant to capture Lalita's every body part and emotions in the
rocks describes his cruel and selfish mentality as a person, which is also the
bitter truth of the society. For the same fame, we find that Lalita (sister of
Hemakant) is fined who was actually since her young age in search of freedom.
The false idea of love that the male characters have created brings a complete
fall down. Without much consideration of the emotional and psychological
factors of a female Lalita is just being used up against all the cultural norms.

The play also presents the harsh reality of the female characters who
suffer from history to the contemporary period. In search of finding the
identity, freedom the female remains under the control of the male
unknowingly which they feel is their fate. The negative part of the female
character which when studied seems to be her idea was the search for freedom
by Lalita is shown with the control of the male character which is offered and
permitted by her.

The writer through his play has presented the deciphering role of the
female characters in the urban and the rural culture with the flow of the rituals.
The patriarchy is the centre point for ages, but, through the study, we find that
not only always the women suffer. Rather, with the change of psychology the
male characters can be more sufferers as their sole identity is based on the
female character.

The society provides the human their identity. This identity is created by
the force of the norms. Yet, with changing conditions, these norms may at the
time become a cause of the problem for the society and its people. The writers
like Asif Currimbhoy and Mahesh Elkunchwar being among the class of people

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who believed in presenting realistic situations through their plays discusses
openly the social issues. The popularity of the writers can be thought of with
the study of the plays were through a single play the writers presented several
factors. Asif Currimbhoy being a person who believed and followed in
Gandhian philosophy through his plays wanted to present the idea of different
suffering which the country was facing after independence. His
play Goa studies the political conflict but is also presents social issues like rape
and colour discrimination. The study mentions that colour discrimination was
never an idea for the Indian society. The concept of colour discrimination
emerged when the colonisers entered the country. The idea of blacks and
whites started which later on changed into rulers and ruled ones. The colour
discrimination through the plays of Asif Currimbhoy mentions also the factor
that colour created deeply rooted hatred factors within the Indian mental status
as well.

The idea of creating powers and control is so strong among the

individual that one can commit the crime to attain power. The power of
controlling the mind of people is being presented by Currimbhoy through the
play, where even loss of motherhood takes place. Rape which is thecruellest
factor of the society among the gender mentions about the loss of identity. The
rape of Rose by Krishna itself mentions that when the changeover in the
thought process takes place the idea of controlling rules the mind. The idea to
get something and proving is the major factor where the crime occurs. Goa also
presents the difference in the mannerism of speech which is generated with the
changing society. The use of rough and impolite words toward each other
presents the complete loss of ethics of the society. The idea of being together
now has completely changed and the human are only meant to love self.

Currimbhoy’s An Experiment with Truth mentions the inhuman

behaviour which the individual suffer even within the times of Gandhi.
Gandhiji throughout the play is being presented as experimental but, lacks the
idea of looking and understanding the people close around him. Caste is always

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an important factor since ages which has grabbed the ideas of many writers.
The writer through the play has not mentioned directly reading caste
discrimination yet, the close study of the play finds the mentioning and the
suffering of the individual. Caste discrimination is being presented which
reveals the bitter truth that even though any political strategy is being created
the face of the people was divided through class formation. This class conflict
of being called as ‘Harijans’ who never miss the opportunity of getting tortured
in all forms and at times are used up by the so called higher class during the
period. The play also presents the inability of the human to control the mental
and emotional state of people.

The next play for the study was The Hungry One’s. It can be considered
as one of the exceptional writing of Currimbhoy. Through the play, the writer
has presented varied social issues. One can look at the presented problems as
the truth of the society which works around us. The title itself clarifies the idea
of the human need and their desperation for search. The role of searching for
true India through two Beatniks presents the idea that every human being has a
hunger at every point. The search to find the poor and suffered India and its
people was for the Beatniks. This indicates that the coloniser even though left
the country yet, the idea continues where the country people are always
considered and imagined to be the sufferer. On the other hand, the writer tried
to present the fact that the suffering of the country's people never ended and the
hunger for food and humanity being the major. The people presented in the
play presents the true face of the country today also. Idea of Hunger and lust
being the chief factor that caused a drastic change within the country. With the
study of the play, we find that the writer has presented unusual hunger. It was
not only hunger for the food but, also meant hunger of understanding the
country, its people, hunger for love, the hunger of religion, huger of customs,
etc… The hunger and fascination of the wrong have corrupted the young minds
that directly or indirectly are unable to look at the problems of the country like
starvation, poverty, exploitation of the poor people, death due to hunger, and
lack of facilities. Currimbhoy through the play The Hungry One’s has ridiculed

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the generation and their thought process. The students of the college are shown
to be comparing the two Beatniks with that of the Swami and Maulvi. The idea
of comparing the two foreigners with the Indian saints is unjust which defines
the meaningless life of the students searching for. The way of speech and the
dialogues between the two fascinates the students so much so that suddenly the
Beatniks gain popularity. The idea which the Beatniks presents before the
students is completely a fake thought process where the two show of that they
have completely understood the country and can comment on it now openly.
These complexities of the ideas make the writer’s perception clear that the
generation and their thought process have been corrupted.

The study also mentions and finds that the play discusses about the
racial discrimination. The conversation between the two Beatniks where they
seems to criticise each other presents the racial problem .The conflict occurs
among them only as one being dark and the other being white. The two are also
shown to discuss on the issues of the Hindu-Muslim conflict which was always
a burning criteria for the people.

Through the study, one cannot deny the truth as the play being one of
the major social realistic plays which also define the bitter truth of the society
with creation of generation with lack of emotion, purposelessness, and inability
to make decisions. The writer as being popular for his use of the techniques
through the play has presented the use of parallel and contrast. Where at one
part of the play the writer presents the class of yogis and their practice of yoga
and meditation on the other part there are mention of the people who are
suffering as they do not have food. With the start of the play the parallel and
contrast nature works. The two Beatniks practice the act of mediation to attract
the audience but, the people of the country love to watch the act of monkey
performed by beggars. The reason for the same can be idealised as to that
people always like to watch suffering more by ignoring to give the solution to
it. The contrast between the man and woman beggar is being presented where
the man’s body is injured and deformed while the woman is beautiful. The play

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presents the parallel and contrast with the idea of culture with Prayer and
Namaz. The act of fasting, medication and providing food to the hungry people
all presents that even the cultures and practices are different the act of finding
good is always common. The end of life within the play presents the end of the
hungry spirit. The play is also unusual for it presents how the common features
can be counted on when we study two different religions and culture which
only talks about humanity and God in common.

The study of the Mahesh Elkunchwar’s play brings before us a new

world of humans. This is the world with happy faces but, being torn out
emotionally. We humans when think about society surrounding us can only
find to have a normal and control the play of nature. It always appears that the
part which every human plays for the family will be good enough without
actually taking into consideration the future. Elkunchwar through the plays
never directly mentioned something to be talked of future but, the fact can be
opened up through the close study of the plays. His plays are being written
from real-life situations that he might have seen or read.

Feature of man-woman relationship being one of the prominent factors

of his play that defines truth of the society. Being equal in status as an
individual the fact remains different that the two are not treated as the same.
Rather, the female being considered lower in status is the age-old tradition and
condition of the country which made the women weaker. Yet, the plays of
Elkunchwar do not give the women a pity face, and rather his female characters
remind of the Shakespearean female characters. The women presented are
strong, educated, emotionally charged, and have the ability to take their own
decision. The relation of man and women through his writings generates
equality where now the women are not only the sufferer. His play Garbo is a
compilation of the number of emotions and issues working at a point. Women
play the central role in changing these man women relations. At one point we
find that Garbo for the trio is just a matter of desire fulfilment while with
developing play the idea of giving identity changes the psyche of trio. Also, the

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search for identity which is a crucial issue being presented in the play presents
the reality of the society where every individual tries to find out himself/herself
and create their identity. But, with this search, society has changed in many
factors, and rather we are living a corrupt life. The search may be at the cost of
love, emotionally value, identity loss, motherhood, etc…Here the loss of moral
values is the source of understanding the relationship. The respect towards each
other is just for the sake of gaining the profits. The idea of creating identity
promotes the individual to undergo all sorts of immortal constructions which
also disables the human ability to maintain ethics. The sexual relationship and
gay relationships have now turned into very common ethics for the people.
This gay relationship which is not usually discussed openly became a point of
discussion through the study of play Garbo. The relationship of Shrimant and
Garbo, Pansy and Garbo, Intuc and Garbo and with climax the relationship of
Shrimant and Pansy presents the corrupt life. This purposeless and corrupt life
finally ends up with death of Garbo physically and mentally and emotionally of
the trio. Here, the writer has not presented one death but, through close study
two murders take place within the play. Garbo, killing her child is an issue of
foeticide which has again become a common problem of society. Here, the
writer presents the raw truth that the concept of motherhood has changed
completely, and self-fulfilment being major agenda. With this human killing,
the play presents loss of human thought process and ethics of being even called
as human.

Elkunchwar being a writer for the people gave a clear idea about his
thought process through his play with the beginning of the title only. His
play Yugant defines the end of a complete society where the human does not
consider each other and live a purposeless and selfish life. The play connects
the past, present, and the future cleverly where it presents that the past action of
any human can cause an effect on present situations and finally the future is
only darkness. The single act of Parag by cutting of trees which are being
presented in the triology gives glimpses of the suffering. The disturbed future
through Bala mentions the point clear that we human and the deeds of the

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human are connected to each other. The play is more a philosophical
presentation where the ideas of the good and bad, suffering idea of cleaning the
body, mind and majorly the sole are mentioned. We human-only think about
using up nature and its elements without a thought of returning something good
to it. This selfish idea of humans has been presented in the play where
deforestation is being discussed. The act of gaining money is so important for
the human that without it power cannot be gained. For the same reason, we
usually destroy nature. But, nature being crucial for human existence plays its
role and surprise the human society with the conditions like drought, or famine.
Here the drought brings about the loss of complete society, where humans have
turned into animals. The idea of purgation among the characters within the play
creates hope for civilization.

The next play for the study mentions about the class of young
generations. Through Garbo it was being a discussion about the adult class and
their life with Yugant and Pond giving an idea about the society with emotional
concern for the environment. However through the study of Holi it presents the
disturbed minds of the generation. The study of the play mentions the class of
college and hostel surrounding where everything seems to be good. But the
writer presented the bitter truth which takes place within these campus areas.

The age of characters presented the society as purposeless,

psychologically disturbed, sick minds, and culturally impractical. The idea of
generating oneself in society hampers the complete thought process of an
individual. This thought process where the individual considers oneself to be
right and the rest as wrong. We find that the writer has presented the truth of
the society where the purpose of life of students is not clear. The creation of the
scenery and the geographical background gives the glimpses of the culture
where one can get the identity. But the student’s presented are corrupted with
their blank thought process. They are found to talk about culture and ethics
openly which was completely against each other’s idea. We also see the fact of
people creating a surrounding around them like themselves. The culture is

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being talked from the point of view of revenging each other where ones culture
is said to be higher and more popular than other. This can be the barriers where
they do not accept the truth and accept each other because of their blocked
psychology. The disturbed minds end up with murder and death where the
unexpected cruelty of life is discussed. The horrible gay relations which are
created are proof of the deteriorating condition of society. The writer has
created the play more symbolically where the festive of colour changes into the
colour of death.

Through the study of the plays of both the writers, we cannot try to
make a comparison with each other as both of them have their ways of
presenting. Both the writers have different geographical, social and cultural
norms. The time factor when the two were/are active also varies. With
difference in the though process and the pattern of writing the two have created
a difference in the art form. Currimbhoy and Elkunchwar call on the write with
different techniques that enable the readers and the viewers to look into society
and to talk about actual problems. The understanding of the region, culture,
religion, and tradition accordingly has made both the writers exceptional
among the theatre art. Frank nature of use of speech through their dialogues,
the use of words and the displaying features, technology rules over the minds
of the audience. Their discussion about the facts of the society where one
hesitates to discuss is being discussed openly. The idea of poverty, class
discrimination, race, political agenda, orthodox culture, ruling nature of one
over another, motherhood, foeticide, killing, immoral relationships, etc...
defines the ability of the writer's. It's not only the idea to write but to educate or
at least make the people knowledgeable about their conditions being the sole
purpose through their writings. Their use of versatile theme, presentation
techniques, philosophy being discussed, and creation of scenes enlightens the
mastery of two over their art forces. It also mentions the human emotions the
two carry for society and the people. Even though we find the plays to be too
practical yet it has created a different aurora among society. The two can be
said to be contemporary with their thought process of looking at the society and

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presenting the problems. Both the writers independently through the writing
mention about the problems and leave it up to their audience and readers to find
the solution for the same.

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