The relevance of  the Operas of Mall Singh Rampuri in Punjabi Drama

 

          In the history of drama in Punjab, Indian People Theatre Association (IPTA) is an organization that used drama and theatre as a vehicle of the problems of the masses. The organization adopted Punjabi theatre at such a time when the drama and theatre of Punjab had been limited to the towns, metropolitan cities, colleges and auditoriums of the universities by the middle class persons under the influence of middle class. On the one hand there was continuos increase in the crises being faced by the masses due to anti-people of the Indian State, on the other, the theatre that should have reached directly to the people became limited to some circles due to its limited approach and experience. During such a difficult period, the IPTA gave voice to the sufferings of the masses linking the drama-theatre with its aims, was in itself a historic task. However, the tragedy was that the organization that gave expression to the crises of the common people relegated to the margin itself remained at the margin. Neither  its directors and founders penned down its historic task nor the explorers-critics of drama-theatre paid any attention in this direction. In this whole context  IPTA was given little consideration  that was limited to some of its selected IPTA actors. On the whole there are a few names like Sheila Bhatia, Joginder Bahrala, Tera Singh Chann and to some extent Jagdish Fryadi by virtue of whom IPTA tradition has been alive in our memories. Many names went to the margin. Mall Singh Rampuri ,Daleep Singh Masat, Harnam Singh Naroola, Narinder Dusanjh etc. are the names who devoted whole of their lives to the pro-people theatre. They not only wrote Operas but staged them thousands times  for decades. However, it is a matter of regret that nobody (even the leftist thinkers and intellectuals) recognized their historic task. These mass actors were marginalized themselves as well as their works were thrown in to the dustbin of oblivion. Full chapter of Punjabi drama-theatre remained untouched by any study and evaluation.

Mall Singh Rampuri is such a theatre worker and committed actor who recognized the social mystery of literature by adopting the purposeful theatre of IPTA. Consciously accepting the literature(drama-theatre) as a vehicle of social consciousness he recognized the class character of literature by rejecting the concept of literature beyond society (literature for the sake of literature). He has spent half a century of his life as a pen-warrior and an actor. He made the agonies of the masses the medium of his works by arming himself with the mass consciousness. He made them popular among the common people by using a rather complicated medium of Opera-Theatre. Even today this determined warrior is committed to his creative practice  with the same zeal.

 The book in hand came into being as a result of an effort of searching many layers of his operas, his process of creation and his personality. In its first part his diction and subject matter have been analyzed. In  the second part original text of his operas has been given so that the readers may have a glimpse of those Operas which once gave a new identity and form to the rural theatre of Punjab. The third part has recorded the comments of Dr.Raghveer Singh Sirjana and of Rampury himself in the form of the prefaces of the first editions of the Operas. These comments not only bring into light many ramifications of the creative process of Rampuri but also expose a lot of things in the form of paraphrase pertaining to the logic and clarity of the writer’s vision active in the background of his literary approach and the process of literary  creation. At the end of this part a lengthy interview with Mall Singh Rampuri has been recorded which simultaneously defines many theoretical, technical and practical complicacies of opera genre, searches many layers of Rampuri’s self respecting personality and does daring comments on the contemporary political, social conditions. Although these comments cannot be considered a history but may provide a basis for understanding, holding dialogue and to initiate a logical discussion from an objective angle about the history of that period. This interview has not only highlighted the political opposition among the revolutionary sections but also exposed the bitter reality of their factionalism, selfishness and self-interests. It has also revealed the self respecting and weak aspects of Rampuri’s personality itself.

 

Mall Singh Rampuri is great in his work. Even today he is engaged in doing something. The repetition of pseudonym ‘Zindabad’ in his talk is a sign of his being vivacious. It is a matter of satisfaction for all of us. Let us rinse once again such revolutionary heritage a fresh, hold dialogue again and recognize the limitations and possibilities of the past revolutionary struggles and decide further direction. This is the aim of this book. My effort will bear fruit if this book becomes the basis of such sort of deliberation or dialogue.