DOGRA HERALD BUREAU
Srinagar 22nd May, 2024
Natrang with the support of Chief Electoral Office of UT of J&K and District Election offices of Anantnag and Shopian staged five shows of Balwant Thakur’s highly acclaimed play ‘Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra’ under the SVEEP aimed at motivating voters for a greater participation for a stronger democracy. The shows were held at Govt. Degree College, Shopian, Govt. Degree College, Zainapora (Shopian), Boys Higher Secondary School, Bijbehara (Anantnag), Govt College For Women, Anantnag and Boys Higher Secondary School, Doru (Anantnag). The jam packed audiences at each venue were enthralled by watching the highly professional performances of Natrang actors who through their mind blowing motivational messages inspired everyone to vote for the nation. Theatre is the most effective medium of instruction and it has the magical power to engage its audience in such a manner that everyone becomes the ambassador of the messages and ensures disseminating the same all over. On the occasion Natrang Director Balwant Thakur thanked the Chief Electoral Officer Sh. Pandurang K. Pole and the respective District Development Commissioners of Anantnag and Shopian for the opportunity.
The play ‘Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra’ opens with the aggression of the disillusioned, frustrated youth who are struggling to survive in the contaminated air of corruption, scandals and dishonesty. They do not see any hope in the future as their present is being rotten by the corrupt system. They want to devastate everything around them in rage but when questioned by an educated person that ‘what are they doing to come out of this unfortunate situation?. Busy in their illusionary world created by the social media, they are speechless as they just want the things to happen but are not ready to be part of that change and want everything without making any required effort. Terming them as the most vibrant human resource of the world, the educated person prompts them to come forward, take the command and change their fate. The most effective way of changing the fate of a country is the way of voting, this is the highly peaceful and effective way to bring big reforms of their choices. As the play proceeds, different age groups and varied sections of people are shown in satirical manner who have their petty reasons to not vote and also whom to vote. This ignorance and arrogance of the masses leaves huge space for the vested interests to exploit this situation. Through this play all the sections of society are prompted not to run away from their ultimate responsibility of voting for the stronger democracy of India. Vote has the only and ultimate power to change the fate of the country and everyone through this play is motivated to ensure that this right of voting of every citizen should not go waste. Let’s pledge to vote!
The artists who participated in the play Loktantra Ka Asli Mantra included Neeraj Kant, Subash Jamwal, Mohd. Yaseen, Brijesh Avtar Sharma, Vishal Sharma, Palshin Dutta, Mihir Gujral, Priya Kashyup, Aadesh Dhar, Kushal Bhat, Sanket Bhagat, Amit Rana, Arun Sharma, Vandana Thakur and Vansh Pandotra. The music of the play was operated by Vansh Pandotra and Mihir Gujral.
