Aikyatan Explained

Aikyatan is a progressive drama group based in Guwahati in Assam founded by humor writer and film critic Pabitra Kumar Deka, historian and former principal of Cotton College Udayaditya Bharali, writer Anil Kumar Deka, noted editor of Assamese daily Asomiya Pratidin Nitya Bora and others in 1976. ^[1] It has produced many memorable plays like Janani, Surjastak, Panchatantra, Sinhasan Khali, Hewers of Coal, Upahar, Night of January 16, and A Doll's House.^{[2] [3] [4]} The play Night of January 16th directed by National award-winning film director Sanjeev Hazarika was also performed for Guwahati Doordarshan on the occasion of World Theatre Day on 27 March 1990.

Formerly, the group was called Naxa Natya Parishad in the late sixties and early seventies. Its most famous stage production was the Assamese adaptation of Bertolt Brecht play Maa (Mother) based on the story of Maxim Gorky in 1974 in Guwahati. The play was translated by Pabitra Kumar Deka, advisor was Kulada Kumar Bhattacharya, direction by Ratna Ojha with music by Bhupen Hazarika.^[5] The People's Art Theatre of Kolkata performed their three famous plays called Kolkatar Hemlet, Mrityuhin Pran and 1799 in Assam under Naxa Natya Parishad in 1974. The plays were directed by Asit Basu with music by Hemango Biswas.

Aikyatan Sangeet Vidyalay, a school for learning western music like guitar, mandolin & violin and Hindustani vocal & tabla, was also formed by Aikyatan. The school was led by music exponents Dr Loknath Subba, Pusparanjan Dey and Kishour Giri for more than two decades. Kalyan Baruah, an acclaimed musician of the country, learned guitar in the music school of Aikyatan during the eighties.^{[6] [7]}

The group was most prominent in the 1970s and 1980s. Since the early 2010s, it has been revived once again by filmmaker Prodyut Kumar Deka, son of Pabitra Kumar Deka, with the production of intimate plays like Jonakar Pohar (Rising of the Moon), The Game of Chess, 27 Gaari Kopah (27 Wagons full of Cotton), Apekhyat etc.^{[8] [9] [10] [11] [12]}

Aikyatan performed a play Coffee Housot Apeksha under the aegis of Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), Assam chapter on the occasion of its platinum jubilee in 2019 at District Library, Guwahati.^{[13] [14]}

Major Productions

Under Naxa Natya Parishad

• 1974 --- Maa (Mother) - Written by Bertolt Brecht, Translation by Pabitra Kumar Deka, Direction by Ratna Oza
• 1974 --- Kolkatar Hemlet - Performed by People's Art Theatre, Kolkata
• 1974 --- Mrityuhin Pran - Performed by People's Art Theatre, Kolkata
• 1974 --- 1799 - Performed by People's Art Theatre, Kolkata

Under Aikyatan

• 1976 --- Dhanani - Written by Ratan Ghosh, Translation by Pabitra Kumar Deka, Direction by Ratna Oza
• 1977 --- Akonihotor Suwoni Desh (Opera) - Written by Tarun Sarma, Direction by Pranjal Saikia
• 1977 --- Jukti Tarko - Written by Albert Camus, Translation & Direction by Dulal Roy
• 1978 --- Janani - Written by Arati Das Boiragi, Direction by Govind Gupta
• 1978 --- Surjastak (Hindi Play) - Written by C R Das, Direction by Govind Gupta
• 1979 --- Asami Hazir (The Man who thought for himself) - Written by Neil Grant, Translation by Pabitra Kumar Deka, Direction by Aikyatan
• 1979 --- Sinhashan Khali - Written by Sushil Singha, Translation & Direction by Krishnamurti Hazarika
• 1980 --- Panchatantra (Opera) - Direction by Garima Hazarika
• 1981 --- Hewers of Coal - Written by Joe Corrie, Translation & Direction by Sanjeev Hazarika
• 1984 --- Upahar - Written by Sharada Kanta Bordoloi, Direction by Aikyatan
• 1984 --- Chorus - Performed by Dipak Sangha, Dibrugarh, Written & Directed by Munin Sharma
• 1985 --- Ramleela (Shadow Play) - Performed by Uday Shankar School of Dance Music Ballet, Kolkata
• 1989 --- Night of January 16th - Written by Ayn Rand, Translation by Utpal Datta, Direction by Sanjeev Hazarika
• 1990 --- Potola Ghar (Dolls House) - Written by Henrik Ibsen, Translation by Padma Borkotoki, Direction by Sanjeev Hazarika
• 1991 --- Mukabhinoy Sandhiya (Pantomime) - Performed by Niranjan Goswami (Kolkata) & Moinul Hoque (Assam)
• 2016 --- Jonakar Pohar (Rising of the Moon) - Written by Lady Gregory, Translation & Direction by Prodyut Kumar Deka
• 2018 --- The Game of Chess - Written by Kenneth Sawyer Goodman, Translation & Direction by Prodyut Kumar Deka
• 2024 --- 27 Gaari Kopah (27 Wagons full of Cotton) - Written by Tennessee Williams, Translation by Suresh Kumar, Direction by Prodyut Kumar Deka

Other Activities

Aikyatan published the book Okonir Saisthakatha on child care written by Dr Gokul Bora, a famous child specialist of the city.

During early eighties, Aikyatan produced a musical album Jonakar Gaan Amio Gaam, comprising ten songs composed by Tarun Sarma. Singers such as Pulak Banerjee, Ridip Dutta, Manisha Hazarika, Mitali Choudhury, Ashim Hazarika etc lent their voices to the songs. The recitation was done by actor Kamal (Rana) Sarma.

See also

• Pabitra Kumar Deka
• Prodyut Kumar Deka

Notes and References

1. Web site: Noted scribe, writer Pabitra Kr Deka dead.
2. Web site: Krisnamurty Hazarika No More. kothasobi.com. 2016-02-04.
3. News: AT News. Heaping praise on Pabitra Kr Deka. www.assamtimes.com. 21 January 2018.
4. Web site: ‘Exclusive interview with the actor Jayanta Das’.
5. Web site: ‘Modern Assamese Drama’.
6. Web site: ‘Kishour Giri : The Lone Crusader Departs’.
7. Web site: ‘Icons of Assam : KALYAN BARUAH’.
8. Web site: ‘Jonakar Pohar’ staged at Surya.
9. Web site: Aikyatan's play ‘Apekhyat’ successfully staged.
10. Web site: ‘A Game of Chess’.
11. Web site: ‘Sight & Sound’.
12. Web site: ‘Assamese Adaptation of 27 Wagons Full of Cotton Staged in Guwahati’.
13. Web site: ‘IPTA platinum jubilee’.
14. Web site: ‘IPTA Drama Festival Held at Guwahati’.