Preparations underway for 10th Barnam national drama festival at Biswanath Chariali

A CORRESPONDENT

BISWANATH CHARIALI: The 10th Barnam Mrinalini Sharma National Drama Festival will be organized with a four-day long programme from January 9 to 12 by Barnam, a leading theatre group of Biswanath Chariali with financial assistance from the Ministry of Culture, New Delhi, at Kamalakanta Natya Samaj Kshetra, here. The ceremony will be inaugurated by the family of Naren Sharma, the main patron of the festival on day one.

A total of ten plays will be staged by the theatre groups from various parts of the country including Punjab, Delhi, West Bengal, Silchar, Morigaon, Bihpuriya, Dhemaji, and Biswanath Chariali during the four days of the festival. Cultural University of Punjab, Bathinda, will stage 'The Great Raja Master Drama Company,' 'Ram Vijay' (Ankia Nat) will be staged by Barnam, 'Chor' by Bhabikale, Silchar, 'Tritiya Prahar' by Anushilan, Bihpuriya, 'Phalgudhara' by Shailpik, Biswanath, 'Meghmallar' by Mridangam, West Bengal, 'Out Damned Spot!' by Nirvana Arts Foundation, New Delhi, 'Ami Meye' by Jugagni, West Bengal, 'Tadanta' by Lalilang, Morigaon, while Vidya the Living Theatre, Dhemaji, will stage 'Shukurmani.'

During the second, third, and fourth day of the festival, the stage will be opened by Jyoti Chitraban Chairperson Vidya Sagar, JNV Biswanath Principal Dev Prasad Verma, and social worker Snigdha Goswami, respectively. Coinciding with the ceremony, this year's 'Kalyan Kumar Barnam Bandhab Samman 2026' will be conferred on noted actor Chitta Saikia while seven eminent theatre personalities from different parts of Assam, namely Rajiv Kro, Kripal Kalita, Pabitra Barua, Jyoti Prasad Bhuyan, Kishor Chakraborty, Biplab Bora, and Asim Kumar Nath will be conferred with Nat Sainik awards.

A symposium on 'Relevance of mobile theatre in present times and its future' will be held in collaboration with Biswanath College of Education on January 10 which will be attended by Hillol Kumar Pathak, Atul Majumdar, Rantu Sharma, and Mrinmoy Bhuyan. A book of children's plays will also be released by noted dramatist Pankaj Jyoti Bhuyan on the occasion on January 9.

Also Read: Assam Education Minister Attends Golden Stage Circle Drama Festival in Gogamukh