Chanda Bedni: A traditional tale with a social message
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Lucknow: The UP Sangeet Natak Akademi witnessed a captivating performance of the play Chanda Bedni on Wednesday, bringing to life a poignant folk tale that highlighted pressing social issues through traditional art forms.
The production, organised by Bhartendu Natya Academy, marked the culmination of a 30-day summer workshop.
Written by Vijay Bahadur Srivastava and directed by Neeraj Khushwaha, the play masterfully blended traditional musical instruments—such as the dhol, nakkara, harmonium, and clarinet—with dialogues in the Awadhi language. The story focused on the Bedni tribe of Madhya Pradesh, where women traditionally earn their livelihood through singing and dancing, while the men typically do not work.
"Through this production, we aimed to not only showcase the rich cultural heritage of Nautanki but also promote the Awadhi language while addressing pertinent social issues," said director Khushwaha.
The narrative followed the tragic love story of Chanda and Lakhan, whose relationship becomes a casualty of political conspiracies and entrenched casteism. The plot underscored how their pure love was crushed by social hierarchies, with Chanda's identity as a member of the Bedni community emerging as a major barrier.
The performance was attended by notable personalities, including Akademi president Rati Shankar Tripathi and director Bipin Kumar.
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