In a first-of-its-kind initiative to preserve the scripts of plays performed by various mobile theatres of Assam, the Asam Sahitya Sabha, the state’s apex literary body, announced that they will publish the plays.

Sabha president Paramananda Rajbongshi addressing a presser here said, “Mobile theatrics is not only a source of entertainment but also, it is a powerful medium for popularizing the local languages. Each mobile theatre group has been performing three plays every year but there is no effort in preserving them. So, we thought of preserving them and came up with this initiative.”

“Our Vaishnavite saint Srimanta Shankardev asked the xatradhikaris to write and enact plays in their xatras. They enacted plays but as there was no initiative to preserve them, they got lost forever. We don’t want that to happen to the plays of our mobile theatres,” Rajbongshi added.

Also, the Sabha from this year will honour one person for his lifelong contribution to the mobile theatre industry. This year, Krishna Roy producer of Abahan Theatre will be honoured for his lifelong contribution and the awards ceremony will be held at Natya Mandir in Nalbari district of Assam on August 11th, 2019.

Guwahati | First Published: Aug 10, 2019