Lecture-Demonstration on the Folk Theatre of Bayalata

Experience Sharing by Dr Sahana PinjarLecture-Demonstration on the Folk Theatre of BayalataMonday, 23rd November, 7.00 p.m. - 8.00 p.m.About the SessionDr. Sahana Pinjar will be presenting a live demonstration of the traditional Kannada folk-theatre form of Bayalata through the performance of Girija Kalyana, depicting the divine marriage of Girija (Parvati) and Lord Shiva. The demonstration will showcase the storytelling, acting, dialogue, traditional movements, music, costumes, and theatrical conventions of Bayalata, bringing the story to life for a contemporary audience. The story, written by Dr. Basavaraja Malshati, portrays Girija’s deep devotion and determination to attain Lord Shiva, her penance, and the eventual divine wedding. Through lively characters, expressive acting, traditional music and the energetic style of Bayalata, the narrative unfolds as both a sacred tale and a vibrant theatrical experience. The performance celebrates themes of devotion, love, perseverance and the union of divine energies, while preserving the distinctive visual and performative elements of Karnataka’s folk theatre tradition.CastGirija and Rathi: Dr. Sahana PinjarShiva: Syed Sadiq SManmatha: Nehar AhamadaSutradhara: Anklesh HSarathi: K NagarajMusicTabla: GadhlingappaHarmonium: EraswamiAbout the ArtistsDr. Sahana PinjarA dedicated theatre practitioner, researcher, and CCRT Senior Fellow, Sahana‘s creative practice spans grassroots cultural documentation, indigenous folk traditions, and community-engaged arts. Currently a Syndicate member of Karnataka Folklore University and a former member of Ranga Samaja, she has trained at Ninasam and the National School of Drama, and has a Ph.D. from Bangalore University.She has participated in workshops with the American Bread and Puppet Theatre, and the Swedish Centre of the ITI and SIDA where she learned to apply theatre methodologies to formal education. She also completed an acting workshop based on the Grotowski system by experts from Teatr Zar, Poland, along with a workshop on Lighting and Stage Management by experts from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, England.Having worked with renowned directors, her practice bridges rigorous academic research and social advocacy. She leads youth and children's theatre through Hosapete's 'Bahutva Kala Tanda' and conducts inclusive workshops for marginalised youth. She has been recognised as one of the Deccan Herald Changemakers in 2025, and has received the Ranga Ratna Award 2026, an India Foundation for the Arts’ Kali Kalisu Project Grant 2016 and an HRD Scholarship. Her work serves as a vital conduit for cultural preservation, empowering grassroots traditions and fostering community dialogue.Syed Sadiq SSyed Sadiq S is an actor, director and theatre educator with over 15 years of sustained engagement with theatre in Karnataka. For him, theatre is not merely a performing art but a powerful medium for learning, self-expression, dialogue, connecting with people and communities, and understanding the complexities of human experience.He holds a Master’s degree in Cooperative Management from the University of Mysore and a Master’s degree in Theatre from Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music and Performing Arts University, Mysuru. In 2013–14, he underwent intensive professional theatre training at the Ninasam Theatre Institute, Heggodu.He is based in Hosapete, where he founded Bahutva, an arts organisation committed to introducing theatre to children and young people. Through Bahutva, he works towards creating spaces where young people can experience theatre not simply as performance, but as a process of learning, imagining, communicating and self-discovery.K NagarajK Nagaraj is a stage artist from rural Karnataka. He practices Chowdike, a traditional single-stringed folk instrument and musical storytelling form. The Chowdike is played as a background instrument in praise of the goddess Shakti Devi. Nagaraj grew up surrounded by its sounds and stories, thanks to his family’s enduring dedication to the art form. He writes and performs to create awareness about the social evils that persist in today’s society.Anklesh HWhile pursuing his pre-university course from the Government College in Hosapete, Vijayanagara in Karnataka, Anklesh developed a keen interest in theatre. He trained at the theatre centre Raga Sangama Samkrutika Kala Trust in Hosapete and later, began working as an actor and technician.He has been working in theatre for nearly five years now as an actor, director and assistant director. He has also been part of a theatre group in Karnataka, directing plays and organising theatre workshops and summer camps. Lately, he has begun to focus more heavily on theatre for children and youth. He is interested in traditional leather puppetry and intends to expand its reach through his work.Photo Credits: AzadAbout the FestivalPLAYINTERPLAY is a theatre festival with a difference. It celebrates 50 years of the Inlaks Shivdasani Foundation, bringing together its theatre awardees and scholars to show their work, share their experiences, skills and learnings, and converse on matters of common interest.PLAYINTERPLAY presents plays that are new to Bengaluru. What is different, however, is that it looks back as well as forward, featuring a work of theatre that has been specially revived for the festival and readings of plays that are still to become the finished article.PLAYINTERPLAY does more: it forges connections between its constituent parts — performances, workshops, conversations and experience sharing — emphasising the interplay between thought, learning and practice.See the plays! Apply for the workshops! Join the conversations! Soak in the magic of theatre.About the Artistic Director Anmol Vellani is the founder and former executive director of India Foundation for the Arts, the first independent philanthropic organisation in India devoted exclusively to supporting the arts. He is also the co-founder of Toto Funds the Arts, which nurtures, encourages and rewards new voices and emerging talent in the arts.Anmol did not, however, aspire to become a professional in the field of philanthropy. His early fascination was with the arts, especially theatre and music, and also philosophy, which he studied at the Universities of Poona, Oxford and Cambridge. He taught ethics, logic and the history of philosophy at Elphinstone College, Mumbai, in the 1970s.His writing and talks — on arts entrepreneurship, the creative economy, cultural policy, the role of grant-making foundations, culture and development, arts collaboration and the performing arts, for example — have reflected on the insights he has gleaned from his long engagement with the arts and philanthropy.Anmol has been associated with nearly 50 plays as a director, designer or actor. He has directed theatre productions in different languages and cities. His last two plays — Innocence (2024) and Apne Ghar Jaisa (2022) — have been lauded for their sharp and critical look at contemporary social and political realities in India.