Naga-Mandala by Girish Karnad, Play Screening 

This blog is part of the thinking activity task of the play screening of Naga-Mandala by Girish Karnad, which is assigned by Prof. Kavisha Aalagia Ma'am.

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Q.-1.|How did the setting and stage design in the YouTube play contribute to your understanding of the story and its themes? Did it enhance or detract from your interpretation of the original text's setting?

Answer:

The setting and stage design in the YouTube play of "Naga-Mandala" by Girish Karnad really helped to grasp the story and its themes better. Seeing the visual representation of the rural Indian village where the story takes place made it easier to imagine the characters' lives and understand their struggles.

The clever use of lighting and sound effects in the YouTube play brings out the magical realism aspect of the story, making the themes more accessible to the audience. 

Furthermore, the staging choices emphasized important themes, like the clash between tradition and modernity, which made the story more meaningful. Seeing how the characters interacted with their environment helped to connect with the deeper messages of the play.

Overall, the setting and stage design enhanced the interpretation of the original text's setting. They provided a visual context that enriched the understanding of the story and its themes, making the YouTube play adaptation a truly engaging experience.

Q.-2.|Were there any significant differences from how you imagined them while reading the text? Mention them.

Answer:

There are many differences between the YouTube play and the original text of Naga-Mandala, and here are some major ones.

The first difference is the character of Man. In the text, Man had the knowledge that if he doesn't wake up this night, he will die, so he appears a bit worried, whereas in the YouTube play, Man doesn't seem to be worried at all, as this detail is not mentioned.

The text also mentions characters like Flames (Flame-1, 2, 3, 4, and New Flame), Story, and Song, while the YouTube play does not include these characters.

In the text, Kurudavva's character appears somewhat serious, while in the YouTube play, her character is portrayed as more lively and exciting.

Kappana's name is also shown as Kallu in the YouTube play.

The text presents three different endings, while the YouTube play only offers one ending.

Q.-3.|Discuss any cultural or historical elements presented in the YouTube play that were not explicitly mentioned in the original text. How did these additions enrich your understanding of the narrative?

Answer:

In the YouTube play, when Rani and Naga are in a sexual relationship, Man and Flames express that they don't want to intrude on anyone's privacy; they refrain from exposing anyone's private affairs to the public. In the next moment, however, they reveal that this is not a love relationship; instead, it is deemed immoral and illegal, not a connection between two humans but between a human and a snake. This context is absent in the original text.

This moment illustrates the conservative and judgmental mindset prevalent in typical Indian society.

Q.-4.|Overall, how did watching the YouTube play enhance or change your understanding of "Nagamandala" as a literary work? What insights did you gain from experiencing the story visually that you may have missed while reading the text alone?

Answer:

While reading the text, we cannot fully visualize any situation, whereas a YouTube play provides us with a complete visualization of the situation, enabling us to become more aware and familiar with it.

When we read the text, we can't truly do justice to the situation of various characters, especially Rani's, whereas in the YouTube play, we can grasp her pitiful situation in depth.

The play also reveals how Indian women are victims of domestic violence perpetrated by their husbands.

Q.-5.|Write 10 lines on the play 'NagaMandala'

Answer:

1. In Nagamandala, a man sits in a ruin at night, where he is approached by a character named Story, who proceeds to tell him a tale.

2. Rani, trapped in an unhappy marriage to neglectful Appanna, receives magical roots from blind Kurudhawa to rekindle love.

3. The small root fails, so Rani uses a larger one, turning curry red.

4. She disposes of it in a nearby ant hill where a Naga(snake) drinks it, snake falls in love with Rani due to the potion and takes the form of Appanna at night, praises her long hair and talks a lot about her parents and listens to her attentively.

5. He also fulfills Rani’s sexual needs and soon she falls in love with the Appanna (Naga-snake), soon, Rani becomes pregnant which angers Appanna who calls her a harlot when she says that the child is his and she has done nothing wrong.

6. Accused by Appanna of infidelity, Rani faces the Panchayat trial, holding a king cobra that transforms into a garland, proving her innocence.

7. Villagers revere her as a Goddess, forcing Appanna to accept her, Appanna is left with no choice but to accept her and their child. 

8. The story takes a turn when the Naga returns, initially furious but restraining due to love for Rani. 

9. The play's ending presents a unique twist as the Naga falls from Rani's hair, with an uncertain fate, leaving interpretations of death or hidden life.

10. The Naga hides in Rani's hair, adding suspense.

Here is the YouTube video link: Click Here

 Thank You!