Kathmandu. A review seminar on ‘Ideological questions in Nepali drama’ has been held under the auspices of the Nepal Music and Drama Academy. Most of the speakers said that guidelines should be given after studying and researching the basic idea of Nepali drama.
In the conference chaired by Chancellor Nisha Sharma, Dr. Ashok Thapa presented the study paper and claimed that the ideological question is the main one in the play. He said that while studying Nepali drama, he found that both political and social system and writing influenced each other.
He said that there are 9 ideological indicators in Nepali playwriting, calling his thesis ‘just like trying to plant a root in barren land’. He discussed the influence of spiritual and materialistic ideas in Nepali drama.
He also said that Feminist thought was introduced in modern Nepali drama writing by drama emperor Balkrishna Sam in the year 2033 by writing the play ‘Swasni Mangbo’. “He (Balakrishna Sam) took to the cave of Chobhar and imagined the world inside the cave to be run by many women and ruled by women, and wrote Swasni Nakbo,” said Thapa.
Scholars Keshav Adhikari and Bharti Neupane commented on his thesis. The commenting officer said that since there is a challenge to encompass the multiculturalism that has come recently, it should be concluded that the unity within the multiculturalism is the entire Nepali culture.
Another commentator Neupane Dr. He said that Thapa’s study paper will become a reference material for conducting research in the future. Stating that it is positive for all genres of literature to adopt new ideas along with social development, Neupane expressed the opinion that instead of widening the debate, it would be fruitful if the debate could be ‘narrowed down’ like a pencil sharpener.
In the program, the chancellor of the Nepal Academy of Fine Arts, Naradamani Hartmchali emphasized that ideological questions should be connected with philosophy. Chancellor Hartmchali was of the opinion that correct conclusions can be reached only if all ideologies can be understood in a relative manner based on the principles of natural justice.
Nisha Sharma, chancellor of the institution, said that not only the ideology presented in the play changes according to time, but also the feelings and meanings given by the images and symbols. He drew attention to include in the study plays made in many genres and techniques, such as stories, novels, poems, courtrooms, television, street plays, farces etc.
Professor Mahesh Godar, culture worker Chiran Pun, dramatist Ashant Sharma, writer Veerprasad Bhansari, president of the Federation of Dramatic Artists Rajendra Rimal, general secretary JB DC and theater director Prabhakar Neupane also commented on the study paper.
