A scene from the play

To unearth a seditious text and stage it 84 years after it was banned is an immense responsibility. The Manipur Dramatic Union took up that challenge when it staged Devjani, a play provocative enough to be barred from production shortly after it was penned in 1924.

The occasion was the Seventh Rural Theatre Festival, organised by Theatre Mirror and Cosmopolitan Drama — and the moment was just right for a thought-provoking production.

Devjani was indeed thought-provoking — with religious persecution, excommunication and caste divisions as its theme — but the audience spent more grey cells wondering how contextual the play was in modern Manipur.

Written by renowned novelist Lamabam Kamal — Devjani was the only play he wrote — the story hit hard at the divisive politics of the time — employed by the indigenous rulers and British intruders alike.

When Kamal’s descendants produced the play in 1984, it had already lost its context.

Cut to 2008. With Manipur society having long been cured of caste divisions and excommunication, the play is reduced to a mere historical account without the sting of radicalism that had led to its banning by King Churachand nearly 90 years ago.

But credit goes to director Lamabam Gojendra for bringing alive the life and times of the 20th century on stage.

The story revolves around the rift between the eponymous heroine Devjani, daughter of Sukara and King Sudra’s daughter, Sharmista, because of their caste difference.

One day, in a fit of anger, Sharmista pushes Devjani down a well.

King Yayati rescues her and Saint Sukara approves of an inter-caste marriage with the desire to make his daughter the queen. Sharmista is now made to serve Devjani, but King Yayati secretly marries Sharmista too, leading to obvious complications.

A variety of Manipur’s cultural elements that the director infused into the story made it a fascinating play.

The two prime actresses — S. Manglembi (as Devjani) and Gaijilu Golmei (as Sharmista) — effortlessly glided back in time.

The exchange between the two is a thesis on caste difference.

If presented during the time of monarchy in Manipur, the play could have been explosive.

Of course, you won’t feel the burn. But then, this is one of those plays which you must watch after having suspended all desire to contextualise it with present day Manipur.