A scene from the inaugural show of Jat Ningol

Imphal, Aug. 24: Tagore meets Manipuri Ras Lila in another innovation on the Imphal stage.

The hugely talented Ranbir Mangang has designed, produced and directed Jat Ningol, a Manipuri translation of Marjorie Sykes? English version of Rabindranath Tagore?s Chandalika. The play has been received well in Imphal with even hard-boiled critics encouraging Mangang to showcase his labour of love before a Bengali audience.

Jat Ningol was first staged last week at a mandop (temple) in Imphal. The setting was appropriate, considering the play marked a departure from normal proscenium theatre.

What impressed the audience, which surrounded the stage as in a Ras Lila, most was the seamless incorporation of Tagore into the traditional format. ?The play gives the audience a taste of both Tagore as well as Ras Lila. It is a successful experiment. I want the director to take his troupe to Bengal and stage the play. I am confident Bengal will accept the play,? said theatre critic Khundongbam Gokulchandra.

The story of Jat Ningol is a simple one. One day, a Buddhist monk drinks water from the hands of a young untouchable, Prakriti. The incident leaves an indelible mark on her and she becomes a devotee of the monk, who appears before her again to accept her as his disciple.

Laishram Samarendra, who has studied Tagore extensively, sees Jat Ningol as a trendsetter. ?Form and content have been juxtaposed beautifully in the play. Tagore himself loved Manipuri culture, especially dance, and his fans will surely appreciate Mangang?s effort,? he said.

Mangang, who is also a journalist, experimented with the same play some years ago. On that occasion, Jat Ningol was staged in the proscenium theatre format and the director was admittedly not satisfied with his effort. ?I was finally convinced that a Ras Lila setting would be ideal for the play. It took me seven months to translate my vision into reality,? he said.

Asked whether he would stage the play in Bengal, Mangang said: ?If someone comes forward to sponsor the trip, I am ready to go.?