Director Ajit Das interacts with art lovers at the National School of Drama in New Delhi. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 24: The recently concluded Bharat Rang Mahotsav — International Theatre Festival of India — hosted by the National School of Drama, New Delhi, saw participation from renowned drama troupes from across the country.

Teams from Sri Lanka, Germany and Israel also presented their productions. Among the teams, the Abhinaya Jagruti Institute of Theatre (AJIT) represented Odisha at the cultural soiree that concluded on Sunday.

Members of the city-based theatre group were pleased with their outing. They presented Jayadeva Geetagovindam, a play that was staged at Rabindra Mandap here in 2011.

The play deals with the life of Jayadev. Essayed by actor Deepak Ranjan, the poet goes to Jagannath temple and wishes to write something in praise of the Lord, but he cannot seem to find the right words.

Kaitki, played by actress Sonika, is in love with Jayadev, but being a lower caste she cannot marry him, a Brahmin and consequently becomes a Devdasi to be around him.

Padmabati, played by artiste Manishita, who has been commanded by the Lord to marry Jayadev comes into the scene but Jayadev refuses to accept her as he thinks himself incapable of looking after her. His childhood friend, Parashar, manages to get Padmabati in Jayadev’s home.

Gradually, Jayadev gets to see deity Radha in Padmabati and starts writing his magnum opus Geeta Govinda. The girl he refused to accept as wife turns out to be his inspiration. Padmabati is jealous of Kaitki, who learns dance from Jayadev. This also leads to confrontation between the husband and wife, but as Jayadev walks out of home for a while, the Lord, himself, descends to complete a poem where Jayadev hesitates to write that the Lord is begging forgiveness from his love. Jayadev, on his return, congratulates Padmabati that she has seen Lord Jagannath writing the text and that she is indeed very fortunate.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime kind of opportunity. We got to learn so much from other troupes. Our play, despite being in Odia, struck a chord with the audience,” said the protagonist, Deepak Ranjan.

Veteran actor and director of the play Ajit Das said he chose the play as Jayadev had earned a cosmopolitan identity across India and beyond. Besides, his Geeta Govinda is one of the most widely read Indian works that has captured the imagination of people even in places such as USA, France, London, Australia and Canada.

Das also attended the interaction session where the NSD students and other guests discussed the play.