Karubaki actors in Rourkela. Picture by Uttam Kumar Pal

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 2: The legend of Ashoka, the warrior king who turned into an apostle of peace after the Kalinga war and his tale of love for Karubaki, would be showcased on stage in Rourkela.

As many as 17 theatre groups of the city have come together to present the period play, Karubaki, for theatre-lovers in Rourkela.

The theatre groups have united to form the Ekatra group to perform this epic tale of rage, love and spirituality. Rehearsing regularly for a month now, the artistes believe the play would surely touch the audience.

“We have put in a lot of effort to present the play. As such, the legend of Ashoka and Karubaki itself makes for a motivating theme. Though a little anxious about the response of the audience, we are also confident that the play will make an impact,” Jyotishri Mohapatra, an actor.

Well-known groups like Pancham Veda, Spandana, Ame Natua, Rangamancha and several others are part of the Ekatra team for the play that would be staged on September 10 and 11 at the Civic Centre.

The play would depict the bravery of Karubaki who fought for her people against the mighty army of Ashoka. A major part of the play has been dedicated to the spiritual philosophy of Lord Buddha.

“There are a number of themes that the viewer can look forward to in the epic play. Patriotism, courage, love and humanity are the mainstay of the plot,” said Bijay Patra, the convener of Ekatra.

Karubaki has been staged only once in the state by well-known theatre director Dolagobinda Rath, decades ago.

The current version of the play has been written by Kailash Satpathy. The stage craft is created by Partha Mohanty and it is being directed by Kailash Panigrahi.

“We wish to give the audience a glimpse of history through a legendary tale,” said Panigrahi.