Bhukailash - A Mythology Play By Ushodaya Natya Mandali

Yuvakalavahini, in association with Saripally Kondala Rao, is organising the Dr. Akkineni Nageshwara Rao Nataka Kala Parishad State Level Padya & Gadya Nataka Competitions 2007, from 10th to 14th September, at the Ravindra Bharathi auditorium. A total of four gadya natakas (prose drama) - Aatma Katha, Kabir Das, Rangula Ratnam and You - and five padya natakas (verse drama) - Nartanashala, Sri Khadga Tikkana, Ye Velugulaki Prasthanam, Bhukailash and Chiruthonda Nambi - will be staged during the 5-day competitions.

Today, the 4th day, a mythology padya nataka called Bhukailash will be staged by Ushodaya Natya Mandali of Cherukapalli, Guntur district. It is directed by M Bhaskara Rao and has been written by Ch. Lakshmi Narayana Sarma. Mogalipuvvu Venkata Subbayya as Ravana, Reddy Ramesh Babu as Shiva, D Tiruvengala Babu as Narada, Lakshmi Tulasi as Mandodari, and A Vijayalakshmi play the central characters.

In order to please his mother Kaikaya who is a devotee of Lord Shiva, Ravana, the asura king, decides to bring the Atma Linga to her. The Atma Linga is highly sacred and powerful, and anyone who posseses it becomes immortal.

In a bid to attain it, Ravana pleases Lord Shiva with his meditation and asks for it. Shiva obliges and gives it with a warning that the linga should not be placed on the ground before reaching Lanka. If he does so, the Atma Linga gets stuck to the ground permanently.

With the linga at his disposal, Ravana embarks on a journey back to Lanka. Knowing about this, the gods get worried and request Lord Vishnu to get back the Atma Linga. Vishnu immediately sends Lord Ganesha in the disguise of a brahmin boy to the earth.

It is customary for Ravana to offer the Sandhya Vandana during the evening, and he descends by a quiet sea beach for that and finds the brahmin boy loitering. He requests him to hold the linga till he completes his prayer.

As soon as Ravana leaves for the prayers, the boy places the linga on the beach and vanishes. Ravana tries hard with all his might to retrieve the linga, but fails. Disappointed, he leaves empty-handed for Lanka. The place where the linga still exists, and is called Gokarna, located in Karnataka.

Ushodaya Natya Mandali was established by M Venkata Subbayya five years ago. They have since staged famous mythology plays like Chandrahasa, Daksha Yagnam, Sita Kalyanam and Bhukailash.

The best play in each of the two categories, gadya and padya natakams, will receive Rs. 15,000 each, and all participating plays will be given Rs. 10,000 each.

Please contact Y K Nageshwara Rao of Yuvakalavahini at 99086-30555 for further details.