Brahma Ratham - A Telugu Play By Yuvakalavahini

On the occasion of its 32nd anniversary, Yuvakalavahani is organising Dharma Natakotsavam, a festival of stage plays on Dharma (responsibility), from 28th to 30th December, at the Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University auditorium. A mythology play and two epic plays will be staged during the 3 days of the festival.

Today, the inaugural day, Yuvakalavahini is staging Brahma Ratham, a mythological play on a king called Nahusha. The play was written by the late Kappaganthula Mallikarjuna Rao, and is directed by Patro. With the theme taken from the Mahabharatha, the play starts with the Pandavas wandering in the forests during their exile. Dharmaraja notices a python taking on the mighty Bheema, and appeals to the python to release Bheema.

The python agrees, but only on the condition that Dharmraja, known to be a man of great wisdom, answers its questions on what is "Dharma". It is later revealed that the snake is none other King Nahusha who was cursed to turn into this form by a sage.

Then the story is narrated in flashback. Indra, the lord of heaven, has to vacate his throne and stay away for some time. The sages led by Brihaspati decide not to keep the throne vacant till Indra returns. They invite King Nahusha, known to be a good king, to occupy the throne till the return of Indra.

He accedes to their request and becomes the king of heaven for a while. But once Nahusha tastes the immense powers the throne offers him, he starts misusing them. He even goes to the extent of demanding Sachidevi, the wife of Indra, to become his woman. He demands the saptarishis to carry him in a palanquin, and commands Sachidevi to sit along with him. Unable to bear this torture, Sachidevi disappears. In a rage, Nahusha kicks one of the sages, Agastya, and the latter curses him to become a python.

Upset at this, Nahusha repents and begs him for the retrieval of the curse. Agastya then tells him that he will regain his original form only after he does good things to people and realises what "Dharma" is.

Dharmaraja explains to Nahusha what Dharma means, and accordingly Nahusha follows the principles, in the process getting his original form.

The chief guest for the evening is Dr. Mallu Ravi, the State Govt's Special Representative in New Delhi. The other guests are Saripalli Kondala Rao, President of International Institute of Telugu Culture; Atluri Subbarao, President of FAPCCI; Dr. J Bapu Reddy, IAS, poet; Vasireddy Prakasam, senior journalist; and Chatla Sreeramulu, play-wright and novelist.

The entry is free for everyone. Please contact Y K Nageshwara Rao at 99086-30555 for further details.