Prayagraj: When the lights of the central auditorium came on Sunday evening, the stage brought alive not just a play, but a mirror of society. The poignant tale of deception in the name of emotions, faith, and innocence compelled the audience to reflect. The renowned play “Bakri” was impressively staged on the third day of the Bharatmuni Theatre Festival, organized by the North Central Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. Presented under the skillful direction of Dr. Shishu Kumar Singh, this play is based on a well-known work by renowned litterateur Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena. The program was inaugurated with the lighting of the lamp by chief guest Dr. Dhananjay Chopra, Course Coordinator, Center of Media Studies, Allahabad University, Center Director Sudesh Sharma, Deputy Director (Administration) Dr. Aditya Srivastava, and Deputy Director (Programs) Dr. Mukesh Upadhyay.

Sarveshwar Dayal Saxena’s acclaimed play, “Bakri Natak,” depicts three young men with bandit tendencies, Durjan Singh, Karmaveer, and Satyaveer, abandoning their old trade and planning to become fraudsters. As part of their plan, they have the village Dalit’s goat stolen by the village’s Diwan. They also begin collecting donations from the innocent villagers in the name of Gandhiji’s goat. Bakri Natak presents the image of politicians as a base for the public, using the goat as a backdrop. The play depicts how leaders mislead the public and win elections. The common people are duped every time, appearing helpless. This is evident in the dialogue between the public and the public. Although, at the end of the play, the public exposes the false narrative through symbolic rebellion, the question remains: whether exposure is the only solution. Presented in the Nautanki style, the powerful inclusion of folk songs like Kajri, Sohar, and Nirgun connects the audience to folk culture and makes the message even more effective. At the end of the play, the public exposes the truth through symbolic rebellion, but it also leaves the question of whether simply exposing the truth is enough, or whether awareness and activism are also necessary for change. Harsh Agarwal as Diwan, Omendra Puri Goswami as Durjan Singh, and Harshal Meshram as Karmaveer received immense praise from the audience for their powerful performances.