About The Event
Qissebaazi expands the idea of storytelling. It is a multilingual storytelling platform with multiple performers - theatrical in presentation and yet distinctively a storytelling performance.
Each story is performed in two languages - one the core language of the performance, and the other the bridge language. They hope you enjoy both the cadence of the original language and access the content too through the bridge language.
The Story of the Origin of Drama
(The Sanskrit Text from Natya Shastra, Hindi commentary by Saattvic, Performed by Saattvic)
Over 21 lakh years ago, the glorious Satya Yuga ended and humanity declined into Treta Yuga, afflicted by the vices of kama, krodha, lobha, maha and ahamkara. This decay saddened all the divine beings. They went under Lord Indra's leadership to Lord Brahma, and asked him to invent a new accessible device that could be seen and heard, and which would contain the teaching of the four Vedas, so that it may help humanity fight these vices.
Brahma then created a fifth Natya Veda by combining aspects of the four Vedas, which he handed to Indra and instructed the Devas to use it to stage a play. However, Indra expressed the inability of the Devas to handle this knowledge, and so Lord Brahma taught the Natya Veda to Bharata Muni, who passed the knowledge to his hundred sons. Together, they started rehearsing the world's first play, written by Lord Brahma himself.
In order to infuse Srimgara Rasa (the Erotic Sentiment) into the play, Lord Brahma created 23 divine Apsaras. He also procured the services of the Munis Narada and Swati to provide music for the play.
The play was staged at a Flag Festival organised by Lord Indra on the occasion of the Devas winning a war against the Asuras. The performance began well and was appreciated by all. But when the story moved to a scene showing Devas killing Asuras, the Asuras present there felt offended. They used their divine powers to incite the Vighnas and together created mischief that stalled the play.
In order to enable the play to proceed, Lord Brahma directed Lord Vishwakarma to construct the worlds first theatre, and then charged various Devas with protecting various parts of the theatre and members of the performing group.
When the play was restarted, the Asuras and Vighnas tried to create mischief again. Lord Brahma addressed them himself regarding the nature of Natya, insisting that it was only concerned with an imitation of happenings in the three Lokas and it was meant to guide humanitys actions. The Vighnas and Asuras understood that offence need not be taken from Natya, and the presentation of the play was completed, appreciated by all.
The Story of The Centurys Greatest Man
(Written by Shri Kashinath Singh, Performed by Udit Parashar)
Qissa Shauq Sahab Ka is adapted from Sadi Ka Sabse Bada Aadmi a short story by Shri Kashinath Singh. Based in post Independence Banaras its a cutting edge satire on feudalism which in some form or the other continues to exist till date. The story is of a delinquent Nawab, known more by his nom de plume Shauq than his real name, who has taken to a weird habit in his old age of spitting on people and rewarding those who retaliate with abuses and curses when spat on. But one day he runs into a young man who refuses to retaliate and this brings the story to an unexpected climax.
The Episode of Ijlal Jadoo and Amar Aiyyaar from Tilism-e-Hoshruba
(Traditional Literature, First written by Syed Muhammad Husain Jah, Performed by Danish Husain)
The master text Tilism-e-Hoshruba is a section from the classic Urdu romance epic Dastan-e-Amir Hamza which runs into 46 volumes and over 42,000 pages. In these epics Amir Hamza is fighting all those who claim Godhood.
In this particular episode, Amir Hamzas childhood friend Amar Aiyyaar, the king of tricksters, has entered the magical realm Hoshruba to rescue Hamzas grandson Asad held hostage by Afrasiyab, the emperor of Hoshruba. Amar realises that Afrasiyab has commissioned a powerful sorcerer Ijlal Jadoo to get some help from King Sulaiman and kill Amar. Amar traces Ijlal and finds he is enjoying Sulaimans hospitality and is flirting with his daughter Princess Nasreen Ambareen-munh. Amar kidnaps the Princess, dresses himself as the Princess and then seduces the sorcerer Ijlal Jadoo and slays him. (Key Words: Saahir - Sorcerer, Aiyyaar - trickster, Baada/Mayy - Alcohol/Wine)
Each story is performed in two languages - one the core language of the performance, and the other the bridge language. They hope you enjoy both the cadence of the original language and access the content too through the bridge language.
The Story of the Origin of Drama
(The Sanskrit Text from Natya Shastra, Hindi commentary by Saattvic, Performed by Saattvic)
Over 21 lakh years ago, the glorious Satya Yuga ended and humanity declined into Treta Yuga, afflicted by the vices of kama, krodha, lobha, maha and ahamkara. This decay saddened all the divine beings. They went under Lord Indra's leadership to Lord Brahma, and asked him to invent a new accessible device that could be seen and heard, and which would contain the teaching of the four Vedas, so that it may help humanity fight these vices.
Brahma then created a fifth Natya Veda by combining aspects of the four Vedas, which he handed to Indra and instructed the Devas to use it to stage a play. However, Indra expressed the inability of the Devas to handle this knowledge, and so Lord Brahma taught the Natya Veda to Bharata Muni, who passed the knowledge to his hundred sons. Together, they started rehearsing the world's first play, written by Lord Brahma himself.
In order to infuse Srimgara Rasa (the Erotic Sentiment) into the play, Lord Brahma created 23 divine Apsaras. He also procured the services of the Munis Narada and Swati to provide music for the play.
The play was staged at a Flag Festival organised by Lord Indra on the occasion of the Devas winning a war against the Asuras. The performance began well and was appreciated by all. But when the story moved to a scene showing Devas killing Asuras, the Asuras present there felt offended. They used their divine powers to incite the Vighnas and together created mischief that stalled the play.
In order to enable the play to proceed, Lord Brahma directed Lord Vishwakarma to construct the worlds first theatre, and then charged various Devas with protecting various parts of the theatre and members of the performing group.
When the play was restarted, the Asuras and Vighnas tried to create mischief again. Lord Brahma addressed them himself regarding the nature of Natya, insisting that it was only concerned with an imitation of happenings in the three Lokas and it was meant to guide humanitys actions. The Vighnas and Asuras understood that offence need not be taken from Natya, and the presentation of the play was completed, appreciated by all.
The Story of The Centurys Greatest Man
(Written by Shri Kashinath Singh, Performed by Udit Parashar)
Qissa Shauq Sahab Ka is adapted from Sadi Ka Sabse Bada Aadmi a short story by Shri Kashinath Singh. Based in post Independence Banaras its a cutting edge satire on feudalism which in some form or the other continues to exist till date. The story is of a delinquent Nawab, known more by his nom de plume Shauq than his real name, who has taken to a weird habit in his old age of spitting on people and rewarding those who retaliate with abuses and curses when spat on. But one day he runs into a young man who refuses to retaliate and this brings the story to an unexpected climax.
The Episode of Ijlal Jadoo and Amar Aiyyaar from Tilism-e-Hoshruba
(Traditional Literature, First written by Syed Muhammad Husain Jah, Performed by Danish Husain)
The master text Tilism-e-Hoshruba is a section from the classic Urdu romance epic Dastan-e-Amir Hamza which runs into 46 volumes and over 42,000 pages. In these epics Amir Hamza is fighting all those who claim Godhood.
In this particular episode, Amir Hamzas childhood friend Amar Aiyyaar, the king of tricksters, has entered the magical realm Hoshruba to rescue Hamzas grandson Asad held hostage by Afrasiyab, the emperor of Hoshruba. Amar realises that Afrasiyab has commissioned a powerful sorcerer Ijlal Jadoo to get some help from King Sulaiman and kill Amar. Amar traces Ijlal and finds he is enjoying Sulaimans hospitality and is flirting with his daughter Princess Nasreen Ambareen-munh. Amar kidnaps the Princess, dresses himself as the Princess and then seduces the sorcerer Ijlal Jadoo and slays him. (Key Words: Saahir - Sorcerer, Aiyyaar - trickster, Baada/Mayy - Alcohol/Wine)
