Jatugriho

The play is inspired by Mahabharata, “Jatugriho-daho Parba’’, the 8^th sub-book of the “Adi Parbo’’. In this parba, the Pandava brothers along with their mother Kunti thwart the plans of Dhritarashtra to burn them alive on the darkest of nights, by escaping through a tunnel built in secrecy on the advice of Vidura. The play draws impetus from the numerous political treatise that justifies intrigues and killing to acquire and maintain political power. The most relevant political treatise that comes to mind in connection with Jatugriho is Machiavelli’s The prince particularly in chapter 17 where the Italian diplomat advises the prince not to be merciful but cruel to maintain power. Dhritarashtra is one such king who chooses to disregard his sense of good/evil and decides to kill the Pandavas along with their mother to make his throne safe. The production critiques such polemics by simultaneously showcasing the moral implications of such human conduct.