(Ek Se Anek -5) Exploring Mahabharata

Unlike other ancient mythologies – like Greek or Egyptian mythology which are regarded fictitious now. Indian mythologies continue to live. In fact they thrive through the songs of the bands, folklore, art forms, architecture, superstitions, festivals and above all religion. Even for modern imaginations, these never have ceased to provide fodder. Re-interpreted, re-cycled, re-represented forms of stories are prolific in popular media. Thus other than moral values, these stories are tools to represent ideologies with a sanctified force- ironically these ideologies reflect more the culture and society it is written in, than the one written about.

Mahabharata is one such grand epic, which has never ceased to be out of fashion. Right from the classical art forms like Kathakali or Bharatnatyam to folkart to everyday rituals like recitals, etc have explored, interpreted and represented Mahabharata. B.R. Chopra, Peter Brooks, Devdutt Patnai celebrated the epic in the popular media.

Ek Se Anek attempts to explore the epic-its manifestation, its syntax, its inherent narrative and the still much-in-debate complexity of the characters that make the Mahabharta. In mid October, 2011, the participating artists shall exhibit at Dalpatram Chowk, many integrating the site into the project.  Kavi Dalpatram Chowk near Lambeshwar ni Pole, in the old city of Ahmedabad is named after ‘Gujarat proud son’ who was a 19th century Gujarati Poet. The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) and the local people of the city built a memorial to him, which was also site of his house. The memorial includes the facade of the original house and bronze statue. His memorial stands testimony to his thoughts and creation.

 

The joy of each Ek se Anek project being the public interaction, some artists have designed their projects to incorporate the same. This is an invitation for everyone to- Exploring the Mahabharata at Dalpatram Chowk.