Symbolism in Tughlaq
By
JANCY
Karnad's historical plays Tughlaq (1964) and Tale Danda (1990) brings out the problem of the time. In almost all the plays he makes use of ancient myths, legends, stories and traditions to interpret the contemporary experience. He is a multi-talented person. He exposes universal problem as a integral part in his plays.
Tughlaq was written during Nehru's regime, it is called "New Drama in India". The play explores the paradox of the idealistic Sultan Mohammad Bin Tughlaq whose reign is known for the biggest failure in Indian history. This play presents the story of a monarch who came to throne by murdering his father and brother and ruled over India for about twenty years. He kills some of his associates including his stepmother thinking they are traitors to him. He is the most controversial monarch of Indian history, the so-called "Mad" Tughlaq of Delhi Sultanate. In the play he is depicted as ideal and obnoxious, extraordinary and vulgar, secular and religious, devout and godless, great and pretentious, rational and preposterous, generous and mean, liberal and cruel, scholarly and foolish, intriguing and capricious, clever and crafty.
The play Tughlaq is itself symbolic. It is not only historical but relevant to modern times. One year after the death of Nehru, sixteen year after independence the country was still in a state of turmoil. Tughlaq becomes symbolic of the dreams of Nehru. The Indian government policies are echoed through the character Tughlaq. We get a vivid portrayal of the authoritarians/politicians in their hands the people are the victims who suffer from agony.
Tughlaq is a skillful chess player. He plays the game of chess not as a past time but as a means of solving complicated problems. The game of chess symbolizes Tughlaq's high manipulative skill of dealing with political rivals and opponents. The chess symbol symbolizes that the whole kingdom is complicated and full of problems like the game of chess.
The criminals like Aziz and Aazam symbolize unprincipled and opportunistic exploits of people. They exploit the liberal ideas and policies and the welfare activities of the government. They lack humanity and utilizes every chance to earn money. According to Aziz politics is a profitable profession. He murders the saint and appears before the sultan to bless him and purify Daulatabad.
Prayer symbolizes the fact that the life of Tughlaq is full of corruption. The Amir's and some courtiers conspire to kill the Sultan at the time of prayer. The plan is exposed by Ratansingh to Sultan and Sihab-ud-din is killed by Sultan. Prayer is exploited as an instrument of murder. The word Prayer has lost its relevance in the play.
Tughlaq walking under the moon may signify his madness. Further, Tughlaq compares himself to a tree which wants to spread its branches among the stars and the roots of which are yet to find their hold on earth. He wants to climb the tallest tree or reach new heights. The rose garden the king imagines is the garden of ideas which has dried up towards the end. The old guard in scene 8,speaks of himself getting entangled in a eagle's nest. He never knows when the eagle will come swooping down and prey upon him, in that deadly atmosphere. The fort is said to have a route coiled like a python inside it. The route from Delhi to Daulatabad is compared to a snake which is at once an image of poison and death. The kingdom is described by Tughlaq as a "honeycomb of diseases". It is the storehouse of diseases and desparetly requires the help of a doctor. The stepmother aptly refers to the country as a "kitchen of death". Death has become a routine event and is treated as any other domestic affair.
Thus Girish Karnad had used relevant symbols in an effective way to enrich its beauty. It helps to understand the theme in a realistic way.
By
JANCY
Karnad's historical plays Tughlaq (1964) and Tale Danda (1990) brings out the problem of the time. In almost all the plays he makes use of ancient myths, legends, stories and traditions to interpret the contemporary experience. He is a multi-talented person. He exposes universal problem as a integral part in his plays.
Tughlaq was written during Nehru's regime, it is called "New Drama in India". The play explores the paradox of the idealistic Sultan Mohammad Bin Tughlaq whose reign is known for the biggest failure in Indian history. This play presents the story of a monarch who came to throne by murdering his father and brother and ruled over India for about twenty years. He kills some of his associates including his stepmother thinking they are traitors to him. He is the most controversial monarch of Indian history, the so-called "Mad" Tughlaq of Delhi Sultanate. In the play he is depicted as ideal and obnoxious, extraordinary and vulgar, secular and religious, devout and godless, great and pretentious, rational and preposterous, generous and mean, liberal and cruel, scholarly and foolish, intriguing and capricious, clever and crafty.
The play Tughlaq is itself symbolic. It is not only historical but relevant to modern times. One year after the death of Nehru, sixteen year after independence the country was still in a state of turmoil. Tughlaq becomes symbolic of the dreams of Nehru. The Indian government policies are echoed through the character Tughlaq. We get a vivid portrayal of the authoritarians/politicians in their hands the people are the victims who suffer from agony.
Tughlaq is a skillful chess player. He plays the game of chess not as a past time but as a means of solving complicated problems. The game of chess symbolizes Tughlaq's high manipulative skill of dealing with political rivals and opponents. The chess symbol symbolizes that the whole kingdom is complicated and full of problems like the game of chess.
The criminals like Aziz and Aazam symbolize unprincipled and opportunistic exploits of people. They exploit the liberal ideas and policies and the welfare activities of the government. They lack humanity and utilizes every chance to earn money. According to Aziz politics is a profitable profession. He murders the saint and appears before the sultan to bless him and purify Daulatabad.
Prayer symbolizes the fact that the life of Tughlaq is full of corruption. The Amir's and some courtiers conspire to kill the Sultan at the time of prayer. The plan is exposed by Ratansingh to Sultan and Sihab-ud-din is killed by Sultan. Prayer is exploited as an instrument of murder. The word Prayer has lost its relevance in the play.
Tughlaq walking under the moon may signify his madness. Further, Tughlaq compares himself to a tree which wants to spread its branches among the stars and the roots of which are yet to find their hold on earth. He wants to climb the tallest tree or reach new heights. The rose garden the king imagines is the garden of ideas which has dried up towards the end. The old guard in scene 8,speaks of himself getting entangled in a eagle's nest. He never knows when the eagle will come swooping down and prey upon him, in that deadly atmosphere. The fort is said to have a route coiled like a python inside it. The route from Delhi to Daulatabad is compared to a snake which is at once an image of poison and death. The kingdom is described by Tughlaq as a "honeycomb of diseases". It is the storehouse of diseases and desparetly requires the help of a doctor. The stepmother aptly refers to the country as a "kitchen of death". Death has become a routine event and is treated as any other domestic affair.
Thus Girish Karnad had used relevant symbols in an effective way to enrich its beauty. It helps to understand the theme in a realistic way.
Good.
ReplyDeleteVery much thank to you sire
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