The Play—gypsy Jaatak

Sunday, 20 January 2008

New Delhi,The stories of 5 to 7 girls are recounted in Panch Kanya and Prapancha Kanya, Shruti, Smriti, Shewta, Stuti and Shikha learn from their masters about Indian Culture and philosophy. Later Sarasvati and Shiafa joins the proliferation. Prapancha Kanya tells the stories of many great….great grandmothers of gypsy girls backwards,

Who is who? Connections? Reincarnation?
A Jagtak is born. A Gypsy Jataka. Tale of 6 great…..grand mothers. Their trials and tribulations in journey from India to Europe via Central Asia, Iran etc. How do they land in Eastern Europe and later to Western Europe on persecutionsin the last centuries?

The Indianness of Gypsies has been documented by Clinicians and Molecular Biologists through commonness of founder mutations. The proof is scientific. 40-45 generations before Indian left the land to roam, wander and settle in Europe in quite a non-settled fashion.

Listen to the echos of skills in dance, music, metal smith craft. Soothsaying in the drama, reminiscent of the bigger drama played by Destiny itself in this Big Diaspora running across the whole millennium. Sufferings are immense. The dance of oppression continues.

Pratishruti can evoke Vismritis of past.
Nazi persecution of lakhs of persons of Indian lineage requires repetitions to be reverberated. Earlier ghettos were condemned. Even now European Union has yet to give proper voice to this largest minority community in Europe. Tears must be wiped so that the anthem could be heard everywhere.

Listen the stories of 6 females from the chapters of Panch Prapancha.

About the Director

Born in 1963 in Kerala. He has been also crated with theatre from late Seventrics. He took his diploma in Theatre Direction from National School of Drama, New Delhi in 1991. he also worked with Theater des cergy – Pentose, France

He directed many plays in various languages including French. The play junction, written by him has won three awards from Sangeet Natak Academy of Kerala in 2000 and was also published in Hindi.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/the-playgypsy-jaatak-305848.html

About the Author:

Dipayan Mazumdar and Associates
J-1824 (LGF) Chittranjan Park
New Delhi- 110019
91-11-26270629
91-11-26273155
Email: dmanews@gmail.com
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Website: www.dmanewsdesk.com

Gypsies to be the focus of diaspora festival

India World News

New Delhi, Jan 4 - When an Indian scholar went to study the Romas or gypsies in Kosovo in Serbia in summer 2007, his hosts had a special term for him - Purano Manush or ancient person.

The term referred not to the age of the scholar, but the Roma's recognition of their ancestral links to India. It is therefore fitting that when India gets ready for its annual jamboree to celebrate the achievements of the Indian diaspora next week, the journey of perhaps, the oldest group of them all, will be the focus of a cultural festival on the sidelines of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas Jan 8-9.

For the second consecutive year, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts is organizing a diaspora festival with Romas as the thematic focus. Nearly 60 artists and scholars from all over and outside the country to discuss are expected to attend the festival from 10 to 12 February.

Among the highlights will be performances by three Roma dancers, including Czech Simona Jovic, who has performed her repetoire of gypsy dances from Turkey, Iran, Romania and even the Kalbeliya dance of Rajasthan in cities around the world.

Besides, there will also be a lecture demonstration on Indian roots of Spanish-gypsy dance of Flamenco. There will be a photo-exhibition on the journey of the gypsies from India to Europe and beyond, as well as screening of three films.

With over 15 million people, Romas constitute the largest ethnic minority, albeit largely invisible in Europe. Their links to India were first recognised in 18th century and are now thoroughly documented through linguistic and genetic studies.

Their long journey started from northwestern India in the 10th century and there is historical evidence of their presence in Byzantine Empire. Their first footprint in Europe was recorded at Kosovo in the early 14th century.

Through the centuries, they were always treated as outsiders dabbling in the black arts, with contemporary literature documenting their presence on the outskirts of human habitation, literally and metaphorically. 'They were treated as dirt, discriminated on the basis of their traditions and the colour of their skin,' said IGNCA diaspora project, consultant Suresh Pillai.

Over the centuries, European countries have enacted laws that specifically targeted gypsies, restricting their right to residence and livelihood. By the time of World War II, their marginalisation from society was so extreme, that the targeted killing of about two million gypsies by the German nazis during the holocausts was not acknowledged by historians, till several decades later.

Modern India reconnected with 1971 at the First World Romani Congress in London, which adopted a flag, anthem, motto and decided that 'Roma' would be the correct term of their people. Interestingly, the Roma flag has the ashok chakra imposed on a background of blue and green. At the first international Roma festival, held in Chandigarh on 1976, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi had supported their demand for Roma to be recognized as national minority of Indian origin.

'The Romas do not want want PIO cards, but they would like their culture should be recognized as originally from India,' said Pillai, who lamented that there were only a handful of Indian linguists who knew the Romany language.


(c) Indo-Asian News Service

Pregnant woman thrashed by mob

Times Of India
9 Oct 2007, 0255 hrs IST,Ananthakrishnan G,TNN

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After Bihar and certain other pockets in north India, mob fury seems to have caught on in God's own country.

On Sunday, a mob thrashed two 'gypsy' women, one of them pregnant, in the northern Malappuram district, on charges of theft. The women were rescued only after a police team arrived almost 45 minutes later. The duo was then shifted to a hospital.

The incident occurred outside a shop in Edappal, where a local woman was shopping along with her child. The woman raised a hue and cry when she found the gold anklet that her daughter was wearing had gone missing. While a search was on for the anklet, the passersby saw two gypsy women along with three children outside the shop.

Without even a cursory questioning, the mob assumed that the gypsy women were the culprits. What followed was gruesome violence unleashed on the two defenceless women.

They were beaten up mercilessly and some of people in the crowd even tried to disrobe them. All this while, one of the gypsy women was begging to be let off as she was pregnant.

A police bus passed by without making any attempt to know why such a large crowd had gathered at the spot. What compounded the mob's offence was that they couldn't find the lost anklet from the possession of the women.

The police, after questioning, arrested five people, including four employees of the shop. Senior police officials rushed to Edappal on Monday to take stock of the situation.

Gypsy Caravan: US Theatrical Release!

Gypsy Caravan (a.k.a.: When the Road Bends...tales of a Gypsy Caravan) launches its U.S. theatrical release in New York City this June! It will screen in over twenty US cities throughout the summer.

Don't miss this dazzling display of the musical world of the Roma, juxtaposed to the real world they live in! Check for screening dates and theaters in a town near you.

For more details contact Little Dust Productions at 212-228-7777 or info@littledust.com
-or-
Karen O'Hara at karenoh@aol.com or 520-326-0813.

More about the film...

This rich feature documentary by Jasmine Dellal (American Gypsy) and shot by Albert Maysles celebrates the luscious music of top international Gypsy performers and interweaves stirring looks at their home life and personal stories.

GYPSY CARAVAN is an uplifting and moving documentary which explores the real lives of the Roma as we travel to their homes in Macedonia, Romania, India and Spain. Meet their families and see what music brings to their lives – a link to an ancient culture, a common language, a traditional career – all of which is a stark and often painful contrast to life on the road.

The personal drama and stories of these characters are interwoven with their performances, reflecting the imagery and emotion of their music. We see love and death and tales of lives that are raw and rich. They make us laugh and cry and laugh again, allowing us to understand and expand on the riches of Romani music and history, and letting us enjoy knowing the people intimately.

GYPSY CARAVAN is currently screening at festivals in Seattle, London and Transilvania. It launched at Tribeca and garnered festival awards from San Francisco to Nashville and Vancouver, and from Korea to the Czech Republic.

Read about the outreach efforts of Gypsy Caravan and the lessons learned about bringing this film to Roma communities and new and unexpected audiences around the world.

• Gypsy Caravan Outreach Journal I by Lucy Kay

•Gypsy Caravan Outreach Journal II by Sara Nolan

•Salon.com summarized it well: "Let me read your thoughts: You're not much interested in Gypsy music, and the historical and cultural stuff might be pretty dry. That's what I thought too: Wrong and wrong. ...a cinematic and musical experience that's absolute magic."

Read the full article.

When the Road Bends...tales of a Gypsy Caravan released by Shadow Distribution

Starts
06/15/2007
Ends
08/11/2007

Issues
Economic Justice, Family & Society, Immigration, International, Politics/Government, Racial Justice, Poverty, Asia, Europe, Middle East, Romany

Homepage
www.GypsyCaravanMovie.com

Contact
info@littledust.com

Posted on June 15, 2007 in Film / Screening by Anayansi