Doctor Asharam: One of the Finest Satirical and Humorous Dramas of Drama World

(Review of a Garhwali Drama (one of the Finest Dramas among World Dramas) ‘Doctor Asharam’ written by Satirist Narendra Kathait)

Notes on top humorous and satirical international plays, top humorous and satirical Asian plays, top humorous and satirical south Asian plays; top humorous and satirical SAARC Countries plays; top humorous and satirical Indian subcontinent plays; top humorous and satirical Indian plays; top humorous and satirical north Indian plays; top humorous and satirical Himalayan plays; top humorous and satirical Mid-Himalayan plays; top humorous and satirical Uttarakhandi plays; top humorous and satirical  Kumauni plays; top humorous and satirical Garhwali plays

                                                               Bhishma Kukreti

                (Personal note by Reviewer- This author read hundred of satirical stories, articles and dramas in Garhwali, Hindi, English, Marathi, Guajarati, translation of other languages literature including dramas, wrote satirical articles and two satirical dramas in Garhwali. However, this author is jealous; this author is resentful   or envious that this author was unable to write well blended humorous and satirical drama as   ‘Doctor Asharam’ written by Narendra Kathait. ‘Doctor Asharam’ drama is one of the finest satirical and humorous dramas in the drama world literature.  This author wishes to translate the drama into English for international audience. However, the dialogues by Narendra Kathait are in such a Garhwali that English translation will spoil those emotions of Garhwali dialogues. )

                 Bharat the greatest drama reviewer of drama literature did not put Vyangya (satire/wit) separately but satire became part of Hasya Ras (humor rapture) in Bharat’s Natyshashtra. In old Sanskrit dramas, humor ware created through Viduashak (jester, clown, comedian, buffoon) usually, a companion of hero.  Even in Hindi films or Indian films before Amitabh Bacchan or later on Govinda came in Hindi filmdom, Vidushak (comedian)  used to provide humor and satire rapture.

                From western point of view, Romans gave the word ‘satire’ (satura). John Gassner  (Reader’s Encyclopedia of World drama) provides few examples of Satirical dramas as Sir David Lyndsay’s ‘Satyre of the Thrie  Estaitis (1540)’, ‘The Isle of Dogs ( an Elizabethan era political satirical drama by Ben Jonson ); Shakespeare’s ‘Troilus and Cressida’   are a couple of  examples of earlier satirical dramas. Usually, humour and wit are weapons for attacking wrongs in the dramas but it is not necessary that humor dominates satire.

            Blending humor with attacking wrongs is an art and usually the playwright writes either humor dominating or satire dominating plays. It is rare to see well blended humor with satire in dramas. Narendra Kathait blended humor and satire with appropriate portions in a Garhwali drama ‘Doctor Asharam’.

       The drama exposes the wrongs by village councilors and its chief; the shortage of medical facilities in rural India,; exploitation by Neem-Hakeem-Doctor  or unauthorized doctors playing with the life of innocent villagers; attacks on administrative shortcomings in finding our culprits. There are two unintended or intended murders in the drama too.

        The satirical drama ‘Doctor Asharam’ has eight characters and the satirical humorous dramatist Narendra Kathait has been in developing each character. The satirical and humorous dramatist uses dialogues from daily uses but with wits and attack sharp words on the nonsense happening in society, in government administration and in the foundation of Indian democracy (grampanchayat). There is sadness in the drama too. The people are victims due to lot of nonsense arising due to many factors.  There are at least 53 emotions (Bhav) in the drama.

             The satirical and humorous playwright provides each and every detail as lighting, methods of entry by character or outing by characters, gaps between dialogues, emotions by characters etc for helping the director. The drama was staged in Pauri in 1988 directed by Mohan Lal Juyal.

   The satirical and humorous drama ‘Doctor Asharam’ by playwright Narendra Kathait has same values in the world of satirical dramas as ‘Chrononhotonthologos’ by English playwright Henry Carey (1734); an American play ‘The Contrast’ by playwright Royall Tyler (1787);    various comedy dramas by playwright Shakespeare; ‘American dream’ an American satirical drama by playwright Edward Albee (1961); American satirical play ‘ Dinny and Witches’ by playwright William Gibson (1948); Hindi play ‘Ek Gadhe ki Atm Katha’ by Sharad Joshi; a satirical play ‘Even Stephen’ by playwrights N. West and Perelman(1934); a sadistic satirical play “Flaming Guns of Purple Sage’ by playwright Jane Martin; a satirical Russian play ‘ Flight’ by playwright Mikhail Bulgakov (1957);  a French satirical play ‘Les Fourberies de Scapin’ (1671) by French playwright Moliere; Argentinean comic satire play ‘Golgota Picnic’ (2011)  by playwright Rodrigo Garcia; satirical play ‘The Government Inspector’ by Ukrainian born Russian playwright Nikolai Gogol(1836); a Latin satire play ‘Ignoramus’ (1615 )by playwright George Ruggle; satirical parody play ‘The Knight of the Burning Pestle’ (1607) by playwright Francis Beaumont ; classical Greece satirical play ‘Lysistrata’ (411B.C) by playwright  Aristophanes;  a satirical play ‘MacHomer ‘ (1994) by playwright Rick Miller and many more satirical dramas in various languages.  

           The satirical and humorous drama ‘Doctor Asharam’ by playwright Narendra Kathait is one of the gems of world drama.

Drama - ‘Doctor Asharam’ (A satirical humorous Garhwali Drama)

Playwright- Narendra Kathait

Year of Publication – 2003

Publisher-Shikhar Sahity, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India

Phone contact – 01368-222830, 09412319118

Price Rs 60.00 (rupees sixty) only

Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti 13/5/2012

Notes on top humorous and satirical international plays, top humorous and satirical Asian plays, top humorous and satirical south Asian plays; top humorous and satirical SAARC Countries plays; top humorous and satirical Indian subcontinent plays; top humorous and satirical Indian plays; top humorous and satirical north Indian plays; top humorous and satirical Himalayan plays; top humorous and satirical Mid-Himalayan plays; top humorous and satirical Uttarakhandi plays; top humorous and satirical  Kumauni plays; top humorous and satirical Garhwali plays to be continued….