Nakul Chandra Saanta of Nabarangpur district in Odisha is a very versatile man.
Introduced to the stage of Geeti Natya or the dance drama at the tender age of 11, Saanta has spent 32 years mastering acting, music, direction and dialogues.
“I learnt Geeti Natya from Guru Chaitanya Bisoi,” Saanta tells The India Tribal. This Kondh tribal is a big draw at the annual four-day Lok Kala Mahotsav in Bhubaneswar. His fame has spilled over to neighbouring Chhattisgarh too.
In 2011, Saanta set up a 25-strong troupe, Maa Thakurani Kala Sangh. The artistes use the Geeti Natya (in Odia) to create public awareness about government welfare schemes. They also stage mythological or social plays, where Kui and Desia dialects are incorporated. The Sangh has staged plays across 500 villages in the state.
“Since the presentation of his first play, Kalki Avtar, in 1999, his troupe has enacted over 40 plays written and directed by him,” says PP Nayak, vice-president of the Zilla Kala Sanskrutik Sangh.
Nayak adds that Saanta also trains the youth in the dance-drama art.
Many Talents
“When Guru Chaitanya Bisoi passed away in 2005, I shouldered the responsibility of spreading this art,” Saanta adds. “Till now, I have trained over 75 youngsters.”
Imparting training is not an easy task, but Saanta approaches it with his trademark dedication and determination.
When he pitches a training camp in a village, Saanta stays there for months on end, explaining to students the nuances of Geeti Natya, the significance of music, the technicalities of presentation and the need to make it appealing.
A trainee, Dhansingh Bhotra of Bhikia village, puts his admiration into words, saying, “He lays importance on the relevance of each word of a dialogue or a song during the sessions.”
A long time ago, 11-year-old Samanta played a doot or messenger in Kansa Badha, and never looked back. He has since acted in more than 95 dramas and taught scores of youth. “I can also play the tribal musical instrument Naal, the harmonium and synthesizer,” he says.
“I am a Kondh tribal and an artiste who does not believe in limits,” Saaanta signs off.
