The LTG auditorium in Delhi consists of lights, which reveal only one white mattress on the stage. Two women, each of whom wearing white salwar cux, are sitting on it. Many children in the audience wait excitedly to watch an hour -long show Dastan alice Humid on Sunday evening. As women retail the famous classic of Lewis Carol, Alice in WonderlandIn pure Urdu, there is a complete silence – often breaks from the crowd with some laughter.
Dastangoi is an ancient Urdu story, developed around the adventures of Aamir Hamza, known for his valor and is said to be the uncle of Prophet Muhammad. Kala Roop (‘Dastan’ means story and ‘Goi’ means to tell), which originated in Persia, became popular in the Indian subcontinent in the 19th century. However, with the death of the famous Dastango Mir Bakr Ali in 1928, this form faded into oblivion.
First performance
Great Urdu critic and writer Shamsur Rahman Farooqui worked on a large scale Tilism-e-Hoshruba And Dastan-e-Amir HamzaIn the early 2000s, Mahmud Farooqui, who revived the form of art in India, read his works. Recalling Mahmud, “His multi -istic research materials helped me understand these medieval stories and linguistic world, which he resided.” This inspired him to the concept of first contemporary Dastangoi performance, with his writer-director wife Anusha Rizvi in 2005. Set, the landmark show, which was held in New Delhi, presented a fraction from Farooqui, paying careful attention to costumes and performance elements. Tilism-e-Hoshruba With theater artist Himanshu Tyagi.
The show made two important innovations. Two artists were brought instead of one, and it was a formal stage show. Since then, Mahmood has performed for new audiences worldwide. This year, the modern revival of Dastangoi completed 25 years. It has now developed into a collective with dedicated physicians (Dastangos), many of which are extraordinary theater artists.
Says Mahmud, “A dawn is not as simple as remembering a script. They should do research, draw from many sources, weave stories together, improve during a performance and attach the audience.”
From Dastan-e-Manto
Photo Credit: Courtesy: Dastangoi Collective
So, a Ph.D. at the University of Princeton. Scholar Annie Farooqui has written Dastan Shahid-e-Azam Bhagat Singh And Dastan-e-Jalian Jalianwala Bagh is based on the massacre. Veteran Dastango Namita Singhai has recently written a squad on Jawaharlal Nehru, and Poonam Garthani has written Dastan Aaron’s Salman on the basis of Rushdie Aaron and the sea of stories Also, Dastan on the life of BR Ambedkar and Buddha. Mahmud has now moved a step ahead and especially squads have been written for children, such as Dastan alice And Dastan Little Prince’sHe said, “This idea is to introduce young audiences for Dastangoi to make art form inclusive, attractive and make it inclusive, attractive and durable for generations.”
It is not easy to keep the form of traditional art alive. From the deficiency of funds and sponsors in the challenges ranging from the logical obstacles to reach the widespread audience. As Mahmood states, Dastangoi is not only entertainment, but a powerful medium for political and social comments. “In today’s political environment, expressing dissatisfaction or increasing stimulating ideas can be filled with challenges,” they say. While the form of art cannot be economically viable, the team continues to perform passion. Says Mahmud, “Our reward we are contained in connection with our audience, in our smiles and tears.”
The group also felt the need to create new squads that would resonate with contemporary audiences. Thus, in the last few years, Dastangoi collective has customized a wide range of folklore. Dastan-e-Chauboli And Dastan King VikramAs literary works Ghare bhair, Dastan-e -RE-Samadhi And biographical statements Dastan-e-Aarfan-e-Budh, Dastan-e-Gandhi, Dastan-e-Ambedkar And Mantoyat to name a few. Even epics have been brought into the Dastangoi format, such as Dastan-e-Kern From Mahabharata And Dastan Jai Ramji ki Based on AK Ramanujan 300 Ramayana,
Poonam Girdhani and Nusrat Ansari Dastan alice Based on Alice in Wonderland
Photo Credit: Courtesy: Dastangoi Collective
There have also been some different squads, such as Dastan-e-Billi As a tribute to art critic and historian BN Goswami based on his book Indian catSays Mahmud, “While we have tried to preserve the traditional cloth of Dastan, it is challenging to recreate the imagination and grandeur of the imagination. Tilism-e-HoshrubaHe said, traditional squads remain particularly special for the connoisted people of Urdu language. ,
According to Mahmud, poetry is a common factor for all dastongose. But the writing process for each may vary. Essentially, determines the nature of subject or subject writing. For example, Mahabharata has stories within stories; Therefore, the epic lends themselves to poetry and many singing and translations. On the other hand, the document on Bhagat Singh or Ambedkar includes a direct statement. All this is about making them accessible and entertaining, ”he says.
Through workshops and educational busyness, their outreach has expanded to schools and colleges across India. Currently, the collective is developing squads on various topics including Guru Dutt and Kabir. Says Mahmud, “With each new work, it is the idea that it is ensuring, innovating and deepening, ensuring that Dastangoi remains a living, breathing art in the contemporary world.”
Published – August 06, 2025 02:32 pm IST
