Kubhindoko Katha (Story of Ash Gourd), a folklore-based play is set in Western Nepal’s Kham Magar community, and takes us closer to the ultimate truth of mother nature. It celebrates the fact that nature has made us different from one another with our strengths and weaknesses and emphasizes the need to accept each other’s existence. It acknowledges the difference in our appearances with different abilities and roles in family and society. It regards such diversities as nature’s plan to complement one’s weakness with another’s strength to ensure everyone’s role is vital, be it small or big for the smooth functioning of this world. It also advocates that diversity and coexistence is something that makes our society resilient and vibrant where the needs and existence of all are cared and respected. It is one of the seven plays developed through the five monthly long playwriting projects organized by Mandala Theatre-Nepal in 2022.
About the Playwright
Born in Dhangadhi of Kailali of Sudurpaschim Province, Pranish Magar has been active in Nepali theatre for the last few years. He is currently doing his graduation in Nepali literature and journalism at Pashupati Campus, Kathmandu. Besides writing, he has a special interest in music, acting, travel, and photography. He has been actively writing, acting, singing, and playing musical instruments for a number of plays.
Kubhindoko Katha: Synopsis
Khima, the main character of this play, is a folk tale-based character who is rejected in many ways by everyone because of her physical appearance. She is compared with others and mocked and questioned frequently due to her abilities. Consequently, a sense of inferiority develops in her that does not allow her to open up among her friends and society. This play takes us through how the central character overcomes her fear and inferiority and saves the people from the greatest crisis of drought in her village. In nutshell, this folk drama is a perfect blend of nature’s grandeur with human relations and emotions and gives a strong message that all the things that coexist in nature have their own essence.
Director’s Note
Directing this play was a challenging task for me. The plays that I have directed before were related to my own culture and traditions mainly from the eastern part of Nepal. That’s why, I had a good understanding of the dramatic elements used in the play. But, as Kubhindoko Katha is based on Kham Magar culture of western Nepal, different from my own culture and experiences. Being new to this culture, I had to do my research to preserve the authenticity of the culture, which was quite a stimulating and exciting artistic journey for me. I have tried my best to use the right and meaningful dramatic elements to make the play worthy to watch by using dance and musical forms from the same culture and folklore practices. I hope this play hopefully conveys the importance of diversity in nature. I am very thankful to the entire cast and crew of this production who believed in me to work on this.
