Rumiyana, a multimedia musical puppet theatre performance at the International Theatre Festival of Kerala (ITFoK), unfolds a journey within.
Based on the works of Sufi mystic poet and philosopher Jalaluddin Rumi, whose influence transcends borders and unites people of all nationalities and races, Rumiyana by Ishara Puppet Theatre, Delhi, explores the concept of unity of being.
Universality of thoughts
“When you think of Rumi, everyone will expect an ambiance of Persian music and Oudh. But Rumi is not just a Persian mystic poet. He is somebody who is admired and adorned all over the world owing to the universality of his thoughts. We tried to imagine Rumi in the context of India,” says Dadi Pudumjee, leading puppeteer in the country and founder of Ishara Puppet Theatre. Rumiyana celebrates love, unity and diversity, he adds.
The 60-minute performance uses the metaphors of soul, body, and shadow to search for the idea of true self. The story is narrated through the dialogue between two performers, the master and the student, to unfold the journey within. The boy who seeks permission to enter is greeted with questions by the master. The master’s questions push him for more self examination and introspection. The journey of the seeker unfolds through multiple stories.
Rumiyana merges the visual arts with animation. Puppets, actors, and dancers synergise to create a fascinating multimedia performance to the accompaniment of music and digital projections. Captivating music by Bengaluru-based musician Sandeep Pillai and digital projections by Shaaz Ahmed take the performance to another level.
“Searching and finding is what the performance is really about. The journey doesn’t end by finding. It starts anew at that point. The performance explores the idea of the true self in harmony with the concept of diversity and plurality,” says the team.
A pioneer in modern puppetry in the county, Mr. Pudumjee founded the theatre group in 1986. He has taken Indian puppetry to the global platform.
