Abstract:
Bhikhari Thakur’s theatre and plays have been an anchor point for research across
disciplinary fields. However, the discussion remains limited to examining his work from
a literary or social science perspective. Scholars overlook his theatre as a pedagogy. By
looking closely, we can observe that his theatre also contains elements that can lead to the
development of theatrical pedagogy. By practicing theatre, artists can learn many things,
such as the integration of acting, music, and dance; cross-gender acting; large gestures,
expression, and movement; and improvisation. Such training can be imparted not only in
formal theatre institutions but also in amateur and community theatre settings. This study
aims to examine the pedagogical potential of Bhikhari Thakur’s theatre in performance
tradition as a tool for sustainable theatre training. This study used a qualitative research
approach, including a literature review, performance analysis, and the author’s participant
observation as a tool for understanding the pedagogical component of Bhikhari Thakur’s
theatre. During my doctoral studies at the University of Hyderabad, I had the opportunity
not only to participate as an audience member or a performer but also to direct the play
‘Bidesia’ for the first time. Until then, I had been learning the ‘Bidesia’ style merely
by watching it or performing a role; this time, however, I not only played the role of
the Sutradhar (narrator) but also directed the entire production. This gave me firsthand
experience of using the ‘Bidesiya’ as a pedagogical method for teaching acting and stage
performances. Ultimately, the study tried to establish that, much like art forms such as
Koodiyattam, Kathakali, Thang-Ta, Tai-Chi, Kalaripayattu, and Chhau, Bikhari Thakur’s
theatre also has pedagogical potential for sustainable theatre training.
