Chiaroscuro (Chowrang): Sahitya Akademi Award-winning Collection of Konkani Plays

Chiaroscuro is a translation of Sahitya Akademi award-winning collection of one-act plays. Chowrang of Pundalik N. Naik. The plays cover inequities. injustices, inequalities and embedded dogmas that we have in our society. The collection is in a sense timeless since they defy time and space or locale since even after more than three decades of the plays having been written. The plays in addition carry a searing message and reflect the light and shade that exists in the common life of ordinary individuals. "On an Island Where..." deals with the basic problems of liberty and revolt. "The Gateway to Death" deals with the problem of life and death in a poignantly imaginative way. "The Prince of Freedom" a freedom fighter finds the whole exercise in having fought for freedom futile and meaningless. And Then "There was One Naked Girl Child Remaining", an impoverished elderly lady, at a political meeting, piteously seeks a cloth banner for the dress of her granddaughter. "Puppetry" The Spectator and the Actors laying bare the biases of our society ridden with castes and other prejudices.< /p>

Pundalik N. Naik (b. 1952) is an eminent playwright and scholar. His versatility, ranging from writing plays, poetry, short-stories, novellas as well as screenplays and lyrics for films. He has published over 56 books ranging from plays, poems to novellas and has written screenplays and song lyrics for 16 films and teleplays. His works have been translated in many Indian and foreign languages notably the novel. Acchev into English - The Upheaval. He is the recipient of many awards including Sahitya Akademi I award for this one-act plays collection. Chowrang, International Paters Award by the Australian Academy of Broadcast and Science. The Gomant Sharada award by Kala Academy. Goa for his contribution to Konkani literature, Vimala V Pai Vishwa Konkani Puraskar, and Sangeet Natak Akademi award etc. He has won first prize for screenplay for the Konkani film Dekhanni Durai at the Goa Film Festival.
Srinivas Kamat (b. 1950), a retired electronic engineer has been involved in management throughout his career and upon settling down in Goa after retirement has taken up translation as a hobby to further his interest in languages. Goa Konkani Akademi has published his initial works in translation of some of Shenal Goembab's works in Konkani and a Marathi book entitled-The Konkani Language: Nature and Tradition by the Late Dr. SB Kulkarni,

This collection of one-act plays by Pundalik N Naik, Sahitya Akademi award winner in 1984 in its original Konkani titled Chowrang, now translated in English as Chiaroscuro, covers the inequities, injustice, inequality and embedded dogma that we have in our society. These plays are in a sense timeless since they defy time and space or locale since even after more than three decades of the plays having been written, we see the same issues as mentioned in the plays surfacing around us in one or the other context. The plays in addition carry a searing message and reflect the light and shade that exists in the common life of ordinary individuals. Manohar Rai Sardesai, the doyen of Konkani literature, commenting on Chowrang in his- A History of Konkani Literature (From 1590 - 1992), published by the Sahitya Akademi, 2000 (ISBN 81-7201-664-6), pp. 238-9 writes as follows "Chowrang (The Stage), now translated in English as Chiaroscuro, contains five one-act plays His (Pundalik N Naik) one-act plays, however, have universal themes and are written in standard Konkani. They are slices of life common to the whole of mankind. The characters in these plays have no proper names of their own. They are designated as 'He', 'She', 'Young Man' or 'Boss. They could belong to any country, to any society and the action could have taken place anywhere in the world. The absence of a definite locale, though an advantage to a certain extent, also has its shortcomings. The characters are rather personified ideas than persons themselves.
'Eka Zunvem Zoim' (On An Island Where...), renamed as Once Upon An Island..., deals with the basic problems of liberty and revolt. A young man comes to an island and is painfully surprised to see men and women yoked to the plough like animals. They are mercilessly whipped by the Master. They weep and wail, but do not revolt. The young man urges the people to revolt and murder. And the Master as he lies dying at the feet of the victor, utters these words "You are my son. Of your own will, you have taken the burden off my shoulders. And the people shout slogans of revolt, the young man silences them thus: 'Stop that noise. Your boss is ordering you. Hence-forward this land will obey my orders/ And the people await another savior. But the savior will not come, for the outsider cannot save. The revolt must come from within.
'Mornu Kotto' (The Gateway to Death), renamed as The Purveyor, deals with the problem of life and death in a poignantly imaginative way. On the bank of a river; a man has constructed a platform. Anyone jumping into the river from this platform is sure to die and instantly. An advertisement appears in the newspapers: 'If you wish to commit suicide, come and meet us." A young man arrives on the scene. He wants to commit suicide and he feels that the man will help him to live. But the man suggests he should jump into the river from the platform of death. The young man does not want to die and he recounts the many deceptions he has suffered in his life. Three scenes are enacted on the stage: his first interview, his first love and his encounter with his father. At last, the young man takes a plunge into the river. But a little later, he comes back, all drenched.