BHUBANESWAR: The happiness of Urmila Murmu, a PhD scholar from the Santal community pursuing research in the Santali language at KISS University, knew no bounds when she got the opportunity to perform the works of William Shakespeare in her mother tongue before international audiences in Romania.
“The Ol Chiki script officially marked its centenary this year. There could not have been a better opportunity for me to perform before a global audience. It was indeed a very proud moment for me,” Murmu said.
Murmu was part of a 20-member team of tribal students from KISS and KIIT that performed adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays at various venues in Romania during the International Shakespeare Festival held from May 21 to 31.
Their Santali renditions of timeless classics such as Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet and Macbeth showcased the richness and cultural depth of the tribal language before a global audience. The festival brought together nearly 3,000 students from 71 universities across 45 countries, and the Odisha troupe earned widespread appreciation for its performances.
Adapting Shakespeare’s works into Santali was a challenging task. The troupe’s director, Debanuj Majumdar of KIIT, said the team did not follow a conventional approach. “Instead of preparing a straightforward script, we selectively curated portions of these plays and chose to tell stories that audiences could easily relate to and appreciate,” said Debanuj, who was also a member of the student group.
During the performances, the team ensured that audiences experienced Santal culture and language. “From costumes and jewellery to the overall ambience, everything reflected Santal traditions, while the performances incorporated both English and Santali,” he said.
The students underwent a month-long theatre training programme and staged the plays at 10 venues across Romania. After returning to India, they also performed in New Delhi in the presence of ambassadors, high commissioners and other dignitaries, earning praise for their unique cultural presentation.
“The response was overwhelming. After our shows, we were invited to Rashtrapati Bhavan, where we had the privilege of meeting President Droupadi Murmu. That experience further inspired us to continue our India tour,” he said.
The troupe recently staged the plays in Bhubaneswar and is scheduled to perform in Kolkata soon. It is also planning performances in Mumbai and Bengaluru and has received invitations from several other cities.
“The decision to perform theatre in the Santali language was taken by KIIT and KISS as part of an effort to promote the language internationally and highlight the Ol Chiki script, developed in 1925 by Pandit Raghunath Murmu, which recently marked its centenary. The initiative has taken Santali to the global stage by combining world-renowned literature with a tribal language and helping popularise it beyond its traditional boundaries,” said Rudrakesh Jena, joint director of KISS University.
The troupe’s efforts have also drawn appreciation from theatre scholars.
“The performance of Shakespeare’s works in the Santali language is a remarkable artistic achievement because it immediately attracts global attention. Moreover, theatre is a universally popular art form that is also highly intellectual in nature,” said playwright, theatre director and researcher Sourav Gupta.
Gupta said that transcreating Shakespearean dialogue into Santali is an uphill task that demands immense creativity and diligence.
“It should be repeated frequently to popularise Santali culture,” he said, adding that the team should also attempt to perform Indian folk tales, literature and mythology in Santali to showcase India’s cultural heritage on the world stage.
