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{{short description|1871 Gujarati language play by Dalpatram}}
'''''Mithyabhiman''''' (English: False Pride) is an 1870 [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] play by Indian writer [[Dalpatram]]. Considered to be a milestone in [[Gujarati literature]], it holds an important place among the comic plays in the history of [[Gujarati theatre|Gujarati drama]].<ref name="Datta1988">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/?id=29f0ugEACAAJ|title=Mithyabhiman |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: K to Navalram|last=Jani|first=Balvant|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|year=1987|isbn=978-0-8364-2423-2|editor=Datta|editor-first=Amaresh|volume=VIII|location=New Delhi|page=2713}}</ref>
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox play
| name = Mithyabhiman
| image = Mithyabhiman performance.jpg
| caption = Performance of ''Mithyabhiman'' (directed by [[Mahendrasinh Parmar]]) at Saurashtra Literature Festival, [[Rajkot]] in June 2018. The photo depicts Jivram Bhatt and Ranglo.
| writer = [[Dalpatram]]
| characters = {{Plainlist|
* Jivram Bhatt
* Raghunath
* Sutradhar
* Ranglo ([[jester]])
}}
| setting =
| premiere = {{Start date|1955}}
| place = [[Natmandal]], [[Ahmedabad]]
| orig_lang = [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
| subject =
| genre = [[Comic play]]
}}
'''''Mithyabhiman''''' ({{IPA|gu|mit̪ʰyabʰiman̪|pron|}}; English: ''False Pride'') is an 1871 [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]] play by Indian writer [[Dalpatram]]. Considered to be a milestone in [[Gujarati literature]], it holds an important place among the comic plays in the history of [[Gujarati theatre|Gujarati drama]]. The play tells a story of Jivaram Bhatt, who suffers from [[nyctalopia]] (night blindness) but does not want people to know about it. When he visits his father-in-law's house, he causes considerable difficulty and confusion while trying in vain to hide his disability.

==Background==
[[File:Mithyabhiman- book cover.jpg|thumb|''Mithyabhiman'' book cover]]
Dalpatram wrote ''Mithyabhiman'' in 1870, with subtitle ''Bhungal Vinani Bhavai''. The play fuses the elements of a comic folk-play form known as ''[[Bhavai]]'', traditional [[Sanskrit]] drama and western drama. It has eight acts and 14 scenes. It was first published in 1871 by the [[Gujarat Vernacular Society]] (then [[Gujarat Vidhya Sabha]]) under the title ''Mithyabhiman athva Jivram Bhatt''.<ref name="Datta1988">{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=29f0ugEACAAJ|title=Mithyabhiman |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: K to Navalram|last=Jani|first=Balvant|publisher=[[Sahitya Akademi]]|year=1987|isbn=978-0-8364-2423-2|editor=Datta|editor-first=Amaresh|volume=VIII|location=New Delhi|page=2713}}</ref><ref name="Datta1988a">{{cite encyclopedia|editor=Datta|editor-first=Amaresh|last=Bhakandwala|first=B. H.|title=Drama (Gujarati)|encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zB4n3MVozbUC&pg=PA1071|year=1988|publisher=Sahitya Akademi|location=New Delhi|isbn=978-81-260-1194-0|page=1071}}</ref><ref name="Bhojak2002">{{Cite encyclopedia|last=Bhojak|first=Dinkar|title=Mithyābhimāna|script-title=gu:મિથ્યાભિમાન|encyclopedia=[[Gujarati Vishwakosh]]|editor-last=Thaker|editor-first=Dhirubhai|editor-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|publisher=Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust|date=August 2002|edition=1st|volume=XVI|location=Ahmedabad|page=43|oclc=163322996|language=gu}}</ref>


==Characters==
==Characters==
The main characters of the play are:<ref name="KMGeorge1997">{{cite book|last=Thaker|first=Dhirubhai|author-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|editor-last=George|editor-first=K. M.|editor-link=K. M. George (writer)|chapter=Mithyabhiman (False Pride)|title=Masterpieces of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXFOAAAAYAAJ|volume=1|year=1997|publisher=[[National Book Trust]]|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-237-1978-7|page=328–330}}</ref>
The play's main characters are:<ref name="KMGeorge1997">{{cite book|last=Thaker|first=Dhirubhai|author-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|editor-last=George|editor-first=K. M.|editor-link=K. M. George (writer)|chapter=Mithyabhiman (False Pride)|title=Masterpieces of Indian Literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dXFOAAAAYAAJ|volume=1|year=1997|publisher=[[National Book Trust]]|location=New Delhi|isbn=81-237-1978-7|pages=328–330}}</ref>


* Jivram Bhatt{{snd}}a patient of [[nyctalopia]]
* Jivram Bhatt, a nyctalopia sufferer
* Raghunath{{snd}}father-in-law of Jivram Bhatt
* Raghunath, Jivram's father-in-law
* Sutradhar
* Sutradhar
* Ranglo (jester)
* Ranglo (jester)


==Plot==
==Plot==
After the introduction of the play through a delightful dialogue between ''Sūtradhār'' (who introduces the story of the drama to the audience) and Ranglo (jester), Jivram Bhatt, the hero of the play enters walking in a forest on his way to his father-in-law's house in Manaspuri. But, being a patient of nyctalopia (night blindness), he is not able to decide which way he should go. He conceals his disability by pretending to see everything and rejects the helping hand offered by two shepherds related to his father-in-law's family. Ultimately he tries to reach the destination by holding the tail of his father-in-law's baby buffalo who drags him into a ditch beside the road.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
The play is introduced by a dialogue between Sūtradhār (who introduces the plot to the audience) and the jester Ranglo. Jivram Bhatt, the protagonist, enters walking through a forest on his way to his father-in-law's house in Manaspuri. However, because he suffers from nyctalopia (night blindness), he cannot decide which way to go. He conceals his disability by pretending to see everything, and rejects the helping hand offered by two shepherds related to his father-in-law's family. Ultimately, he tries to reach his destination by holding the tail of his father-in-law's baby buffalo, who drags him into a ditch beside the road.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>

⚫
The second Act opens in the house of Jivram's father-in-law, Raghunath, who, as an orthodox brahmin, believes that the ''[[Vedas]]'' have mysterious meaning which God alone knows. Ranglo informs him that his son in-law has arrived on the outskirts of Manaspuri. The shepherd Bijal also informs him that Jivram is approaching the village, led by the buffalo's tail.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>


When they do not find Jivram with the buffalo, Raghunath and his son set out in search of him. They find him lying in a ditch. They ask him to accompany them home, but he, being unable to see at night, refuses to go with them, on the pretext that his mother-in-law called him ‘night-blind' on a previous occasion. After a lot of persuasion, Jivram agrees to accompany them on the condition that nobody in the village call him night-blind. Raghunath asks the local prince to issue an order asking all the residents of the village not to call Jivram night-blind. The prince issues such an order.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
⚫
The second Act opens in the house of Jivaram Bhatt's father-in-law, Raghunath, who, as an orthodox brahmin, believes that the Vedas have mysterious meaning which God alone knows. Ranglo informs him of the arrival of his son in-law on the outskirts of Manaspuri. Incidentally the shepherd, Bijal, also in forms him that Jivaram Bhatt was approaching the village led by the buffalo's tail.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>


But, not finding Jivaram Bhatt with the buffalo, Raghunath and his son set out in search of him. They find him lying in a ditch. They request Jivaram Bhatt to accompany them home, but he, being unable to see at night, declines to go with them, on the pretext that his mother-in-law called him ‘night-blind' on a previous occasion. After a lot of persuasion, Jivaram Bhatt agrees to accompany them on the condition that none in the village would call him night-blind. Raghunath requests the prince of the place to issue an order asking all the residents of the village not to call Jivaram Bhatt a night-blind. The prince issues such an order.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
The members of Raghunath's family ask Jivram questions about his achievements. Jivram boasts of his greatness in matters of knowledge, creativity and worship, amongst others. As a result of night-blindness, he bungles every step. When he has a bath, instead of clean water, he pours a pot of animals' urine onto his body. While sitting for dinner, he faces the wall; when his mother-in-law serves him ''lapshi'' (a sweet dish made of wheat flour), the young buffalo eats it. Then, when the lady comes to serve the dessert again, Jivram gives her severe beating, thinking she is the buffalo. Devbai cries and curses him. On all these occasions, Jivram tries to justify his behavior stupidly and shamelessly, exhibiting vanity and hypocrisy.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>


⚫
Jivram gets up at midnight to use the bathroom; however, to avoid getting lost due to his night-blindness, he ties his turban to the cot and goes to the urinal with the other end of the turban in his hand. However, the baby buffalo chews away the middle portion of the turban. Jivram gets lost and tumbles onto his mother-in-law, who gets up screaming 'thief, thief.' Raghunath and Somnath get up and, taking Jivaram for a thief, start beating him severely. The police arrive and arrest Jivram in the dark. Nobody listens to Jivram's voice in the din. While in police custody, Jivram is beaten to force him to confess the crime. Raghunath and others believe that Jivram has been kidnapped. Raghunath's statement that they won't be able to replace the stolen 'thing' even by paying Rs. 2,000 adds to the confusion.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
The members of Raghunath's family ask Jivaram Bhatt questions regarding his achievements. Jivaram Bhatt boasts of his greatness in the matters of knowledge, creativity, worship, etc. As a result of night-blindness, he bungles at every step. When he takes bath, instead of clean water, he pours potfull of animals' urine on his body. While sitting for dinner, he faces the wall and when his mother in-law serves him ''lapshi'' (a sweet dish made of wheat flour), the young buffalo eats it away! And when the lady comes to serve the sweet again, Jivaram Bhatt gives her severe beating, taking her to be the buffalo. Devbai cries and curses him. On all these occasions, Jivaram Bhatt tries to justify his behavior stupidly and shamelessly, exhibiting utter vanity and hypocrisy.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>


⚫
The so-called thief is then brought to the court in a cot and the truth is revealed. Jivram is on the brink of death; in the final Act, he is brought home and treated by a physician-cum-astrologer. But there is no chance of recovery. At the end Jivram repents his unseemly behavior. He asks his relatives to erect a marble pillar in his memory and inscribe it with 12 stanzas which exhort people to abstain from the vices of pride, vanity and hypocrisy.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
⚫
Jivaram Bhatt gets up at midnight to ease himself; but, being night-blind, he ties his turban to the cot and goes to the urinal with the other end of the turban in his hand. But again the baby buffalo chews away the middle portion of the turban! Jivaram Bhatt is baffled in the dark and tumbles on his mother-in-law who gets up screaming 'thief, thief.' Raghunath and Somnath get up and taking Jivaram Bhatt for a thief, start beating him severely. The police arrives and ar rests Jivaram Bhatt in the dark. Nobody listens to Jivaram Bhatt's voice in the din. In the police custody also, Jivaram gets heavy hammering to force him to confess the crime. Raghunath and others believe that Jivaram Bhatt is kidnapped. Raghunath's statement that they won't be able to replace the stolen 'thing'even by paying Rs. 2,000 adds to the confusion.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>


==Performance==
⚫
The so-called thief is then brought to the court in a cot and the truth is revealed. Jivaram Bhatt is at the point of dying. And in the final Act he is brought home and treated by a physician-cum-astrologer. But there is no chance of recovery. At the end Jivaram Bhatt repents his unseemly behavior. He asks his relatives to erect a marble pillar in his memory and inscribe therein 12 stanzas which exhort people to abstain from the vices of pride, vanity and hypocrisy.<ref name="KMGeorge1997"/>
[[File:Shri Archan Trivedi.jpg|thumb|Archan Trivedi who played Jivram Bhatt|upright=0.7]]
''Mithyabhiman'' was probably first performed in 1955 by the [[Natmandal]], a theatre school operated by [[Gujarat Vidhya Sabha]]. It was directed by [[Jaishankar Bhojak]], and [[Pransukh Nayak]] played the role of Jivram Bhatt.<ref name="Bhojak2002"/><ref name="Baradi2003">{{cite book|last=Baradi|first=Hasmukh|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9eWwCxY7w-QC|title=History of Gujarati Theatre|publisher=[[National Book Trust]]|year=2003|isbn=81-237-4032-8|series=India-The Land and The People|location=New Delhi|page=13|translator-last=Meghani|translator-first=Vinod|authorlink=Hasmukh Baradi}}</ref> In 1998, [[Kailash Pandya]] adapted the play as ''Bhungal Vinani Bhavai'', which was staged at Natarani, [[Ahmedabad]] the same year. In the production, Archan Trivedi played the role of Jivram Bhatt.<ref>{{cite book|last=Desai|first=S.D.|title=More Happenings: Gujarati Theatre Today (1990–1999)|date=December 2002|publisher=[[Gujarat Sahitya Academy]]|location=Gandhinagar|page=229|isbn=81-7227-113-1}}</ref> The play was staged at R. V. Pathak Hall of [[Gujarati Sahitya Parishad]], Ahmedabad on 21 January 2007. It was directed by Gujarati writer and dramatist [[Mahendrasinh Parmar]].<ref>{{cite book|last=Thakar|first=Labhshankar|author-link=Labhshankar Thakar|title=Soneri Chumbana|script-title=gu:સોનેરી ચુંબન|year=2009|publisher=Rannade Prakashan|location=Ahmedabad|page=101|oclc=317623731}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
The play is considered to be a milestone in the development of drama in Gujarati literature.<ref name="Gujarat2007">{{cite book|editor1-last=Thaker|editor1-first=Dhirubhai|editor1-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|editor2-last=Desai|editor2-first=Kumarpal|editor2-link=Kumarpal Desai|title=Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra, Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust|location=Ahmedabad|page=78|chapter=Social Reforms in Gujarat|oclc=680480939}}</ref>
Considered to be a milestone in the development of Gujarati drama, ''Mithyabhiman'' is the first humorous play in Gujarati language. It holds an important place in the history of Gujarati comic plays.<ref name="Datta1988"/><ref name="Datta1988a"/><ref name="Gujarat2007">{{cite book|editor1-last=Thaker|editor1-first=Dhirubhai|editor1-link=Dhirubhai Thaker|editor2-last=Desai|editor2-first=Kumarpal|editor2-link=Kumarpal Desai|title=Gujarat|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4oMAQAAMAAJ|year=2007|publisher=Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra, Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust|location=Ahmedabad|page=78|chapter=Social Reforms in Gujarat|oclc=680480939}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 32: Line 61:
* {{Internet Archive|id=in.ernet.dli.2015.319124}}
* {{Internet Archive|id=in.ernet.dli.2015.319124}}


[[:Category:1870 plays]]
[[Category:1871 plays]]
[[:Category:Gujarati-language plays]]
[[Category:Gujarati-language plays]]
[[:Category:Literature about blindness]]
[[Category:Satirical plays]]
[[Category:Literature about blindness]]

Latest revision as of 04:40, 4 September 2024

Mithyabhiman
Performance of Mithyabhiman (directed by Mahendrasinh Parmar) at Saurashtra Literature Festival, Rajkot in June 2018. The photo depicts Jivram Bhatt and Ranglo.
Written byDalpatram
Characters
  • Jivram Bhatt
  • Raghunath
  • Sutradhar
  • Ranglo (jester)
Date premiered1955 (1955)
Place premieredNatmandal, Ahmedabad
Original languageGujarati
GenreComic play

Mithyabhiman (pronounced [mit̪ʰyabʰiman̪]; English: False Pride) is an 1871 Gujarati play by Indian writer Dalpatram. Considered to be a milestone in Gujarati literature, it holds an important place among the comic plays in the history of Gujarati drama. The play tells a story of Jivaram Bhatt, who suffers from nyctalopia (night blindness) but does not want people to know about it. When he visits his father-in-law's house, he causes considerable difficulty and confusion while trying in vain to hide his disability.

Background

[edit]
Mithyabhiman book cover

Dalpatram wrote Mithyabhiman in 1870, with subtitle Bhungal Vinani Bhavai. The play fuses the elements of a comic folk-play form known as Bhavai, traditional Sanskrit drama and western drama. It has eight acts and 14 scenes. It was first published in 1871 by the Gujarat Vernacular Society (then Gujarat Vidhya Sabha) under the title Mithyabhiman athva Jivram Bhatt.[1][2][3]

Characters

[edit]

The play's main characters are:[4]

  • Jivram Bhatt, a nyctalopia sufferer
  • Raghunath, Jivram's father-in-law
  • Sutradhar
  • Ranglo (jester)

Plot

[edit]

The play is introduced by a dialogue between Sūtradhār (who introduces the plot to the audience) and the jester Ranglo. Jivram Bhatt, the protagonist, enters walking through a forest on his way to his father-in-law's house in Manaspuri. However, because he suffers from nyctalopia (night blindness), he cannot decide which way to go. He conceals his disability by pretending to see everything, and rejects the helping hand offered by two shepherds related to his father-in-law's family. Ultimately, he tries to reach his destination by holding the tail of his father-in-law's baby buffalo, who drags him into a ditch beside the road.[4]

The second Act opens in the house of Jivram's father-in-law, Raghunath, who, as an orthodox brahmin, believes that the Vedas have mysterious meaning which God alone knows. Ranglo informs him that his son in-law has arrived on the outskirts of Manaspuri. The shepherd Bijal also informs him that Jivram is approaching the village, led by the buffalo's tail.[4]

When they do not find Jivram with the buffalo, Raghunath and his son set out in search of him. They find him lying in a ditch. They ask him to accompany them home, but he, being unable to see at night, refuses to go with them, on the pretext that his mother-in-law called him ‘night-blind' on a previous occasion. After a lot of persuasion, Jivram agrees to accompany them on the condition that nobody in the village call him night-blind. Raghunath asks the local prince to issue an order asking all the residents of the village not to call Jivram night-blind. The prince issues such an order.[4]

The members of Raghunath's family ask Jivram questions about his achievements. Jivram boasts of his greatness in matters of knowledge, creativity and worship, amongst others. As a result of night-blindness, he bungles every step. When he has a bath, instead of clean water, he pours a pot of animals' urine onto his body. While sitting for dinner, he faces the wall; when his mother-in-law serves him lapshi (a sweet dish made of wheat flour), the young buffalo eats it. Then, when the lady comes to serve the dessert again, Jivram gives her severe beating, thinking she is the buffalo. Devbai cries and curses him. On all these occasions, Jivram tries to justify his behavior stupidly and shamelessly, exhibiting vanity and hypocrisy.[4]

Jivram gets up at midnight to use the bathroom; however, to avoid getting lost due to his night-blindness, he ties his turban to the cot and goes to the urinal with the other end of the turban in his hand. However, the baby buffalo chews away the middle portion of the turban. Jivram gets lost and tumbles onto his mother-in-law, who gets up screaming 'thief, thief.' Raghunath and Somnath get up and, taking Jivaram for a thief, start beating him severely. The police arrive and arrest Jivram in the dark. Nobody listens to Jivram's voice in the din. While in police custody, Jivram is beaten to force him to confess the crime. Raghunath and others believe that Jivram has been kidnapped. Raghunath's statement that they won't be able to replace the stolen 'thing' even by paying Rs. 2,000 adds to the confusion.[4]

The so-called thief is then brought to the court in a cot and the truth is revealed. Jivram is on the brink of death; in the final Act, he is brought home and treated by a physician-cum-astrologer. But there is no chance of recovery. At the end Jivram repents his unseemly behavior. He asks his relatives to erect a marble pillar in his memory and inscribe it with 12 stanzas which exhort people to abstain from the vices of pride, vanity and hypocrisy.[4]

Performance

[edit]
Archan Trivedi who played Jivram Bhatt

Mithyabhiman was probably first performed in 1955 by the Natmandal, a theatre school operated by Gujarat Vidhya Sabha. It was directed by Jaishankar Bhojak, and Pransukh Nayak played the role of Jivram Bhatt.[3][5] In 1998, Kailash Pandya adapted the play as Bhungal Vinani Bhavai, which was staged at Natarani, Ahmedabad the same year. In the production, Archan Trivedi played the role of Jivram Bhatt.[6] The play was staged at R. V. Pathak Hall of Gujarati Sahitya Parishad, Ahmedabad on 21 January 2007. It was directed by Gujarati writer and dramatist Mahendrasinh Parmar.[7]

Reception

[edit]

Considered to be a milestone in the development of Gujarati drama, Mithyabhiman is the first humorous play in Gujarati language. It holds an important place in the history of Gujarati comic plays.[1][2][8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Jani, Balvant (1987). "Mithyabhiman". In Datta, Amaresh (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: K to Navalram. Vol. VIII. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 2713. ISBN 978-0-8364-2423-2.
  2. ^ a b Bhakandwala, B. H. (1988). "Drama (Gujarati)". In Datta, Amaresh (ed.). Encyclopaedia of Indian Literature: Devraj to Jyoti. New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi. p. 1071. ISBN 978-81-260-1194-0.
  3. ^ a b Bhojak, Dinkar (August 2002). "Mithyābhimāna" મિથ્યાભિમાન. In Thaker, Dhirubhai (ed.). Gujarati Vishwakosh (in Gujarati). Vol. XVI (1st ed.). Ahmedabad: Gujarat Vishwakosh Trust. p. 43. OCLC 163322996.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Thaker, Dhirubhai (1997). "Mithyabhiman (False Pride)". In George, K. M. (ed.). Masterpieces of Indian Literature. Vol. 1. New Delhi: National Book Trust. pp. 328–330. ISBN 81-237-1978-7.
  5. ^ Baradi, Hasmukh (2003). History of Gujarati Theatre. India-The Land and The People. Translated by Meghani, Vinod. New Delhi: National Book Trust. p. 13. ISBN 81-237-4032-8.
  6. ^ Desai, S.D. (December 2002). More Happenings: Gujarati Theatre Today (1990–1999). Gandhinagar: Gujarat Sahitya Academy. p. 229. ISBN 81-7227-113-1.
  7. ^ Thakar, Labhshankar (2009). Soneri Chumbana સોનેરી ચુંબન. Ahmedabad: Rannade Prakashan. p. 101. OCLC 317623731.
  8. ^ Thaker, Dhirubhai; Desai, Kumarpal, eds. (2007). "Social Reforms in Gujarat". Gujarat. Ahmedabad: Smt. Hiralaxmi Navanitbhai Shah Dhanya Gurjari Kendra, Gujarat Vishvakosh Trust. p. 78. OCLC 680480939.
[edit]
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