Belbari International Theatre Festival kicks off

By Our Correspondent,Belbari, Mar. 24: The Belbari International Theatre Festival began in Belbari, Morang, on Sunday. 

The festival began at Tamu Buddhist Gumba in Belbari-1, featuring performances by artists from Nepal, India and Japan.

 The festival will continue until March 25.

On the first day, a team of nine artists from Manipur, India, presented a play titled Aboriginal Cry, which is based on the sorrow of Indigenous people.

Artists from Mandala Theatre will stage a play called Ashtangika on Monday. 

On the last day of the festival, a Japanese play titled Kandata and Sakuntala will be staged. This play, jointly performed by artists from Japan and Nepal, aims to highlight the cultures of both countries.

Koshi Province lawmaker Gyanendra Subedi inaugurated the theatre festival on Sunday at Tamu Buddhist Gumba. 

Speaking at the inauguration programme, Lawmaker Subedi said that theatre can serve as a medium to guide society in a new direction. He further added that before the development of modern cinema, theatre was the primary form of entertainment.

The Belbari Pragya Pratisthan organises the festival.

During the opening ceremony, Mandala Theatre director Somanath Khanal expressed his best wishes. 

The event, presided over by Belbari Pragya Pratisthan Chairperson Rekha Subedi, also featured a musical play written by Navaraj Parajuli. The play was performed by seven artists from Belbari Multiple Campus and was directed by Bikash Budhathoki and Jiban Baral.