Knowing the minds of the teller

This is the story of Manteswamy, a 16th century rebel-saint of South India. It depicts his aspiration to take society away from the stagnant orthodoxy of the priestly classes towards the toil and hard work of the oppressed classes.

Manteswamy’s verse confronts the irony of a society that had stagnated into orthodoxy, all in the name of the very reform that Basavanna and his companions fought for in the 12th century. Through his poetry, he builds a scathing attack on a revolution gone wrong. His poetry liberated a movement that had lost its way and was appropriated by palaces and monasteries.
The play equates and contrasts the 16th century Manteswamy with the 12th century Basava, Allama, Madiwala Machaya, Haralayya etc.
In the episode ‘Kalyana Pattanada Saalu’, derived from “Manteswamy Maha Kavya” – usually sung in ritual form by folk storytellers ‘Neelagararu’ – it blends historical fact with legend across time and space.
`Manteswamy kavya prayoga’ narrative is based on folk songs. Its poetry is emblematic of the plurality and diversity of the subaltern cultures. With a touch of modern music and theatrical elements and with the underlying theme of social justice and spiritual wisdom, it blends Sufi and Shaiva culture.