Title: Revival of Nautanki through the agency of north Indian youth to achieve planetary sustainability

Authors: Nitin Mane; Ruhi Lal; Satyabrata Rout

Addresses: Amity School of Communication, Amity University, Noida, India ' Amity School of Communication, Amity University, Noida, India ' Department of Theatre Arts, Sarojini Naidu School, Hyderabad Central University, India

Abstract: Nautanki resides in the collective consciousness of the North Indian populace and constitutes North Indian cultural identity. The study involves youth in critical and creative thinking. We argue that student engagement with local, national, and global communities would impart a sense of social and personal responsibility, enabling students to find meaning in their individual lives as well as in the public arena. We argue that realistic performances and contemporary content would increase the appeal of Nautanki to youth. We further suggest that the organisation of Nautanki festivals, competitions, and conferences for youth would create meaningful interaction between Nautanki artists and youth. The positive attributes of Nautanki such as singing, dance, vibrancy, freshness, and humour could motivate the youth to engage in the creative practices of Nautanki and help bridge the gap between rural Nautanki artists and the youth. The symbiotic association would create cultural and economic sustainability in their ecosystem.

Keywords: folk theatre; critical thinking skills; sustainability; performance theory; Bakhtin; Richard Schechner; intangible arts; pluralism; Nautanki revival; North Indian youth.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPEE.2023.138577

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2023 Vol.14 No.3/4, pp.315 - 331

Accepted: 13 Nov 2023
Published online: 13 May 2024 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article