Description

Emperor Ashoka is an English translation of Sahitya Akademi award-winning Hindi play, Samrat Ashok. This is another historical play authored by Daya Prakash Sinha and dramatises some lesser- known yet significant episodes from Emperor Ashoka’s life. Ashoka is remembered mainly for his change of heart after the Kalinga War and turn to Buddhism. Many other facets of his life are reserved only for diligent students of history and it is to the credit of the dramatist that he is able to bring them to mass audiences in an organic manner. Although Ashoka has been the theme of several works of fiction, film, etc., this play is refreshing in its treatment of the almost mythic character of the protagonist and evokes not just awe but empathy for the emperor. It brings home the reality of the living presence of history in the life of an individual and the life of a nation. Sinha’s telescopic vision is able to link the past, present and the future together to demonstrate a fluidity of movement and make the past contemporaneous. Not only does our past shape our present but it is also a legacy to guide us An added philosophical dimension in the play touches core issues concerning all humanity The dramatist also breaks the western mould of playwriting into acts and scenes and divides the play into twenty seamless scenes that highlight different aspects of Ashoka’s life and times.