Visit to the Natya Shodh Sansthan Museum
The Semester VI students of the Department of English, Loreto College, Kolkata visited the Natya Shodh Sansthan archives and museum at Salt Lake for an educational field trip. The class was divided into two groups. The first group went to the museum on February 11, 2025 and completed the tour under the guidance of Dr. Subhasree Basu and Mrs. Mangala Gouri Chakraborty. The second group went on February 18, 2025 with Dr. Sanghita Sanyal.
The Natya Shodh Sansthan Archive and Museum is a prominent cultural institution that exclusively curates artefacts, photographs, videos, and books on drama and performance from all over India and the world. The archive is a rich trove of information and research material as well as miniatures and models of original stage setups from diverse theatrical cultures and performances across time, ranging from classical to contemporary pieces.
During the visits, the students participated in a guided tour led by an enthusiastic curator from the museum, which provided valuable insights into the techniques and historical contexts of various Indian theatrical forms. From scenes from traditional Rasleela, Ramleela, Pandabanis, to puppet theatre, Yakshagana, Jatra, Alkaap, Marathi and Gujarati plays, to the miniature of Sambhu Mitra's production of Rabindranath Tagore’s Raktakarabi, the students experienced a thorough journey through the evolution and variety of theatres.
The visits left the students with much to reflect on and imparted a deeper understanding of plays, performance, and dramaturgy. A renewed sense of awareness and appreciation for the power of the stage to convey emotions and stories was also a critical outcome of this trip, which will help the students in connecting with the Theatre and Performance studies course in their syllabus.
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