Evam Indrajit -Badal Sircar Play

 Clickfor Summary

Evam Indrajit -Badal Sircar Summary

INTRODUCTION (Click for Play)

Sudhindra Sircar (15 July 1925 – 13 May 2011), also known as Badal Sarkar, was an influential Indian dramatist and theatre director, most known for his anti-establishment plays during the Naxalite movement in the 1970s and taking theatre out of the proscenium and into public arena, when he transformed his own theatre company, Shatabdi (established in 1967 for proscenium theatre ) as a third theatre group . He wrote more than fifty plays of which Ebong Indrajit, Basi Khabar, and Saari Raat are well known literary pieces. A pioneering figure in street theatre as well as in experimental and contemporary Bengali theatre with his egalitarian "Third Theatre", he prolifically wrote scripts for his Aanganmanch (courtyard stage) performances, and remains one of the most translated Indian playwrights. Though his early comedies were popular, it was his angst-ridden Evam Indrajit (And Indrajit) that became a landmark play in Indian theatre. Today, his rise as a prominent playwright in 1960s is seen as the coming of age of Modern Indian playwriting in Bengali, just as Vijay Tendulkar did it in Marathi, Mohan Rakesh in Hindi, and Girish Karnad in Kannada.

He was awarded the Padma Shri in 1972, Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1968 and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship, the highest honour in the performing arts by Govt. of India, in 1997.

 

THEAM

"Evam Indrajit," a three-act play by Badal Sircar, centers on a writer struggling to create a meaningful play, particularly one that reflects the realities of his world. The protagonist, Indrajit, embodies a search for identity and purpose in a seemingly meaningless existence, a theme explored through his interactions with other characters and his own internal conflicts. The play is considered absurdist, highlighting the frustrations and disillusionment of the educated middle class in post-independence India. 

 

SUMMARY

Evam Indrajit is a 1963 three-act play by Indian dramatist and theater director Badal Sircar, first translated in 1975. Known for his anti-establishment plays written during the Naxalite movement in 1970s, his plays were often performed in the public arena (area) and challenged conventions of Indian theater. His plays were heavily inspired by traditions of folk theater, while developing an identity of its own rooted in contemporary politics. Many of his plays lack a plot or concrete characterization, and the actors often chose their roles from performance to performance and even exchange them in the middle of the play. Audience participation is usually encouraged. Evam Indrajit is an abstract, absurdist play with a central theme of the monotony of a mechanical existence. It explores the writing process and the search for inspiration and something exciting to motivate creation. It was Sircar’s first drama after a string of comedies, and remains one of his most enduring works, especially outside of his native India.

The story of Evam Indrajit focuses on a writer, who narrates the story without ever being given a firm identity of his own. He struggles with writer’s block, striving to write his play but falling short and unaware of the root causes.

He has never experienced life in its most primal way, instead being focused on his own experience as a writer. As such, he doesn’t have the material to write about, and instead focuses on the audience of the play. He attempts to write about them, but is frustrated there as well. He frequently becomes enraged and tears up his manuscripts. He finally finds inspiration in a woman named Manasi.
Like the writer, Manasi is not a character with her own characterization, but a representation. She represents the Indian counterpart of Carl Jung’s concept of Anima. This refers to an entity that serves as a pointer to the collective consciousness. Both the main characters and their concept of identity is frequently questioned, especially the writer Indrajit. He changes his preferred name multiple times in the play, and frequently expresses discontent with his identity. His persona splits between three names, Amal, Kamal, and Vimal.

He feels compelled to write, even at the cost of neglecting important bodily functions that he needs to live. He is obsessed with seeking a purpose in life. The play focuses on his life, his love and obsession with Manasi, and his growing revolutionary leanings against society. However, soon the ruling class and their attempt to impose order on his life begin to crush his spirit. His three personalities, Amal, Kamal, and Vimal each play different roles in society and are played for laughter as they struggle against society. Indrajit, in his persona as the writer, continues to resist, but eventually he becomes convinced that there is no escape from society’s clutches.

As the play reaches its final act, Indrajit attempts to seek meaning in exploring the world. He travels to London, but finds tht world just as unsatisfying as the life he left behind. He soon finds himself contemplating suicide but decides he is incapable of this as well. The play ends without bringing his story to any sort of conclusion, as Indrajit comes to the realization that the past and present are two ends of a single rope.              

 

 

The play is ultimately about the futility of life and the roles we all play in

society.
Badal Sircar is considered one of the most prominent and influential modern Indian playwrights, having written more than fifty plays in a career that spanned fifty years. Born Sudhindra Sarkar in Calcutta, he received a degree in comparative literature from the Jadavpur University. However, it was while he was working as a town planner around the world that he entered theater. He is considered the founder of what is known as Third Theater, an experimental form of theater that involves direct communication with the audience and emphasizes expressionist acting along with realism.

 

His first play, Bara Trishna, was performed in 1951 with him in the initial cast. He wrote Evam Indrajit a little over a decade later, and it was performed by the Shatabdi theater group, which he founded. As the years passed, he became one of the leading figures in street theater in Bengal, and his angry, anti-establishment plays became the voice of a generation. He criticized the government, the caste system, and overall problems in societies. His later plays, including an adaptation of the Howard Fast novel Spartacus, moved into traditional arena theater. He is one of India’s most decorated playwrights, willing the 1971 Jawaharlal Nehru Fellowship in 1971, the Indian government’s Padma Shri award in 1972, and a 1997 lifetime achievement award by India’s National Academy for Music, Dance, and Drama.

In 2009, two years before his death, Bada; Sircar’s life was celebrated in a five-day festival by India’s most prominent theater directors. Several of India’s most prominent film directors today have cited Sircar as their most significant inspiration.

 

 

The Last Leaf – O’ Henry

Introduction to O’ Henry

William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American writer known primarily for his short stories, though he also wrote poetry and non-fiction. His works include "The Gift of the Magi", "The Duplicity of Hargraves", and "The Ransom of Red Chief", as well as the novel Cabbages and Kings.

Porter's stories are known for their naturalist observations, witty narration, and surprise endings. Born in Greensboro, North Carolina, Porter worked at his uncle's pharmacy after finishing school and became a licensed pharmacist at age 19.

 

In March 1882, he moved to Texas, where he initially lived on a ranch, and later settled in Austin, where he met his first wife, Athol Estes. While working as a drafter for the Texas General Land Office, Porter began developing characters for his short stories. He later worked for the First National Bank of Austin, while also publishing a weekly periodical, The Rolling Stone.

 

The Last Leaf Theme

The central themes of O. Henry's "The Last Leaf" are hope, sacrifice, and the resilience of the human spirit, particularly in the face of adversity. The story explores how hope can be a powerful force in overcoming despair and how selflessness and sacrifice can inspire others and even save lives. It also highlights the importance of friendship and the profound impact of art on human lives. 

 

"The Last Leaf" is a short story by O. Henry about two young artists, Sue and Johnsy, living in Greenwich Village. Johnsy falls ill with pneumonia and believes she will die when the last leaf falls from an ivy vine outside her window. Behrman, an elderly artist, sacrifices his health to paint a realistic leaf on the wall, giving Johnsy the will to live and ultimately saving her life. The story explores themes of hope, sacrifice, and the power of art. 

 

 

 

 

The Last Leaf Shory

SUE and Johnsy, two young artists, shared a small flat. The flat was on the third storey of an old house. Johnsy fell very seriously ill in November. She had pneumonia. She would lie in her bed without moving, just gazing out of the window. Sue, her friend, became very worried. She sent for the doctor. Although he came every day there was no change in Johnsy’s condition. One day the doctor took Sue aside and asked her, ”Is anything worrying Johnsy?” “No,” replied Sue. “But why do you ask?”

 

The doctor said “Johnsy, it seems, has made up her mind that she is not going to get well. If she doesn’t want to live, medicines will not help her.” Sue tried her best to make Johnsy take an interest in things around her. She talked about clothes and fashions, but Johnsy did not respond. Johnsy continued to lie still on her bed. Sue brought her drawing-board into Johnsy’s room and started painting. To take Johnsy’s mind off her illness, she whistled while working.

Suddenly Sue heard Johnsy whisper something. She quickly rushed to the bed and heard Johnsy counting backwards. She was looking out of the window and was saying, “Twelve!” After sometime she whispered “eleven”, then “ten”, then “nine”, “eight”, “seven”. Sue anxiously looked out of the window. She saw an old ivy creeper climbing half-way up the brick wall opposite their window. In the strong wind outside, the creeper was shedding its leaves. 7. The Last Leaf It is autumn. The wind is blowing hard and it is raining heavily. All the leaves on an ivy creeper have fallen, except one. Why doesn’t the last leaf fall? Reprint 2025-26 The Last Leaf/ 45 “What is it, dear?” Sue asked. “Six,” whispered Johnsy.

 

“They are falling faster now. Three days ago there were almost a hundred leaves. There are only five left now.” “It is autumn,” said Sue, “and the leaves will fall.” “When the last leaf falls, I will die,” said Johnsy with finality. “I have known this for the last three days.” “Oh, that’s nonsense,” replied Sue. “What have old ivy leaves to do with your getting well? The doctor is confident that you will get better.” Johnsy did not say anything. Sue went and brought her a bowl of soup. “I don’t want any soup,” said Johnsy. “I am not hungry… Now there are only four leaves left.

 

I want to see the last one fall before it gets dark. Then I will sleep forever.” Sue sat on Johnsy’s bed, kissed her and said, “You are not going to die. I can’t draw the curtain for I need the light. I want to finish the painting and get some money for us. Please, my dear Reprint 2025-26 46 / Moments friend,” she begged Johnsy, “promise not to look out of the window while I paint.” “All right,” said Johnsy. “Finish your painting soon for I want to see the last leaf fall. I’m tired of waiting. I have to die, so let me go away peacefully like one of those poor, tired leaves.” “Try to sleep,” said Sue. “I have to paint an old miner.

 

I will call Behrman up to be my model.” Sue rushed down. Behrman lived on the ground floor. He was a sixty-year-old painter. His lifelong dream was to paint a masterpiece but that had remained a dream. Sue poured out her worries to Behrman. She told him how Johnsy was convinced that she would die when the last leaf fell. “Is she stupid?” asked Behrman. “How can she be so foolish?” “She is running a high temperature,”complained Sue. “She refuses to eat or drink and that worries me a lot.” “I will come with you and see Johnsy,” Behrman said. They tiptoed into the room. Johnsy was sleeping. Sue drew the curtains together and they went to the next room. She peeped out through the window.

 

There was only one leaf on the creeper. It was raining heavily and an icy-cold wind was blowing. It seemed as though the leaf would fall any minute now. Behrman did not say a word. He went back to his room. Johnsy woke up next morning. In a feeble voice she asked Sue to draw the curtains. Sue was nervous. She drew back the curtains very reluctantly. “Oh!” Sue exclaimed as she looked at the vine creeper. “Look, there is still one leaf Reprint 2025-26 The Last Leaf/ 47 on the creeper. It looks quite green and healthy. In spite of the storm and the fierce winds, it didn’t fall.” “I heard the wind last night,” said Johnsy.

 

“I thought it would have fallen. It will surely fall today. Then I’ll die.” “You won’t die,” said Sue energetically. “You have to live for your friends. What would happen to me if you die?” Johnsy smiled weakly and closed her eyes. After every hour or so she would look out of the window and find the leaf still there. It seemed to be clinging to the creeper. In the evening, there was another storm but the leaf did not fall. Johnsy lay for a long time looking at the leaf. Then she called out to Sue. “I have been a bad girl. You have looked after me so lovingly and I have not cooperated with you. I have been depressed and gloomy. The last leaf has shown me how wicked I have been. I have realised that it is a sin to want to die.” Sue hugged Johnsy. Then she gave her lots of hot soup and a mirror. Johnsy combed her hair and smiled brightly. In the afternoon the doctor came. After examining his patient he told Sue, “Johnsy now has the will to live. I am confident she’ll recover soon. Now I must go downstairs and see Behrman. He is also suffering from pneumonia. But I am afraid, there is no hope for him.

 

” The next morning Sue came and sat on Johnsy’s bed. Taking Johnsy’s hand in hers she said, “I have something to tell you. Mr Behrman died of pneumonia this morning. He was ill for only two days. The first day the janitorfound him on his bed. His clothes and shoes were wet and he was shivering. He had been out in that stormy night.” Reprint 2025-26 48 / Moments Then they found a ladder and a lantern still lighted lying near his bed. There were also some brushes and green and yellow paints on the floor near the ladder.

 

“Johnsy dear,” said Sue, “look out of the window. Look at that ivy leaf. Haven’t you wondered why it doesn’t flutter when the wind blows? That’s Behrman’s masterpiece. He painted it the night the last leaf fell.”

 

Glossary

janitor: a person whose job is to look after a building

 

Think about it

1. What is Johnsy’s illness? What can cure her, the medicine or the willingness to live?

2. Do you think the feeling of depression Johnsy has is common among teenagers?

3. Behrman has a dream. What is it? Does it come true?

4. What is Behrman’s masterpiece? What makes Sue say so?

 

Talk about it

Have you ever felt depressed and rejected? How did you overcome such feelings? Share your experience with your classmates.

Introduction to web technology Section 4

(Section 1 Section 2 Section 3  Section 5)

HTML attributes

HTML attributes are special words used within the opening tag of an HTML element to provide additional information about that element. They configure and adjust the element's behavior, appearance, or functionality. 

 

HTML Attributes

All HTML elements can have attributes

Attributes provide additional information about elements

Attributes are always specified in the start tag

Attributes usually come in name/value pairs like: name="value"

 

Key characteristics of HTML attributes:

Location:

Attributes are always specified within the opening tag of an HTML element.

Syntax:

They typically come in name/value pairs, formatted as name="value". The value is enclosed in quotation marks.

Syntax of HTML Attributes:

Attributes generally follow a name-value pair structure, separated by an equals sign (=), and the value is enclosed in quotation marks (either single or double quotes).

Code

<element attribute-name="attribute-value">Content</element>

Key Components:

element: The name of the HTML element (tag) (e.g., img, a, div, p).

attribute-name: The specific name of the attribute (e.g., src, href, class, id, style). These names are predefined by the HTML specification.

attribute-value: The data or setting associated with the attribute. This value provides the specific information or configuration for that attribute.

Examples:

<h1 title="First program">SGRCM COLLEGE</h1>

<p title="Geeks for Geeks: A computer science portal for geeks">Geeks for Geeks.org </p>

src attribute for <img>: Specifies the source URL of an image.

Purpose:

Attributes modify the default functionality of an element or provide essential information for its proper rendering or interaction.

Scope:

Some attributes are specific to certain HTML elements (e.g., src for <img>, href for <a>), while others are global attributes that can be applied to most HTML elements (e.g., id, class, style).

Optionality:

While many attributes are optional, some are crucial for an element to function as intended (e.g., src for <img> to display an image).

Boolean Attributes:

Some attributes do not require a value; their mere presence in the opening tag indicates a true state (e.g., disabled for an input field). 

The href Attribute

The <a> tag defines a hyperlink. The href attribute specifies the URL of the page the link goes to:

Example

<a href="https://www.w3schools.com">Visit W3Schools</a>

The src Attribute

The <img> tag is used to embed an image in an HTML page. The src attribute specifies the path to the image to be displayed:

 

Example

<img src="img_girl.jpg">

 

There are two ways to specify the URL in the src attribute:

1. Absolute URL - Links to an external image that is hosted on another website. Example: src="https://www.w3schools.com/images/img_girl.jpg".

Notes: External images might be under copyright. If you do not get permission to use it, you may be in violation of copyright laws. In addition, you cannot control external images; it can suddenly be removed or changed.

2. Relative URL - Links to an image that is hosted within the website. Here, the URL does not include the domain name. If the URL begins without a slash, it will be relative to the current page.

Example: src="img_girl.jpg". If the URL begins with a slash, it will be relative to the domain.

Example: src="/images/img_girl.jpg".

Tip: It is almost always best to use relative URLs. They will not break if you change domain.

The width and height Attributes

The <img> tag should also contain the width and height attributes, which specify the width and height of the image (in pixels):

Example

<img src="img_girl.jpg" width="500" height="600">

The alt Attribute

The required alt attribute for the <img> tag specifies an alternate text for an image, if the image for some reason cannot be displayed. This can be due to a slow connection, or an error in the src attribute, or if the user uses a screen reader.

Example

<img src="img_girl.jpg" alt="Girl with a jacket">

Example

See what happens if we try to display an image that does not exist:

<img src="img_typo.jpg" alt="Girl with a jacket">

The style Attribute

The style attribute is used to add styles to an element, such as color, font, size, and more.

Example

<p style="color:red;">This is a red paragraph.</p>

The lang Attribute

You should always include the lang attribute inside the <html> tag, to declare the language of the Web page. This is meant to assist search engines and browsers.

The following example specifies English as the language:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<body>
...
</body>
</html>

Country codes can also be added to the language code in the lang attribute. So, the first two characters define the language of the HTML page, and the last two characters define the country.

 

The following example specifies English as the language and United States as the country:

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en-US">
<body>
...
</body>
</html>

The title Attribute

The title attribute defines some extra information about an element.

The value of the title attribute will be displayed as a tooltip when you mouse over the element:

Example

<p title="I'm a tooltip">This is a paragraph.</p>

We Suggest: Always Use Lowercase Attributes

The HTML standard does not require lowercase attribute names.

The title attribute (and all other attributes) can be written with uppercase or lowercase like title or TITLE.

However, W3C recommends lowercase attributes in HTML, and demands lowercase attributes for stricter document types like XHTML.

At W3Schools we always use lowercase attribute names.

We Suggest: Always Quote Attribute Values

The HTML standard does not require quotes around attribute values.

However, W3C recommends quotes in HTML, and demands quotes for stricter document types like XHTML.

W3C, or the World Wide Web Consortium, is the primary international standards organization for the World Wide Web, founded by Tim Berners-Lee in 1994 to develop web standards, promote interoperability, and lead the web to its full potential.

Good:

<a href="https://www.w3schools.com/html/">Visit our HTML tutorial</a>

Bad:

<a href=https://www.w3schools.com/html/>Visit our HTML tutorial</a>

Sometimes you have to use quotes. This example will not display the title attribute correctly, because it contains a space:

Example

<p title=Description of W3Schools>

 At W3Schools we always use quotes around attribute values.

Single or Double Quotes?

Double quotes around attribute values are the most common in HTML, but single quotes can also be used.

In some situations, when the attribute value itself contains double quotes, it is necessary to use single quotes:

<p title='John "ShotGun" Nelson'>

Or vice versa:

<p title="John 'ShotGun' Nelson">

Chapter Summary

All HTML elements can have attributes

The href attribute of <a> specifies the URL of the page the link goes to

The src attribute of <img> specifies the path to the image to be displayed

The width and height attributes of <img> provide size information for images

The alt attribute of <img> provides an alternate text for an image

The style attribute is used to add styles to an element, such as color, font, size, and more

The lang attribute of the <html> tag declares the language of the Web page

The title attribute defines some extra information about an element

(Section 1 Section 2 Section 3  Section 5)

Introduction to web technology Section 3

(Section 1 Section 2  Section 4 Section 5)

Control the appearance and semantics of text.

Headings: <h1> to <h6> (for different levels of headings)

Paragraphs: <p>

Strong/Emphasis: <strong>, <em>

Lists: <ul> (unordered list), <ol> (ordered list), <li> (list item)

Hyperlink Tag:

Anchor Tag: <a> (used to create hyperlinks to other pages or sections)

Media Tags: Embed multimedia content.

Image: <img> (used to embed images)

Audio: <audio>

Video: `<video>

<audio>: This tag is used to embed (fixing )audio content, such as music or sound effects. It can include attributes like src (source file), controls (to display playback controls), autoplay, and loop.

Who invented html language?

1989: Tim Berners-Lee invents the Web with HTML as its publishing language.

Who invented xhtml language?

XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language) was developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). 

It was released in 2000 and was designed as a stricter, XML-based version of HTML, aiming to bring the rigorous syntax rules of XML into web development for improved consistency, compatibility, and data handling.

Who invented html5 language?

HTML5 was first released in a public-facing form on 22 January 2008, with a major update and "W3C Recommendation" status in October 2014. Its goals were to

Web design principles

What are Principles of Design?

The principles of design are basic rules that help make designs look good and work well. They guide how to arrange elements in a design to make it visually appealing and effective.

These rules include balance, contrast, emphasis, movement, pattern, rhythm, and unity. By using these principles, designers can create more attractive and effective designs.

Here are the main principles of design:

Balance: Distributing elements evenly to create a sense of stability.

Contrast: Using differences in color, shape, or size to make elements stand out.

Emphasis: Highlighting the most important parts of a design.

Movement: Guiding the viewer's eye through the design in a specific way.

Pattern: Repeating elements to create a sense of order and consistency.

Rhythm: Creating a sense of movement by repeating elements at regular intervals.

Unity: Making sure all parts of the design work together as a whole.

Web design principles, while not exclusive to HTML, are fundamental concepts that guide the creation of effective and user-friendly websites, many of which are implemented and structured using HTML. These principles aim to enhance usability, accessibility, and visual appeal.

Here are key web design principles and how they relate to HTML:

Simplicity:

A clean and uncluttered design improves usability. In HTML, this means avoiding excessive elements, complex nesting, and ensuring clear content organization using semantic tags like <header>, <nav>, <main>, <footer>, <article>, and <section>. (uncluttered - not having or impeded by too many objects)

Consistency:

Maintaining a uniform look and feel across all pages builds trust and predictability. HTML elements, combined with CSS, should consistently apply styles for headings, paragraphs, buttons, and navigation elements.

Visual Hierarchy:

Guiding the user's eye to important information through visual cues. HTML structure, along with CSS, can achieve this through varying heading sizes (<h1> to <h6>), bolding, color, and strategic placement of elements.

Navigation:

Providing clear and intuitive (understand, know) ways for users to move around the site. HTML's <a> tags create hyperlinks, and the <nav> element explicitly defines navigation sections, often containing lists (<ul>, <li>) for menu items.

Responsiveness and Mobile Friendliness:

Ensuring the website adapts to different screen sizes and devices. While primarily achieved with CSS media queries, a well-structured HTML document with a responsive viewport meta tag is crucial for this to function correctly.

Readability and Typography:

Making content easy to read and understand. HTML provides elements for text formatting, and developers use CSS to control font families, sizes, line heights, and colors for optimal readability.

Fast Load Times:

Optimizing for speed to prevent user frustration. HTML structure, image optimization (using <img> with loading="lazy" and appropriate src and srcset), and efficient use of external resources (CSS, JavaScript) contribute to faster loading. Faster page loading times, which is a critical design principle for user experience.

Accessibility:

Designing for all users, including those with disabilities. HTML elements like alt attributes for images, semantic tags, proper heading structure, and ARIA attributes are vital for creating accessible web content.

User-Centric Design:

Prioritizing the needs and experience of the user. This overarching principle influences all design decisions, from content organization in HTML to interactive elements.