Mohan Upreti (1928–1997) was an

Indian theatre Theatre of India is one of the most ancient forms of theatre and it features a detailed textual, sculptural, and dramatic effects which emerged in mid first millennium BC. Like in the areas of music and dance, the Indian theatre is also define ...

director, playwright and a music composer, considered one of the pioneers in Indian theatre music. A popular figure in Kumaon, Mohan Upreti is remembered for his immense contribution towards the revitalisation of the Kumaoni folk music; and for his efforts towards preserving old Kumaoni ballads, songs and folk traditions. Upreti is best known for his song " Bedu Pako Baro Masa".

Biography

Early life and education

Mohan Upreti was born in 1928 in

Almora Almora ( Kumaoni: ''Almāḍ'') is a municipal board and a cantonment town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is the administrative headquarters of Almora district. Almora is located on a ridge at the southern edge of the Kumaon Hills of t ...

, where he also received his early education. Almora was then a quaint little town, still untouched by rapid development that the British brought to other hill stations like

Nainital Nainital ( Kumaoni: ''Naintāl''; ) is a city and headquarters of Nainital district of Kumaon division, Uttarakhand, India. It is the judicial capital of Uttarakhand, the High Court of the state being located there and is the headquarters ...

and

Shimla Shimla (; ; also known as Simla, List of renamed Indian cities and states#Himachal Pradesh, the official name until 1972) is the capital and the largest city of the States and union territories of India, northern Indian state of Himachal Prade ...

. It was this environment that drew, dancer

Uday Shankar Uday Shankar (8 December 1900 – 26 September 1977) was an Indian dancer and choreographer, best known for creating a fusion style of dance, adapting European theatrical techniques to Indian classical dance, imbued with elements of Indian cla ...

to create his institute at Almora in 1937. He was deeply influenced by trade union leaders like P. C. Joshi, who later became a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India ( CPI) and also Upreti's mentor. In the 40s,

Indian People's Theatre Association Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA) is the oldest association of theatre-artists in India. IPTA was formed in 1943 during the British rule in India, and promoted themes related to the Indian freedom struggle. Its goal was to bring cult ...

(IPTA) and the Progressive Writer's Association were formed, as a response to the Indian freedom struggle by the artistic community, Mohan Upreti couldn't remain untouched by this burgeoning movement, and while still at

Allahabad University , mottoeng = "As Many Branches So Many Trees" , established = , type = Public , chancellor = Ashish Chauhan , vice_chancellor = Sangita Srivastava , head_label ...

he formed his theatre group, 'Lok Kalakar Sangh'.

Career

As a young man in the 1940s and 50's, Mohan Upreti travelled across Uttarakhand, along with

B. M. Shah Brij Mohan Shah (1933–1998), better known as B M Shah, was an Indian theatre director and playwright. Shah along with Mohan Upreti, are together credited for the revival of the theatre in the Uttarakhand. He was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akad ...

, and collected the fast vanishing folk songs, tunes, and traditions of the region to preserve them for posterity. Upreti was instrumental in bringing the Kumaoni culture and music into national focus by establishing institutions like the ''Parvatiya Kala Kendra'' (Center for Arts of the Hills), which he constituted in Delhi, in 1968. The institution produces plays and ballads strongly rooted in the Kumaoni culture. In fact, B. M. Shah and Mohan Upreti together, are credited with the revival of the theatre in the Uttarakhand He remained in the faculty of

National School of Drama National School of Drama (NSD) is a theatre training institute situated at New Delhi, India. It is an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, Government of India. It was set up in 1959 by the Sangeet Natak Akademi and became an indep ...

(NSD), New Delhi, for many years, and also directed plays for NSD Repertory Company, where his most known work was the play, '

Indra Sabha Indra (; Sanskrit: इन्द्र) is the king of the devas (god-like deities) and Svarga (heaven) in Hindu mythology. He is associated with the sky, lightning, weather, thunder, storms, rains, river flows, and war. volumes/ref> I ...

'. His most important work is the epic ballad 'Rajula Malushahi', published in 1980, offers never before insights into the Kumaoni folk culture. His other important plays are 'Nanda Devi Jagar', upon which he made a film as well, 'Sita Svayamvar', and 'Haru Heet'. Apart from that he also gave music for many theatre productions, including 'Ghasiram Kotwal', his music for Hindustani version of Brecht's Three Penny Opera was vastly appreciated and still remembered as his finest. He worked for many years to revive traditional

Ramlila Ramlila (Rāmlīlā) (literally 'Rama's lila or play') is any dramatic folk re-enactment of the life of Rama according to the ancient Hindu epic ''Ramayana'' or secondary literature based on it such as the ''Ramcharitmanas''. It particularly ...

plays and bring them to urban audiences. He also gave music for a number of television productions in the 80's including in a series based on

Ruskin Bond Ruskin Bond (born 19 May 1934) is an Anglo-Indian author . His first novel, '' The Room on the Roof'', was published in 1956, and it received the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize in 1957. Bond has authored more than 500 short stories, essays, and ...

's stories, 'Ek Tha Rusty', where again his compositions were noticeable for the distinct Kumaoni folk touch. He died in 1997, in New Delhi.

Family

He married Naima Khan Upreti, a graduate of

, in 1969.

Legacy

Each year on his birth anniversary, 'Parvatiya Kala Kendra', an institution set up by him, presents a new play. In the 2004, "Bedu Pako Baro Masa" – a creation of Mohan Upreti, was used in Coca-Cola commercial "Thanda Matlab Coca Cola", by

Prasoon Joshi Prasoon Joshi (born 16 September 1971) is an Indian poet, writer, lyricist, screenwriter, and communication specialist and marketer. He is the CEO of McCann World group India and Chairman APAC (Asia Pacific), a subsidiary of the global mar ...

, himself from Kumaon. In the ad a "Pahari Guide" is shown humming the tune. The song is still played at Kumaoni weddings, celebrations and cultural functions and has now even become a popular mobile ringtone. It is also the marching song of the

Kumaon Regiment The Kumaon Regiment is one of the oldest infantry regiments of the Indian Army. The regiment traces its origins to the 18th century and has fought in every major campaign of the British Indian Army and the Indian Army, including the two world wa ...

. In 2006,

published his biography, titled, Mohan Upreti – The Man and His Art, written by theatre critic, Diwan Singh Bajeli.

Bibliography

* ''Malushahi: The Ballad of Kumaon''. New Delhi,

Sangeet Natak Akademi Sangeet Natak Akademi (The National Academy of Music, Dance and Drama in English) is the national level academy for performing arts set up by the Government of India. History It was set up by the Indian education ministry on 31 May 1952 and ...

(1980).

References

External links

*
Mohan Upreti's Seeta Svyamvar, staged by 'Parvatiya Kala Kendra', 2007
{{DEFAULTSORT:Upreti, Mohan People from Almora Indian male dramatists and playwrights Indian theatre directors 1928 births 1997 deaths University of Allahabad alumni 20th-century Indian dramatists and playwrights Dramatists and playwrights from Uttarakhand Literature of Kumaon Academic staff of the National School of Drama Hindi dramatists and playwrights Hindi theatre Indian folk-song collectors 20th-century Indian male writers