Datta Bhagat
Encyclopedia
Datta Bhagat is a noted Marathi
playwright
and one of the leaders of the Dalit
theater movement in Marathi. He is a professor of Marathi
at the Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
.
His play Avart (whirlpool) was critically acclaimed for its use of the traditional forms of dindi and tamasha
to reflect on Dalit oppression against the background of a pilgrimage to Pandharpur
. He is also noted for his literary criticism, particularly the essay Dalit chetna aur Marathi Dalit Rangmanch (Dalit consciousness and Marathi Dalit theater).
Marathi people
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
and one of the leaders of the Dalit
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
theater movement in Marathi. He is a professor of Marathi
Marathi language
Marathi is an Indo-Aryan language spoken by the Marathi people of western and central India. It is the official language of the state of Maharashtra. There are over 68 million fluent speakers worldwide. Marathi has the fourth largest number of native speakers in India and is the fifteenth most...
at the Ambedkar Marathwada University in Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
.
His play Avart (whirlpool) was critically acclaimed for its use of the traditional forms of dindi and tamasha
Tamasha
Tamasha is a traditional Marathi folk art form. often with singing and dancing, widely performed by local or travelling theatre groups within the state of Maharashtra, India. It has also been the subject of several Marathi films...
to reflect on Dalit oppression against the background of a pilgrimage to Pandharpur
Pandharpur
Pandharpur is an important pilgrimage city on the Bhimā river in Solāpur district, Maharashtra, India. The Vithoba temple attracts about half a million Hindu pilgrims during the major yātrā in the month of Ashadh ....
. He is also noted for his literary criticism, particularly the essay Dalit chetna aur Marathi Dalit Rangmanch (Dalit consciousness and Marathi Dalit theater).