Goalpara: The 16th edition of the acclaimed theatre festival “Under the Sal Tree 2025” began on Monday at the Badungduppa Kala Kendra premises in Rampur village of Goalpara district. Organised by the Badungduppa Kala Kendra, founded by late theatre exponent Sukracharya Rabha, the festival is staged in the open amid towering sal trees, offering audiences a rare and immersive natural setting.
The festival commenced at 10 am with the Rabha-language play Ranjumukh, followed later in the day by the Assamese production Edin Teo Ahibo and the Hindi play Der Inch Upar. Expressing her excitement, a spectator said watching theatre in the midst of nature was a unique experience and fulfilling a long-held wish to attend the festival.
Unlike previous years when the event spanned three to four days, this year’s edition has been limited to a single day due to financial constraints. An organising member said limited funding made it difficult to extend the festival, adding that with adequate support from government and non-government sources, the event could have been held for multiple days.
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For the past 15 years, the Badungduppa Kala Kendra has been hosting the festival in a reserved forest area, transforming a clearing among hundreds of sal trees into a natural stage. Performances are held without microphones, electric lighting or sound systems, relying solely on daylight, indigenous props and traditional musical instruments. The festival seeks to preserve and promote indigenous folk theatre and cultural traditions through an eco-sensitive and alternative theatrical approach.
