Mohan Upreti was born in a Brahmin family at Almora, Uttarakhand, in 1928. A post-graduate with a Senior Diploma in Hindustani Classical Vocal Music from Allahabad University, he had studied up to Intermediate in his hometown Almora. The enchanting hills of Kumaon and the rich cultural life of Almora town left a lasting impact on him.
A multi-faceted personality, he collected, preserved and recreated a large body of folk tunes and ballads of Uttarakhand for posterity. As a folk singer he sang songs of human frailty, songs of joy of being alive, the ecstasy of romance, love and beauty to the masses and became a people's artist. He also composed music and sang patriotic songs for the toiling masses. In all his creativity, he revealed his conviction that man is essentially good and strong enough to reshape his life, identifying himself with the creators of folk culture-peasants and traditional folk artists, whom the high society of the hills showed utter disdain.
A founder-director of Lok Kalakar Sangh, Almora, he founded Parvatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi, in 1968 and became its artistic director and president later, transforming it into a vital and creative platform, staging popular folk ballads of Uttarakhand, and gave a new identity to the folk arts of Central Himalayan region by bringing it to the attention of art lovers of India and abroad. He was Associate Professor of Music at the National School of Drama (1977-1990) and acted as its director for some time. He is considered as a pioneer of Indian theatre music. An evaluation of Upreti's works reveals his endeavour to formulate a theory of the Indian stage music, in particular, and modern Indian theatre, in general, with elements drawn from Indian classical theatre as well as Indian folk art to capture social antagonism and dilemma of the contemporary man. Mohanda died in Delhi.. in 1997.
Diwan Singh Bajeli: Born at village Kalet, P.O. Manan, district Almora, Uttaranchal, in 1937. Diwan Singh Bajeli has been writing on theatre and films for the last three decades. His articles have appeared in a number of publications, The Times of India, The Hindustan Times. The Economic Times. The Financial Express and The Statesman. He was a regular drama critic for The Indian Express for a decade beginning from mid 80s and a film critic for the National Herald and The Pioneer in the early 80s and early 90s respectively. His theatre reviews were also published by India Weekly, London. He has retold many Kumaoni folk-tales and some of these were published in The Children's World. At present he is regularly writing about the Delhi stage for The Hindu.
Bajeli has written short stories and one-act plays. He worked as an associate editor of The Stars Life for a brief period.
A trade union and cultural activist, Bajeli has been nominated to various committees formed by Sahitya Kala Parishand, Delhi form time to time. He has a long association with Parvatiya Kala Kendra founded by Mohan Upreti in 1968. He is Vice-President of PKK.
A committed artist, Mohan Upreti devoted his entire life to the enrichment of folk culture of Uttarakhand and contemporary Indian theatre music. him, exploration of the complex field of art was not a career advancement but a mission. Undaunted, he continued his mission through vicissitudes.
This project is a tribute to a great artist, who was born and brought up in Uttarakhand and gave a new identity to its culture. A greater vision is required to fathom the depth of his work. Nevertheless, this effort, humble as it is, provides glimpses into the life of Upreti, his art, the environment - geographical, social and cultural, that shaped his consciousness and art, underscoring his deep commitment to preserve and enrich the folk culture of Uttarakhand.
I am grateful to Naima Upreti, wife of Mohan Upreti, a folk artist and theatre personality, for extending her whole- hearted cooperation. Prof PC Joshi, an internationally renowned social scientist, was a source of intellectual stimulation. I express my thanks to Gopal Singh, a senior artist of the Parvatiya Kala Kendra, for his suggestions.
I owe a great deal of debt to Devendra Raj Ankur, an eminent theatre artist and Director of the National School of Drama, for providing me with an opportunity to work on Upreti. I my special gratitude to JN Kaushal, Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee and a theatre scholar, for his guidance. It is sad that he died before the book could see the light of day. Hailing from Uttarakhand, Upendra Narain Tankha, a senior journalist and well-known film critic, went through the manuscript, making necessary corrections, despite his busy schedule. I express my fervent thanks to him.
This book is a tribute to Mohan Upreti, a humanist and artist who sought inspiration from his roots and the toiling masses. Upreti, inspired by comrade PC Joshi, had set on the course to join trade union movement but a chance meeting with late Shri Mohan Singh Bora, an exponent of Malushahi, a folk ballad of Kumaon, changed the course of his life.
Enchanted by Bora's music, he decided to devote his life to the enrichment, preservation, promotion and presentation of folk art. He launched a cultural movement to explore the artistic wealth of the Central Himlayan region. To achieve this goal and involve the masses, he formed Lok Kalakar Sangn at Almora. To him folk culture has universal appeal and its message is optimistic: he felt a sense of elevation as he interacted with folk singers. Like Maxim Gorky, he too discovered in folk tales a free, fearless force that wanted to make life happy and rich. But in the wake of Sino-Indian border conflict, he was detained in 1962 and after release he was forced to stay in Delhi.
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