‘Jhoda’-Reflecting Land Acts and its Struggle in Nepal (Photo Feature)

Kathmandu: The drama ‘Jhoda’ is being staged in Gothale Natak Ghar of Shilpi Theatre, Battisputali. Chulachuli Rangamanch has presented the drama.

The drama is based on Litterateur Ganesh Rashik’s novel ‘Aakash Ganga ko Otmuni.’ Suman Lingden has done a dramatic adaptation of the novel.

Dhimal and Kumal are among the tribal groups living in the middle part of the Madhesh. They call the jungle Jharu in their native language.

In the Dhimal language, the forest situated between two rivers is called Jhora. The mispronunciation of the word ‘Jhora’ later became Jhoda.

According to the Nepal Law Commission, “Jhora Area” is a settled area of cleared forest; which has been authorized by the law. The law targeted for the area is known as the “Jhora Area Land Act, 2028.” The Act commenced on the Jhora land of Jhapa, Sunsari, and Morang.

The drama ‘Jhoda’ revolves around the story of the Jhoda land tenure in the geographical distribution in the Terai region and the struggle for the political ownership of the forest.

The former armies, who were part of the 2007 B.S. revolution, dispersed politically after the beginning of the Panchayati governance system in 2017 B.S. The imposition of the Land Act 2021 resulted in the dismissal of the political ownership of the land rights ‘Kipat’, of the Limbus in the Eastern part of Nepal. The tenure of land ‘Kipat‘ was a communal land held by the Kirats of the then Majh and Pallo Kirat area. The land ultimately used to be the property of the King, and only the King could make changes to the holding for social use.

The major issue of the drama revolves around the transitional time and struggle of the Jhora tenure between 2020 to 2034 B.S. The concept and direction of the drama is of Chetan Angthupo. Suresh Mangpahang Rai is the producer of the drama. The duration of the drama is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

Man Kumar Yonghang, Ramila Rai (Ramita), Uday Begha, Benwo Santosh, Manish Magar (Pravin), Babina Rai, Mina Nembang, Bipisa Rai, Manik Shankar, Yugal Limbu, Deepak Kharel, Pravin Bhandari, Chetana Acharya and child artist Prince Tamang are the actors in the drama.

The drama will be staged every day at 5 pm except on Tuesday. There is an additional show at 1 pm on Saturday. The staging of the drama Jhoda would conclude on 5^th March (Falgun 22).

(Glimpses from Jhoda)

(Photo Courtesy: Saroj Basnet)