The Ninth of August

The original Oriya play ‘August Na’ spans the period ranging from the 9th August 1942, the day the Quit India movement was launched to the 29th March, 1943 the day of the martyrdom of Laxman Nayak, a tribal leader from Orissa. This play derives its vitality from a critical moment in history confronting individuals with the painful choice between intense suffering, even death on the one hand, and the rewards of moral compromise on the other. The play charts the journey of the central character from skepticism to martyrdom and celebrates the heroic idealism of the young pitted against the forces of oppression everywhere and in all ages.