Timmakka, the green legend, now on stage

G Ulaganathan

Bengaluru

Now here comes a  play to trace the life and challenges faced by well known environmentalist from Hulikal  in Ramanagara district of Karnataka. 

There are huge neem trees lined on both sides of the road leading to this tiny , fertile village.  They are a tall testimony to the dedication of environmentalist, Saalumarada Thimmakka, who planted them with the help of her husband several years ago.

Now the life and work of Thimmaka is being taken to a wider audience by Belur Raghunandan in a play titled 'Saalu Maragala Tayi Thimmakka'. The play is scheduled to be staged later in May.

The play’s director Hanu Ramasanjeeva says Pravara Art Studio has always  performed plays on  environmental and social  issues, but has  never featured a living legend before.  "When we were searching for a subject, I came across the drama written by Belur Raghunandan on the life of Thimmakka.

“Eventually, we got the opportunity to prent her life and struggles on stage " he says , explaining that the  play is not  limited to  the activist's contribution to planting of trees in the state, but covers her entire life journey with her husband.

"We had to carefully study Thimmakka and her husband's early life and study their mannerisms and dressing style," Hanu adds.

The play gives us interesting tidbits like about the snake bite that Thimmakka survived, the local ayurvedic medicine which caused her health issues later on in life and the ill- treatment she suffered at the hands of her mother- in- law .

The director's best reward was Thimmaka's reaction to the premier show of  the play. "She said it reminded her about her struggles as they were played right before her eyes," Hanu recalls.

The 95 minute play has 44 characters, played by 26 artistes.

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