Badal Sircar and the Theosophical Society of Bengal: A Cross-Cultural Relation
| Author |
| Tapu Biswas |
| Date of Publication: June, 2026 |
| Volume: XXIII |
| DOI:10.65734/tgi.ssei.avp.ijcsss.ti.23.14 |
| Abstract |
| This article examines the significant cross-cultural relationship between Badal Sircar’s revolutionary theatrical practice and the Bengal Theosophical Society in Kolkata. It argues that the Theosophical Society was not merely a physical venue for the performances of Sircar’s Satabdi theatre group, but also a crucial cultural and intellectual space in the evolution of his Third Theatre. The study first traces the historical development of the Theosophical Society in Bengal, emphasizing its ideals of universal brotherhood, comparative religious inquiry, human service, spiritual self-realization, and the recovery of Eastern philosophical traditions. These principles are then examined alongside Sircar’s evolving theatrical philosophy, particularly his rejection of the proscenium stage, commercialized theatre, and hierarchical distinctions between performer and spectator. After 1971, Sircar’s search for an accessible, economical, and participatory theatrical form found an ideal environment in the modest hall of the Theosophical Society near College Square. Its flat, flexible, and intimate space enabled Satabdi to experiment with audience configuration, collective acting, physical theatre, mime, minimalism, and voluntary “hat collection” rather than conventional ticketing. Through productions including Sukhopathya Bharater Itihas, Hattamalar Opare, Captain Hurrah, Gondi, Basi Khabar, Sniri, Sana Baurir Kothokota, Janmabhumi Aaj, Bhoma, Michhil, and Trinsha Shatabdi, the hall became a laboratory for political, social, humanistic, and existential theatre. The article further explores the philosophical affinity between the Theosophical ideas of human unity, service, karma, and inner inquiry and Sircar’s concern with social justice, collective consciousness, direct human communication, and existential questioning. Finally, through Evam Indrajit, the study identifies a deeper intellectual bridge between Theosophical self-inquiry and Sircar’s interrogation of identity, alienation, and the meaning of existence. The article concludes that the Bengal Theosophical Society played a distinctive role in enabling the aesthetic, economic, spatial, and philosophical foundations of Third Theatre, making it an important site in the history of modern Bengali alternative theatre. |
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