Mita Vashisht’s ‘Lal Ded’ captivates audience on day 3 of Arunachal Rang Mahotsav

Arunachal Pradesh’s first-ever international theatre festival, the 15-day Arunachal Rang Mahotsav, continued to enthral audiences on its third day with two powerful solo performances — Indian actor Mita Vashisht’s Lal Ded and Danish actress Tilde Knudsen’s Alice in Wonderland. 

The festival, which runs from November 22 to December 5 in Itanagar, has already emerged as the largest and longest theatre celebration ever held in Northeast India, bringing together global artists and performers against the dramatic backdrop of the region’s mountain ranges.

Mita Vashisht’s solo show Lal Ded drew deep admiration from theatre lovers. Based on the life of the 14th-century Kashmiri mystic poet and saint Lal Ded, the play explores her spiritual journey rooted in Kashmiri Shaivism. 

Lal Ded remains a revered figure in Kashmiri culture, remembered for her teachings that true death lies in forgetting one’s genuine self, even as the body eventually decays. 

Scholars believe she passed away around 1373, possibly in Bijbehara, though her exact date and cause of death remain unknown. During the event, Vashisht, along with light designer Ashok Bhagat and Prashant, was felicitated by Jamuna Bini.

The evening also featured the solo performance Alice in Wonderland by Danish actor Tilde Knudsen, directed by Peter Kirk, which delighted children and young audiences with its imaginative storytelling and lively execution.

Speaking to India Today, Mita Vashisht praised the Arunachal Rang Mahotsav, saying such festivals play a pivotal role in bringing theatre closer to the people of Arunachal Pradesh and the wider Northeast, nurturing cultural engagement and artistic appreciation across the region.