*Agarbatti* – Written by Ashish Pathak
*Directed by*: Swati Dubey, performed by Samagam Rangmandal, Jabalpur
*Language*: Hindi & Bundeli with English subtitles
*Genre*: Social-political drama
*Summary *
_Agarbatti_ (Incense Stick) is set in the aftermath of the Behmai massacre of 1981, when Bandit Queen Phoolan Devi and her gang killed 22 upper-caste Thakur men to avenge her own gang-rape by Thakur men of the village.
To rehabilitate the widows of the massacred Thakurs, the government opens an incense stick factory in Behmai. The play unfolds entirely inside this factory, where 9 widows work together while grappling with grief, anger, and social stigma.
*Plot:*
The widows are led by Lala Ram Thakurain, who refuses to perform her husband’s last rites — she has kept his ashes — until Phoolan Devi is executed. After Phoolan’s death in jail, the women confront what that “justice” actually means for them.
One widow, Damayanti, sparks a dangerous question: “Why were only men killed in Behmai, not women?” This triggers a series of arguments, breakdowns, and confessions among the women. As they talk, laugh, fight, and mourn in their private factory space, they begin to see the truth of patriarchy, caste, and violence that shaped their lives.
They realize that their husbands were not just victims, but also perpetrators — complicit in the gang-rape and oppression that led to the massacre. The “convict” is not only the person who pulls the trigger; those who enable the crime are also criminal.
*Climax:* Haunted by her own childhood trauma and disillusioned with her husband’s actions, Lala Ram Thakurain decides not to immerse his ashes. Instead, she and the other widows mix his ashes into the incense-stick powder they produce. It becomes their form of “natural justice” — the ashes of Behmai’s violent past will now burn slowly, stick by stick.
*Ending:* The play ends with nine women standing together, liberated from the labels of caste, class, and gender. As the META citation puts it: “All that remained were women… liberated from caste, class and gender, remained were burning women and incense sticks.”
*Core themes*: The play is a searing look at caste, gender, class, conflict, and politics. It asks if violence can ever bring closure, and shows how women find collective strength and a new identity when they strip away patriarchal definitions of widowhood, honor, and revenge.
The play won 4 awards at META 2019, including Best Original Script, for its bold writing and powerful ensemble acting.
Event Venue
Ravindra Bhawan (Anjani Sabhagruha): Bhopal, Rajbhavan Road, Near, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel Polytechnic Chouraha, Professors Colony, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh 462002, India
INR 199
