Understanding Labhita as a Cultural Crusader Against Colonial and Patriarchal system: An Estimate on Female Protagonist depicted in the Play of Jyotiprasad Agarwala

Labhita is one of significant plays written by Jyotiprasad Agarwala. It is a wonderful play about the outstanding moral and missionary spirit of an Assamese rural girl Labhita. He wrote it in September –October, 1947 and it was published in 1948.The play was first staged at Dibrugarh by the Art players society in 1947, when it was in manuscript form. The play rests on the backdrop of the Quit India movement of 1942 and the Second World War. In the preface of play Jyotiprasad declares that it has neither hero nor heroine in the play in the traditional sense of the term. He wrote this plays on a historic background of Assamese nation marked by diverse and complex context of the time. It draws parallel socio political upheavals. Jyotiprasad tried to project the drastic effect of the wars, imperialism through the play Labhita. In the critical context how people of Assam reacted to British colonialism, degradation of the moral values, socio political and economic exploitation have been projected in this play. Labhita, a spirited and nationalist girl is the representative of the Assamese nation under colonial domination. Labhita is an outstanding contribution to a political discourse, derived from the introspection and and retrospection of Indian politics. Written in September-October 1947 i e, just after the achievement of independence, Labhita brings into being a politically mature, courageous and visionary women character who had confronted troubles one by after the other in the process exposed the contradiction of the Gandhian volunteers, the coercive character of the colonial state and its beneficiaries i e the feudal Mauzader, the traditional revenue collectors in the village. Jyotiprasad shows the power of resistance, tolerance, courage, strength national morale and patriotism of Assamese masses through the play Labhita. Jyotiprasad decided to project such positive qualities of the Assamese nation through a girl and not a boy. He tried to bring out the social transformation through the marginal section of the society.