LAHORE – A drama was presented at the Government College University (GCU), Lahore on Friday which revolved around antics of ‘spiritual quacks’, who were seen as a large source of social evils in society. The drama was performed at the Performing Arts Festival organised by the GCU Psychology Department. Around 16 universities and colleges took part in the festival and staged mimes and dramas on the themes of ‘Sufism’, ‘Religion and Psychology’ and ‘Human Nature’. The plots of most mimes and dramas revolved around the issue of ‘spiritual quacks’ also known as ‘aalims’, and their negative roles in terms of fortune telling and creating paranoia in the minds of people.
The opening play of the festival, presented by the Punjab University Institute for Art and Culture, represented how these quacks misguide people especially on religious issues and split up families for money. The drama presented by the students of Kinnaird College on the spiritual quacks secured the first position. The story was of a girl who was suffering from a psychological problem but her mother-in-law, instead of consulting a doctor or psychologist, took her to a spiritual quack. The drama was also a complete package on the blind faith of women on these immoral and characterless cheaters.
The psychology department presented a mime in which four different traditions, including Heer Waris Shah, whirling Derwasih and Dhamal, were staged. Ravians also presented a drama “Sayan Aur Psychiatrist”, written by late eminent writer Ashfaq Ahmed. The play underlined the spiritual and social problems in society. Fatima Jinnah Medical College, Rawalpindi students staged a play on the topic of nationalism, in which they highlighted the love of soldiers of their country. Punjab University Department of Psychology also presented a play on childhood trauma and its effects on later life. The play also shows that how a psychiatrist helps a girl for getting out of her childhood traumas.
Students of Garrison College, Bahauddin Zikria University, Multan, Queen Marry College and other educational institutions also presented dramas at the festival. GCU Psychology Department Chairperson Dr Asir Ajmal said that the Performing Arts Festival is a significant part of the Mental Health Week in which students project psychological issues and diseases through the powerful medium of theatrical histrionics.
