By Tenzin Chokyi

DHARAMSALA, 7 Oct: Tibet Theatre is set to premiere Phayul (Homeland) on 9 October at the Tibetan Institute of Performing Arts (TIPA) in Dharamsala. This new Tibetan-language production revisits the upheaval in eastern Tibet in the 1950s through the experiences of ordinary Tibetans and their resistance to the Chinese occupation.

Set in eastern Tibet in the early 1950s, the play follows how Tibetans responded to the growing Chinese presence, from peaceful resistance to armed struggle, and traces the changes that followed as Chinese control expanded across Tibet.

Rather than centring the story on political leaders, Phayul focuses on the lives of monks, nomadic families and families of resistance fighters. Tibetan women occupy a significant place in the narrative, highlighting their experiences and contributions during the early years of the invasion, according to the production’s organisers.