| The aim of this paper is to reveal the process and practice of colonialism as reflected in Larins Sahib, Sultan Padmasee Prize winning play by Gurcharan Das. The action of the play is based on the real events in Punjab in 1846-47. The play is recreated from the documents and letters exchanged by the principal characters. Prima-facie it is a love story of an Indian queen Rani Jindan Kaur and Henry Lawrence, an Agent of the East India Company to the Government of Dalip Singh, the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Authors believe that imperialism operates in the play on psychological, political, economic, social, cultural and individual level. The play also throws light on the changing cultural priorities in the process of colonialism. Colonial power initially defeats natives to show them that they are inferior and thereby incapable to rule. Secondly it lays down strict political, economic, geographical and military conditions to sustain control over them. On the cultural level, under the pretext of development and social reform, colonizers change cultural priorities. Once the colonizers have gained full power and altered the social and cultural priorities, they start to harass the colonized on individual level. And when the colonized understand that they have been trapped in the net, they start rebellion to overthrow the colonial rule. Thus the colonizer and the colonized get locked in an unending struggle. However, the norms of the struggle are always set by the colonizer. The play under assessment is a good example of the process and practice of imperialism. |