FOLK THEATRE
Popular entertainment is an inevitable part of community life and it reflects
the tastes and traditions of the people and their social historical scientific
attitudes and imaginative qualities. The folk art forms like Swang, Jagrata,
Jagra, Ainchali singing, the ballads and songs of the tribes of wandering
minstrels are still a vital and living force in the area.
Bhagat, Kariyada, Banthada and Haranyattar are the popular folk theatre forms
of Himachal Pradesh. These dramas are usually built around certain
character-types. Any available space in the middle of a field marked by two or
three feet high poles with cords tied round them, provides the stage for the
folk-drama. Audience sits around such a stage.
Kariyada
and Banthada
The Kariyada folk art form projects many coloured glimpse
into the heart of the region. The loves, joys, sorrows and hopes of the people
are reflected in this art form through traditional symbolic patterns.
The performance usually starts with Mangalacharan invoking the three gods -
Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesh,
the forest gods and goddesses and Saraswati the
goddess of learning. After this Manasukha or Dandoo comes on the stage and
introduces the theme of the play to the people and set it going. The themes of
the play ranges from historical to mythological and are interspersed with
contemporary references. Ramleela, Ras-leela, Krishnaleela, mythological tales
from Puranas and history are all similarly presented. The comic interludes form
a necessary part of the show and depict stock characters like the run-away girl, the moneylender and his servant, the guard, the she-snake and Pilpili
Sahib (a spoof on the white sahibs). These impromptu shows present sharp and pungent
satires about the bureaucracy, the social malpractices like racial
discrimination and miserliness. Sly and sharp social commentary comes in form of
jokes and puns packed with wit and humour. The role of the female dancer is very
important in folk theatre. She not only dances but sings songs and is presented
with gifts of money.
The antics of Manasukha are the life and soul of each play. These are staged
between Diwali to Baisakhi, when the excessive cold puts a stop to forming
activities and people crave for some form of entertainment. To the common folk
watching plays is a part of religious ritual. People take religious vows to
have these religious plays staged if their wishes come true. They invite the
traveling troupes to come and perform in their houses with an advance of money
known as Peshagi or Sai. Other family members are also invited to the
performance. When the Bhagat (players) reach the house of the hosts, they are
given a warm welcome and on this day a feast is offered to the entire village.
For the stage, a bonfire is lit in the middle of the courtyard around which
the audience squats. In a corner a few string cots form the wings. Mats or
Dhurries are spread on the floor. A large oil lamp which can hold about two
liters of oil is lit upon a pillar and torches made of resinous Pine branches
are used. Nowadays people also use kerosene oil lanterns and petromax lamps.
The folk artists usually belong to the lower middle classes and castes like
Sanhai, Sehsi, Cobblers, Weavers and Jheers. Female roles are enacted by men and
chief actor is Manasukha or Rauloo. He acts as the clown and his jokes and
flirtatious encounters with the Gopis (maidens) are some of the liveliest bits
in the play. For make-up the artists use wigs, Kohl powder and costume jewellery. A face powder is made of fine lime or common flour and kohl is
prepared out of carbonated lamp soot. For wigs, barks of trees are used.
The dialogues of these plays are short and sarcastic or sedate according to
the occasion. The language is simple, elastic and bereft of ornamentation.
Basically all these folk art forms reflect the simple thought patterns of the
rural folk. The plays are full of dances set to songs. Some of the folk dance
forms presented in these plays are Nati, Gidda, Luddi, Dangi and Dandaras and
the musical types are Jhanjhoti, Mohana, Gangi, Jhooriyan and Laman.
In the tribal areas the custom of community dancing is prevalent. In this all
the men and women stand in lines or in a semi circle and sing and dance through
the night. The entire valley reverberates with the sound of music at such
occasions.
In the Sirmaur and Mahasu areas the
Kariyada folk theatre is popular.
Banthada is popular in the Mandi area and Haranyattar form in the
Banthada,
Kangra and Chamba areas. The Bhagat comprises of an enactment of incidents from
the life of Krishna. This is followed by comic skits or Swang. In between the
plays, the players go around with a platter in which the spectators put money.
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