India Culture, Business, Sports and Food. Get all the buzz in India now

INDIAN FOLK THEATER

After the decline of Sanskrit drama, folk theatre developed in various regional languages from the 14th to the 19th centuries. Some conventions and stock characters of classical drama (stage preliminaries, the opening prayer song, the sutradhara and the viduasaka) were adopted into folk theatre, which lavishly employs music, dance, drumming, exaggerated makeup, mask and signing chorus.

Thematically, it deals with mythological heroes, medieval romances and social and political events, and it is a rich store of customs, beliefs, legands and rituals. It is a “total theatre”, invading all the senses of the spectators.

Krishna Leela: A Krishna drama that evolved in the 15th-16th century is known as Krishna Leela. This drama is very popular in Vraja region of UP. Boys used to dress as girls and act and sing in praise of Lord Krishna. The style is semi-narrative and semi-dramatic.

Ras Leela: From Krishna Leela developed Ras Leela in the region. Mahabharata, Bhagavata and Puranas, and folk lore provided themes for Ras Leela. The songs composed by the medieval poets on the divine pranks of Krishna in Vraja dialect, stuffed here and there with prose form the basis of Ras plays. The round stage on which the Leela is performed is known as Ras Mandal.

As the play concerns the childhood of Krishna, the main actors of the play are children. Again, the boys perform the part of girls. The troupe director is called Swami. The play is divided into two parts: Ras and Leela. Ras is the opening part in which Krishna and Radha perform dance sequences. Leela starts after Ras and is the dramatization of some episodes from Krishna’s life. The tradition of dramatizing Krishna’s pranks is performed in many regions.

Ram Leela: Tulsidas, the composer of Ramcharitamanasa, started the tradition of performing Rama plays at Kashi. Episodes from Rama’s life are enacted at different places in Kashi during the period of Dassera festival. Rama Leela of Ramnagar is quite famous. At Janakpurdham the marriage of Rama and Sita is celebrated in the form of a festival. In Kerala, Krishna Attam and Rama Attam emerged during the same time. From Rama Attam evolved the famous dance-drama of Kerala-Kathakali.

Mudiyettu: it is a ferocious ritualistic dance-drama of great antiquity which is annually performed at Kali temples in Kerala.
 
Theyyam:  This is a ritualistic dance in Kerala representing ancestor worship. The dancers also represent local gods and goddesses.

Kutiyattam:  It is a unique style of staging Sanskrit dramas in Kerala. The traditional actors are known as Chakyar and the actresses are known as Nambyar. The dramas of Bhasa, Harsha, Mahendravikrama, Kulas-hekhara varma and others are played in temple theatres known as Kuttampalam.

Yakshagana (Karnataka): The themes are derived from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the Puranas. The actors wear very colourful makeup and costumes. The chief narrator is called Bhagavata.  He is accompanied by an orchestra and chorus singers. Only men participate in this dance drama. There is jester too. He is called Konnagi .traditionally; it is an open air performance.
 
Therukoothu (Tamil Nadu): Staging is done at the Draupadi Amman temples from March to July every year. The source is Indian mythology. The narrator conductor is called KATTIAKKARAN.The jester is called Komali. All the roles are played by men only. It is similar to Yakshagana of Karnataka.

Oja-pali (Assam): Manas cult used to perform this semi-dramatic narrative style of play. The chief narrator is called Oja. Palis are his associates forming a chorus playing on the drum and cymbals.

Ankia Nat (Assam): It is a one act drama created by Sankaradeva. Themes are taken from Vaishnava core, the epics and Puranas. Krishna is the most favourite theme.

Jatra (Bengal): It is a popular form of entertainment. The themes are varied- Krishna Yatra, Vidya Sundar Jatra (one of the many secular themes), themes based on myths, Swadeshi Yatra (patriotic theme).  From musical theatre based on prose dialogues. Western instruments too have been adopted.

Maha Rasa (Manipur): it is a grand affair depicting the dance of love, Krishna performing with the beautiful cowherd girls led by Radha. The dances are performed in the dancing halls of the temples.

Tamasha (Maharashtra): it is the most interesting entertaining folk drama form of Maharashtra. Traditionally it is an open air performance. Prayer songs in praise of Lord Ganesha, Gaulanis (songs of cowherd girls) are enacted. The jester Songadya ensures laughter from the audience, singing of Lavanis – these are erotic and enchanting, enactment, enactment of skits, farces and playlets. This part is called Vag.

Nautanki: the dialogues are mostly in verse forms which are sung in high pitch on the beats of a percussion instrument called nagara. Dance of female is provocative. Themes include love, romance and valour, and also social issues, historical romances and mythological dramas. Laila Majnu, Heer Ranja, Amar Sing Rathore and Shyah Posh are popular Nautanki plays.

Macha (M.P.): Macha means stage. It originated in Ujjain. This musical dance-drama used to be enacted during harvest season during Holi to entertain farmers of Malwa. It is an open-air theatre performed in front of Bhairava temples. Bhairava is the presiding deity of Macha art. Themes are taken from mythological stories, folk-tales of romance and valour and historical episodes. The jester is called as Bedhaba or Shermarkha. Pustakaji or the prompter who moves behind the actors and prompts when they forget their dialogue in full view of the audience is ever present on the stage, besides the Yestor. Music is very important in macha plays.

Bhavai (Gujarat): It is folk-theatre form full of dancing, singing and humour. The small Bhavai farces known as Veshas are in fact social satire. The jester called Rangalo adds humour. Men act the female roles also. Rajasthan has also its own Bhavai tradition similar to Gujarat.

Kariyala: A folk drama of Himachal Pradesh, it is also known for its humour and social criticism. Sutradhar is called Kariyattu. Prose dialogues are interspersed with verses. H