Indian Folk Theatre

Folk Theatre: 

• Folk theatre is a fantastic style of story-telling in which one or more actors use their talents for dancing, acting, singing, talking, miming, and theatre crafts like masks, make-up, and costumes to bring to life a fictional world for the audience.
• Folk theatre is an indigenous tool used to spread critical social, political, and cultural issues in the form of theatrical messages in order to raise public awareness.
• The folk theatre, which has its roots in native culture, is deeply ingrained in local identity and social values.

1. Puppetry - Wooden Puppets (Kathputali): 

• A puppet is a doll or figure representing a person, animal, object, or idea and is used to tell a story.
• Remains of clay dolls have been found in the excavations of archaeological sites of the Harappan civilization as well as sites in Egypt and Greece. It is possible that they were used as puppets. 
• The puppet is made of various materials like wood, wool, leather, horns, and ivory which can be moved in different ways.
• Kathputali, a traditional art of puppetry in India has two styles; one that developed in Rajasthan and the other in southern regions of India.
• The artists who stage Kathputali shows are found in Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Assam, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, and Kerala.
• Puppets are classified as follows on the basis of the way they are moved in performance:
  1. String puppets
  2. Glove puppets
  3. Rod puppets
  4. Shadow puppets
  

  Shadow puppets, Andhra Pradesh

  Glove puppet, Kerala

2. Dashavatara Theatre:  

• Dashavatara is part of the folk theatre in Maharashtra with an eight-hundred-year history.
• The ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu god of preservation, are referred to as dashavatars. Matsya (a fish), Kurma (a tortoise), Varaha (a boar), Narasimha (a lion-man), Vaman (a dwarf), Parashuram, Ram, Krishna, Buddha, and Kalki are the 10 incarnations. 
• Dashavatara shows are presented in the regions of Konkan and Goa after the harvesting season is over. 
• At the beginning of the show sutradhara, the narrator invokes Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of obstacles. Dashavatara performances follow a fixed pattern for acting, makeup, and costumes. While there may occasionally be a few unexpected conversations, the event is primarily musical. Wooden masks are worn by the people who play the gods. Dahihandi, an earthen pot of curds, is broken at the end of the performance, and then there is aarati, or singing of God's praises. 
• A phad (troupe) of Dashavatara performers was founded in the 18th century by Shyamji Naik Kale, and they used to perform throughout Maharashtra. 
• The founder of Marathi theatre, Vishnudas Bhave, presented mythical plays by making minor adjustments to the Dashavatara style. As a result, the Dashavatara tradition serves as the foundation for Marathi theatre. 
  

  Dashavatara Theatre - Varaha Avatar

3. Bhajan (singing devotional songs): 

• Bhajan is the practice of singing songs in praise of God and chanting his name while backed by instruments such as taal (cymbals), mridangam, and pakhavaj.  
• There are two types of Bhajan.
  (i) Chakri Bhajan: Devotees continue to move in a circular motion and sing continuously. 
  (ii) Songi Bhajan: The singer-actors portray devotees and speak dialogue through songs of worship. 
  (iii) Khanjiri Bhajan, a new variety of Bhajan, was introduced by Tukadoji Maharaj. 
• The bhajans written by Saint Tulsidas, the famous poet Surdas, Saint Meerabai, and Saint Kabir are well-liked throughout north India. 
• Karnataka songs are performed using compositions by Purandardas, Kanakdas, Vijaydas, Bodhendraguruswami, Thyagaraj, and others. 
• The Bhakti movement gained pace in Gujarat thanks to Saint Narasi Mehta.
• Saint Namadeva promoted bhajan-keertan in Maharashtra through the Varakari sect's history. Bhajan-keertan became a famous custom among the Varakari sect. 

4. Keertan:  

• Naradmuni is supposed to be the founder of the Keertana tradition. 
• Keertan is performed in a temple or in the precincts of a temple.
• Saint Namadev is known as the first keertankar of Maharashtra. Other saints helped the tradition to flourish.
• The keertankar is also referred to as Kathekaribuva or Haridas. He must wear traditional clothing. He must develop his speech, singing, musical instrument, dance, and humour skills. He must be really knowledgeable.
• There are two main traditions of keertan.
  (i) Naraadiya or Haridasi - Solo performance
  The Poorvarang is composed of three parts:  
  • Naman (praise of God),  
  • Nirupanacha Abhang (singing a song that introduces the main topic),  
  • Nirupan (explanation of the main theme). 

  Uttarrang is the story that is told to illustrate the major concept.

  (ii) Varakri - Collective participation
  
• Along with the keertankar, the singers of cymbals play a significant role.
• Rashtriya Keertan, a new variety of Keertan, was created during the independence movement. 
• It emphasizes raising awareness more by describing the lives of outstanding Indian independence struggle leaders, scientists, social reformers, etc. 
• Dattopant Patwardhan of Wai in Maharashtra is credited with starting the Rashtriya Keertan tradition. 
• Keertan was also utilized by Satyashodhak Samaj members to raise social awareness, which was founded by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule.
• The Keertan style used by Saint Gadge Maharaj was quite similar to the Satyashodhak technique. He used to shed light on topics like eliminating caste, maintaining hygiene, ending drug use, etc. 

  Varkari Keertan

5. Lalit:

• In Maharashtra, Lalit is a traditional form of entertainment. It is a part of the Naradiya Keertan tradition.
• In Goa and the Konkan, it is extremely popular. 
• It is said that the festival's main deity is present during the performance of Lalit on the occasion of religious festivals, and she is then called upon to grant a wish. 
• The Lalit is presented in a theatrical manner. During the play, stories of Krishna, Rama, and prominent devotees are given. There are several Lalit literatures that are also available in Hindi. The environment for the present Marathi theatre includes Lalit. 

6. Bharud:

• Bharud could be considered a poetic song with moral and religious implications.
• Bharud has a look and feels similar to road performance. Saint Eknath's bharuds are well-known in Maharashtra due to their variety of subjects, dramatic quality, simple rhythm, and humour. 
• Bharuds were written by Saint Eknath with the intention of educating people on different aspects of life. 
  

  Bharud

7. Tamasha:

• The word "Tamasha", which refers to performance or other theatrical performance, is a loanword from Persian, which in turn borrowed it from Arabic. 
• In the 18th century, Tamasha evolved into a distinct art form by adopting numerous elements of folk theatre and classical arts.  
• Traditional Tamasha comes in two different forms:
  (i) Sangeet Bari - Music and dance take priority above acting.
  (ii) Dholakicha Phad -
• Tamasha was later developed, with drama serving as the primary component. Vag, the dramatic component, was added a little later. Due to its unplanned humour, the Vag becomes very vibrant and engaging.  
• The show opens with a song in honour of Lord Ganesha, sometimes referred to as Gana. The presentation of Gavalan follows. The Vag is introduced in the second chapter of Tamasha.
• Popular plays like Vichchha Mazi Puri Kara and Gadhavache Lagna are examples of the present form of Tamasha. 
  

  Tamasha Performance

8. Powada:

• Powada (ballad), which alternately recites poetry and prose passages, is a dramatic narration. 
•  Powada tells powerful and uplifting stories of amazing achievements performed by brave men and women.  
• The Powada written by Adnyandas, a poet who lived during the time of Chhatrapti Shivaji Maharaj, and another one written by Tulasidas on the fight of Sinhagad is two well-known examples of Powada. 
• Powadas were written during the British era to tell the stories of Mahatma Gandhi, Umaji Naik, and the Chapekar brothers. 
• Powadas were utilized to raise public awareness during the ‘Samyukt Maharashtra’ movement.
  

  Powada