A nation is known from its show-houses. There are still people
around us who believe that is the out ward show of the building which is meant
by this saying.
Theatre is the place where the culture of the people is displayed, be it dance,
drama or music. It is the type of the programmes which goes inside the building
that reflects one's culture.
A national theatre should, therefore in the fitness of things, emit the
fragrance of the cultural heritage of a nation and should, apart from its
exterior loveliness, be in harmony with the atmosphere of the country and the
traditions of its people.
Let us, in this context, try to examine the theatres we already have here,
there and everywhere in our country. Do they really cater to the needs of the
demands of our traditional culture ?
We have then to understand our traditional culture as regards dance, drama and
music are concerned.
Let us take the case of our own state, Orissa. We have a very big list of
histrionic art forms and to name a few, we have the Jatra
walas who specialise in one form or the other, in the
following items.
|
Sabda Swaranata, |
||||
|
Gotipua, |
Prahlad Natak, |
|||
|
Rama
Natak, |
||||
|
Harikatha, |
Harischandra |
|||
|
Dandanata, |
Sakhinata, |
Chaiti Ghoda, |
||
|
Suanga, |
Baunsa Rani, |
|||
|
Samaja, |
Bhanumati khela |
|||
|
Pala, |
Maharinata, |
|||
|
Odissi nata (not the present form) |
Moghul Tamasa |
and many other Natas, Nachas, Khelas, Lilas etc. etc. How many of these forms can be presented in
their true orginal styles in our so-called availabale theatres ? The answer
will be a big "NONE". More than ninetynine
percent of Orissa's traditional histrionic arts CANNOT be performed in their
true, orginal styles in any of our existing theatres,
because the demands of the production styles associated with these performing
arts can not be met by these structures. Attempts
have been made either deliberately or unconsciously, on several occasions to
squeeze these forms to fit into the pattern of the so-called theatres, but the
result has always been crude, borning and
discouraging.
Let me try to explain.
Take the case of any item from the list, Dandanata or
Bharata-lila or any one. The demand of the production
of these items is the absolute need of an ACTING AREA IN THE MIDST OF
SPECTATORS. The artists are by tradition so well-habituated to a style of
movement on the stage that the spectators on each of the four sides feel as if
it is meant for them or in other words no side is ignored or neglected and the
whole thing is enjoyed equally by the entire mass around.
Can it be done on the so-called theatres with wings, proscenium and spectators
on one side ? The exquisite beauty of performance of
facing alternate sides by a natural artistic stylised gait, turns, twists and
whirls are all lost. The artists feel cramped.
Just imagine the distinct green room (Vesha Ghara) with the narrow Pushpapatha
(the flowery passage) wending its way amongst the spectators
upto the central acting area. Though this is just a
passage, it is in fact, also an important acting area. And to compare its
potentialities with those of the present-day theatre, there is none, where just
atepping-out a few feet from behind the wings is
considered a big thing. You can always get-away with the patch in your pant.
Just visualise our traditional Prahalada Nataka with groups of musicians in attendance. While one
group standing or sitting near the acting area provides musical accompaniment
and chorus for the play, the other group waiting near the green room provides
the band music while leading the entry of important characters up to the acting
area like a ceremonial procession complete with fire-works.
I think this stylisation has no parallel anywhere in the histrionic world. This
sheer thing of beauty can never be possible if this form is forced to be squeezed
into a so-called theatre with wings, proscenium and screen.
To cap it all, we have styles like Daskathia, Pala
and Ghuduki-Nata etc, where although the green room
is not required during the time of the performance, the centreal
acting area with spectators sitting all-around is most essential. Once the
artists appear on the acting area, they remain there till the whole show is
over.
And so, what is the good of having theatre-halls which do not hold good for our
own performing arts ? Whom are we looking up to give
us the necessary courage to boldly say that these axisting
theate are USELESS FOR OUR CULTURE
?
I recall a saying of my Guru Mr. Charles Elson, who after having stayed for
months in India to study Indian theatre, told me, "I have seen many plays
performed at many theatres, throughout the country but I have yet to make up my
mind as to which was the true Indian play presented in an Indian manner" I
think this statement of Mr. Elson is self-explanatory and does net need elaboration. With bagful of imitations, plenty of
borrowings, we only display our bankruptcy of ideas, devoid of any orginality.
Can we not produce an Indian Play in the Indian Manner ?
We must also know, what makes an Indian play identified. If it is the character
of a Deity which identifies it as an Indian play, let me quote Maries Seton-"Deities do not really fit within
picture-frame theatre, they belongs to the amphi-theatre."
If it is the prescribed style of writing, let us search for one
?
All plays are not Natakas. And Natak
happens to be just one kind of play, out of the twenty-eight varieties known to
Indian dramaturgy. And about the Indian manner of presentation, let us also
search for a theatre built according to the prescribed rules of Natya Shastra, the Vikrasta, the Caturasra and the Tryasra of the Jyestha, Madhyama and the Avara sizes.
All civilised countries in the world, be it Russia, China, England, Japan,
France, Germany or America have their own National Theatres based upon the
traditional styles of presentation of their performing arts.
While England has its Elizabethan Theatre, Japan has its Kabuki and the Noh
Theatres, India, with its oldest civilisation on earth, and its documentary and
hoary evidences of existing theatre designed in the past, still looks west ward
for getting an inspiration to build its own national theatre in India.
All our present day theatres have a borrowed pattern of design. According to
Marie Seton, "The theatre with the stage framed by the proscenium arch was
introduced into Indian because of the presentation of European plays,
presumably intended for the entertainment of the British in Indian".
Well, we had entertained them enough. Since 1947 they have already returned to
their home land. They do not need this entertainment from us. Let us now help
ourselves in attempting at least to entertain curves in our own manner.
The prevailing system as is being followed util until
now, must be made to vanish forthwith. Let me quote
JP's words from his 'Prison Diary" of 25th Sept. While explaining Fritz's
article, JP writes-
"Now what would be the prevailing system in Indian and its philosophy ? That is a very interesting question. Is there a
system first of all ? While 80 percent of the
population lives in the villages, 20 percent of it is urban. Some of it is made
up of industrial labour. Some of the class IV employees and yet some more of
the class III employees............Leaving out industrial labour and class III
and class IV employees there are economically better-off people, a tiny part of
them quite affluent in the western style of living sense. Then there are
students, school and university. There are officers of Government and Ministers
(in the capital cities). If there is a system it is made up of these elements
and the system's philosophy is that of the educated and economic elite. The
elite from the rural areas are being sucked into urban areas.........All
politics, all education, all privileges are confined to this tiny layer of
society at the top........In India, this tiny layer of the elite, barring rare
individuals, wants more modern technology, more industrialisation, more
mechanisation and chemicalisation of agriculture. That is the ethos of modernism in India........." etc.
This "modernism" has brought us all the confusion even in the sphere
of dramatics.
In India, the music schools teach music both classical & folk i.e, Hindusthani, Odissi, Karnataki & so on.
None teach modern music.
Similarly the Dance Schools teach both classical & folk dances i.e, Bharat Natyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Chhau, Kathak, Manipuri etc. and
so on. None teach Modern Dances.
But in the sphere of dramatics we see a different state of affairs. Our drama
schools rarely teach classical or folk Indian dramas or the classical or folk
styles of presentation. The stress is on the so-called modern or foreign. Why ? What for is this attitude ?
Do we teach for the "tiny layers of the elite" ?
Even the question of how far 'national' is our National School of Drama had
been a subject for discussion for sometime past. As Kavita
Nagpal wrote in Hindustan Times while commenting on a
'Noh' play of the NSD, "..........it would perhaps have been more
profitable to expend the same time and energy in training the students to
tackle the traditional forms of the regions from which they come and to which
they finally return to practise the art of the theatre."
Few years back, a very famous Director of India had taken his very famous group
to represent India in an International Theatre Convention held in a foreign
country. His statement after return was sufficient to warrent
alarm, as he had said "I wish my group had not been deputed to represent
India."
When we say 'Indian' we do emphasise on an unique
pattern which is orginal and perfected by tradition
of thousands of years and that represents our culture. In building theatre, our
responsibility is more because what we construct with cement and mortar
physically lasts more than half a century at least. We do not spend a lot of
money and name it a theatre which in fact turns into a godown
or something other than the purpose for which it was intended. A lot of
theatres built throughout the country have proved 'No Good' Here I quote from
the editorial of theatre arts journal 'Natya' of
winter issue 1959-60.
"The story of architectural efforts in post-independent India has, on the
whole, been depressing. This is chiefly because of what appears to be a
confusion of approach towards style-whether to be
'traditional', blatantly imitative of the West, or to combine, howsover monstrously, the two. Then there is also confusion
about the relationship between form and function. And so we have some buildings
which are pleasing in form but totally inadequate for the function they were
intended for, while there are others which are extremes in functional values
without any grace or forms, yet others without form or function. But in being
inept in all categories Government architects have been prone to show
particular genius. Perhaps there is something in the bureaucratic mould all over
the world which tends to induce passive mediocrity."
"A few theatres already built by them are sufficient to warrant alarm. For
reasons which are not immediately obvious most of these theatres are built
against almost every basic principle of theatre planning. Beyond the fact that
a theatre has place for seats and a place to act upon, few other considerations
seem to have been borne in mind or even suspected of existence."
"Theatre construction requires not just the ability to rig up anarchitectural assemblage but a clear conception of what
use the building is put to. Even with the assistance of specialists, the
architect will need some awareness of the development of drama and some
clairvoyance, as it were, of its future trends. His building will have to be
flexible enough to accommodate not only for plays but for other forms of
theatre arts. And for plays he may have to choose between the rigid
picture-frame and the free-arena stage. Where do we stand ?
The future course of dramatic development in India may well depend upon the
very physical form of our theatre building."
I think, enough had been very clearly said, and we still suffer from an
inferiority complex. Until we gather suficient
courage and boldness not to be imitative of the West, we will be continuing to
waste a lot on something we cannot claim to be our own. Let us search our
heart. It is high time to do so.
We think of rural development by way of electricity, roads, culverts,
fertilisers, pumps and what-nots. What about theaters for the rural people ?
Why should more than 98% of the people of the country wait until fair weather
to witness a play or some theatrical presentation in the open-air in an
improvised auditorium on the village cross road or in an urban area wait until
midnight till the traffic of the 'elite' withdraw from the roads to avail a
suitable open space while the city folks just walk into air-conditioned,
push-back cushioned seats whenever they desire ?
And when shall our own folks have their own indigenous Jatra
auditoriums both top-less and top-covered ?
We waste a lot of money on the so-called modern drama festivals which have
absolutely no impact on the people. We also waste a lot of money to build
theatres and to train people to entertain that "tiny layer of the society",
without even caring to know that either the forms or the funcitons,
do not really cater to the demands of more than 98% of the people of this vast
country. In other words, where is the THEATRE FOR THE JANATA- the people's theatre ?
Now let me quote Marie Seton again who stated, "since
there appears to be an ingrained tendency in India towards. Theatres in the
Round, I wonder whether it is not unsuitable for India to continue to develop
theatres with stages based upon a strictly Western Model".
Think, my dear countrymen, think..................and act now, otherwise it
will be too late to recover from the shock.
* This article has been reproduced in many journals.
Bandi Nata is
mainly found in centra and western parts of Orissa.
It has less ritualistic formalities than that of the Danda
Nata and is performed by the scheduled caste
people mainly.
Bandi happens to be the nickname of the sister
of Chandrasena, the husband of Radha. This Bandinata idealises
the character of Bandi as against Radha in the game of love towards Krishna,
because it depicts the selfless sacrifices of her own utmost love towards Krishna
in favour of Radha and her help which brought the
pair Radha and Krishna together.
Bandinata is an out-come of the so called hatred
of the cast Hindu Vaishnavites, who did not
favour the low castes to join them in their Radha
cult.
In Bandinata the artists in make-up and costumes
along with their stage properties in hand, walk into the auditorium and sit
down with the spectators mixing and mingling with the crowd and come out to the
central acting area only when their roles come complete with self-introductions
in songs.
The only musical instrument played with the Bandinata
is the Dhol and it is really inspiring to
watch this sole accompanist for the entire duration of the play which lasts for
more than 3 hours packed with lots of dances, songs, actions and humour.
Chaiti Ghoda
is a colourful item of performing art of Orissa specially done by the fisherman
community during the full-moon day of Chaitra
month. It is said that Lord Rama had presented a horse to the boatman
who had helped Him to cross the river Saraju
during the period of his Vanavas. Hence
they worship horse.
Each group has atleast three characters beside the
musical accompanists of Dhol and Mahuri. These three characters are the Rauta the Rautani
and the horse dancer.
An image of horse is improvised out of bamboo and cloth, complete with a head,
body and tail but without legs. The dancer enters into the cockpit of the
hollow body and hangs it at his waistline to give the illusion of a rider on
the horse, complete with straps, Performance are done in an arena without a
green room.
Rauta, who is the main singer
commentator, delivers discourses mainly from mythology. The Routani,
in the role of his wife is the chorus and co-singer and dancer. During the
performance, dramatic sequence are highlighted with
regular improvised dialogues and humorous episodes. During the discourses, the
singer also explains the text in simple language with similiesand
quatation. A lot of vigorous dances are done by the Rautani and the horse dancer.sometimes
a pair or more horse dancers join in,which
turns the performance into a sheer thing of beauty,with
varied compositions.
Chhaunata, although not a drama in its
fuller interpretation, it is a specialised dance drama. It is famous for its
most colourful virile dance, theChhau Nrutya, which is highly stylised and set to
choreographic frame work. WhileChhau of seraikela uses masks for all its characters, Chhau of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, Balasore and Dhenkanala do not use them, thereby adding facial
expression with body movement and gesture. While the princes and the Royal famililies are the participants in the Seraikela
Chhau, and the commoners in the Mayurbhanja
Chhau teams it has remained with the traditional Paikas of Dhenkanal, whose
ancestors themselves formed the infanty men of the Dhenkanal Kings, before merger of states.
Themes of the dance dramas are taken from mythology to folk tales. Chhau is usually performed during the Chaitra
festival and except the sophisticated groups, all
others use an arena for performance with spectators around.
The origin of the word Chhau is traced by
some, to Chhauni, the military camps of
ancient kings. While other maintain that the word is a
derivative of Chhaya (shadow) etc. According
to the experts of Dhenkanal, this word Chhau is a derivative term of the word Chhai meaning body gesture seems to be more
appropriate.
The vigorous war dances with swords and shields, the colourful, dignified yet
intricate rythmic pattern of other dances, the loud
yet melodious sound of battle-drums such as Dhumsa,
Nagra, Dhol and Chadchadi with Mohuri,
actually brings thunderous effect to make the audience spell-bound.
A beautiful form has developed in the recent times by the combination of both
forms, the Pala and the Daskathia.
The highlights of both the forms have been so well blended making it appear as a
distinct style of its own.
Desianata is an
unique and ancient form of play presentation located in the Koraput
district of Orissa.
Desia means local, hence completely indigenous
& it's participants belong to the local people
irrespective of caste, creed or even tribe.
This traditional mulitcoloured masked spectacle of Desia Nata, brings in it's fold every conceivable character i.e,
Gods, Goddesses, Animals, Birds and the human species, all under masks, never
so widely exploited by any traditional dance or drama form in India. There are
also characters who appear without the masks, if it is
the role of a common human being. The unique distinction of the Desia Mask is that it is worn helmet like wherein the
entire head is thrusted in. Though now-a-days masks
are being made out of papier mache
it used to be made out of leaves in the olden times.
The theme is always from the mythology and Ramayana, punched with social skits
and humour. The music and the dances are unsophisticated and blended with
touches of tribal patterns. The dances some times
include such intricate pattern of foot works, gestures and postures, that they
can well be compared at par excellence with some of the already famous forms of
India. Another form of Desia Nata
is Subhadra Harana.
Desia Nata,
though slowly becoming rare is still popular amongst the local inhabitants. The
performance usually takes place during festivals like Chaitra
Parva. Desianata needs
a centra arena for performance.
While massive spectacular theatrical presentations are a speciality of Jatra Of Orissa, the Dhanu
Jatra of Baragarh, Sambalpur tops them all, in the imaginative grandeur.
While else where in Orissa, a pond, a huge tree and
it's sorrounding, a vast field, a village or a mile
long street, have been improvised to be the acting areas, here in Dhanu Jatra,
several villages, a town including a river turn into the acting areas of the
play.
While the village Amapali turns to be the 'Gopapura' and the town of Bargarh
as 'Mathura', river Jatra becomes the
sacred river of Jamuna.
The Dhanu Jatra, which
is a part of the celebration of Krishnalila
and continues for a week during the month of Pousha,
reminds one of the description of Indra's
banner festival mentioned in the first chapter of Natyasastra.
Beside other highlights, Kansa's elephant ride in the streets of his
kingdom, his high Mancha from where he falls and dies, and his Durbar,
everything is so well planned and improvised that perhaps no
where in the world, a play has been made to achieve such a vast
magnitude bringing that central goal in dramatics, the unity, the team spirit
and the universal brotherhood.
And about the so called modern technique of spectator's participation in Dhanu Jatra,
nothing said is better because when all the villages, town and the river turn
to be the acting areas, naturally all the inhabitants and visitors also turn to
be characters in the play including you if you happen to be there during the Jatra period.
And, during his ride in the streets or at his Durbar if the actor King
Kansa finds you guilty (Whoever you are, including top government official
and whether you did commit a wrong or not) you have got to pay a fine
(according to your sweet will, all in sportive fun.
The very idea of this Dhanu Jatra of Orissa is not only awe-inspiring and fantastic
but also very entertaining and educative.
The main theme of the play is from the epic Mahabharatand
depicts the circumstances under which Arjunais
put to accept Subhadraas his wife.
Bharatalilais otherwise known as Dwarinatabecause of the main character Dwari,who not acts as an ineterpreter
of the play for the audience but also acts as the middle man in the exchange of
affairs and wordy duel that takes place between Arjuna
and Subhadra.
These three are the main characters in the play beside the Sakhis
who fill in the sequences of relief with their dance numbers as well as to
appear in very minor roles if needed during the play.
A lot of question answer sequences mark the test of the merit and calibre of
the artists because beside the main theme, plenty of similies
and extracts from Shastras and works of other
authorities are quoted or recited, punched with dances, songs and witty humour.
Bharatalila is very popular for the element of
humour which brings roars of laughter from the audience time to time. A single
performance lasts about 3 to 4 hours but in case of a competition between two
or more parties, the show continues for several nights Bharatilila
needs a central stage with spectators all sound.
While Ghudiki happens to be the name of a
local musical instrument made of a round hollow wooden cylinder with piece of
hide covering one mouth and played by twangs on the string running from the
centre of the hide and held by the other hand, the Ghuduki
Nabaranga Nata bears
it's name, because the master of ceremony of this form plays on it through out.
This Ghuduki Nata
is a highly st,lised form of
a total theatre. The group consist of 8 to 10 artists who are all, all rounders. They do not need a green room and dress up or
improvise everything in the midst of the spectators. The Ghuduki
player is the director, commentator, jester, dancer
and also suddenly turns into a character of the play if needed. The play starts
with singing and dancing by two bous dressed in
female attire and as the commentary goes, the same boys change into different
roles assisted by the chorus and the musicians who stand up and fit into the
plays according to the demands of the situation. A lot of singing dancing and
humorous skits fill in the production which lasts up
to 3 or 4 hours.
These are all one-man shows, supposed to be the most ancient form of dramatics,
each a bit reformed than the other. The stories are dramatically told with lots
of voice modulations, songs, humour, actions, dialogues and occasional dances
also. Simple costume is improvised during performance to suit the sequence.
Self played musical instruments like Manjira,
Ektara, Ramatali, Daskathi, etc., are also played by the artists.
The subject matter although forms a part of the theme from Krishna-lila, there are groups who's ecialise in this portion to such fantastic proportions that
they have established a distinct style of their own.
While an open area is improvised to be a pond, this pond with lots of
artificial lotus flowers and leaves turns to the acting area. A lot of mechanical
devices go into the making for a number of artificial snakes to appear in the
pond to attack Krishna while plucking the flowers, finally bringing the
huge serpent Krishna to be crushed by him.
The puppet theatre of Orissa is known as 'Kandhei Nata'. Kandhei means Doll or Marionett. Other terms which are used for puppetry in
Orissa are Sakhinacha, Gopalila,
etc., Orissa's puppetry is classified into four
categories such as Hand or Glove puppets (Ravana chhaya or shadow of Ravana).
Usual Jatra plays are adapted for Kandhei
Nata. While only the "Daki
Dambaru" or "Dholki"
or the "Khanjani" used to be the
accompanying musical instrument in olden days now they have a full group of
orchestra to go with a puppet play. The most interesting character is the
jester 'Andiripua Udhaba'
in the popular string puppetry. In the advent of cinema, the crude and
unsophisticated oil lamp projection in the sphere of shadow puppetry seems to
be loosing it's
significance.
The Kathi Kundhei
Rod Puppet of Keonjhar is an unique 'one man show'
because beside the music party, the entire manipulations of all puppets and the
various dialogues, songs and other voice productions are done by a single
artist.
*************
Another form of presentation of a devotional play
relating to the various deeds of Krishna. Once the artists in make-up
appear on the central acting area in a ceremonial procession with the retinue
of musicians and chorus, they stay on there and do not need a green room. There
is a Sutradhara who recites Sanskrit text
throughout and also explains it . The main character
is Krishna and few Sakhas. A lot
of singing, acting and dancing is involved in the play which is done in parts
each night and the entire series covers 7 to 8 nights to complete. Properties
are used to highlight certain sequences. Such as huge artificial serpent which
peeps out and slowly rises high from a wooden box kept in the arena.
Lankapodi festival of Daspalla
needs aspecial mention of the spectacular grandeur
employed in the presentation of Ramalilain
Orissa
A mile long street turns into acting area from the
temple to the improvised city of Lanka of Ravana.
While the performance is done in phases the acting area expands from place to
place in the street where platforms are made for the speaking characters, who
reach from the temple in a procession each night.
The many wheeled high wooden crane with a swinging and revolving boom, hanging
the Pushpaka Bimana
of Ravana complete with a rope ladder and
whisking away of Sita on to it in the air,
while the crane is dragged by the spectators like a chariot brings a real
illusion of the theme in a novel manner.
There are many more interesting features of this production, which are not only
orginal but also very spectacular and grand.
There are two distinct types of Pala in Orissa, the Baithaki
(sitting) and the Thhia (standing). It is
associated with the worship of Satyapir,
a God both for Hindus and tje Muslims and hence it's origin is traced from the Moghul period, when all attempts had been made for the
unification in faith between both the religions. But the form of the Thhia Pala which seems to be a developed
outcome of Binakara portion of the age old Dandanata of Orissa has a deeper origin.
The word 'Pala' has been derived from the word 'Pali'.
'Pali' was a highly developed language used for
the propagation of Buddhism after Lord Buddha. This language was mainly used in
ancient Kalinga and said to be more universal in
understanding.
The "initials" or the Purba Ranga of a Pala play has a lot of similarity
with that of the Purba Ranga
mentioned in Natya Sastra.
No other form of play production exists today which adheres so much to the
formalities as per the Natya Sastra
as that of a Pala play of Orissa. This justifiably signifies the classical
origin of this beautiful form of mass communication media of Orissa.
As it is, the Thhia Pala is an unique form of play presentation with a high degree of
literary excellence. This is enacted by six persons who dress themselves in the
ancient royal attires. The chief actor known as the Gayaka
holds a Chamara and plays on a small pair of Manjiras and the rest,
form the Palias or the chorus. Among
these there is one percussionist who plays on the Khol
and the rest on Karatalas. One of these
chorous boys, there happens to be jester or Vidushaka who cracks a joke for everything. The main
theme runs in a commentary form, highlighting important portions in the real
enactment of drama, each player turning into a charactter
with dialogues. The Gayaka during his singing, explains passages which are difficult to understand
to the common mass with lots of simlies from other
writers, therby turning the perrformance
into a literary discourse. Intermittent humorous skits, occasional dancing with
small foot works, turns up to three or four hours. Pala needs a central
acting area and no green-room during performance.
Sometimes Badipala is arranged where two or more
Pala groups participate one after the other. These turn into
competitions of showmanship and literary duels and it is left to the people to
give the verdict as to which group is the best to get the prize.
Pala happens to be a very popular Jatra
of Orissa, there are Pala groups now consisting entirely of female artists.
There exist Pala groups who perform it in Sanskrit language also.
Patua Jatra
happens to be a ritualistic performing art like Danda
Nata, followed by the low caste of labour class
people. There are many types of patua such as Ghata Patua (who
dances on stilts keeping a pitcher on his head), Udapatua
(who is made to hang on a revolving pala), Nian Patua (who
walks on fire), Kanta Patua
(who walks on nails and thorne), Khandapatua
(who stands on sword's edge), Phoda Patua (who gets pricked all over his body), Jhula Patua (who
hangs with head downwords over a burning flame and
the common Patua who sings and dances).
While all the former Patuas are nothing but
self inflicted penance, the last variety contains song, dance and acting. This Patua Jatra follows
a pattern like that of pala in its costumes as well
as in the deliberations with a variation and is of lesser standard. There are
characters known as Rauta as the main singer
& Rautani as the main dancer as in Chaiti Ghoda.
Besides these, there are the chorus boys. With Routa's
singing, Ramatali is played & than dancing
starts with the accompaniment of Dhol and Mohuri. Although this Patua
Jatra is not in a drama form and consists mainly singing and dancing, intermittent improvistation of dialogues, comical skits makes it quite
interesting. A show which usually takes a whole night
duration needs an arena for performance and no green room.
Sometimes Badi Patua
Jatra or competition between two or three groups
also takes place.
While Nataka denotes a play in its fullness,
the presentation of this play is so much stylised that it has come to stay as a
distinct form of theatre in Orissa.
Based on the most popular mythological theme of the boy Prahlada
and how all attempts of his father to kill him failed because of his faith in
God, upto the appearance of Nrusingha
Avatara from a pillar who
kills his father, Hiranya Kasipu.
A centra acting arena with a pillar on one side and a
high wooden throne on the other side is essential. Two batches of musicians
remain in attendance. While the chorus boys and the main musicians take their
place nearer the throne, another batch wait near the green room to lead the
entry of each character in a manner of a ceremonial procession complete with
fireworks and crackers, amongst the spectators up to the acting area. I think
this stylisation has no parallel any where in the
drama world, except partly adopted in Moghul Tamsha.
The costume are extremely ornamental and colourful.
The music is entirely based on classical Ragas. Each character sings and
knows the art of dancing very well.
While life size dummy elephant is used to bring the king, live cobras are used
around Prahlada's neck in the snake
sequence.
Evidently Prahlada Nataka
of Orissa is a regular classical Indian play with a distinct and highly
stylised traditional presentation form.
In Orissa, there are only very few groups in Ganjam
district now, who have remained to be the torch bearers of this great
traditional culture.
Following the foot steps of the Sanskrit text of Gitagovindam of Jayadeva
with few variations and usually found in south Orissa. Radhapremalila
has remained to be a distinct form for its style, charm and uniqueness and
local flavour. With full of music and lots of dances, this form is enacted by
small boys and girls of less than 10 years of age. A flowery bower is a must by
the side of the central acting area. The child artists are helped by a chorus
group who sit next to the acting area. The complete form takes a week, for full
presentation in phases.
Thoughout India Ramalila
has remained a popular form of theatre because of its devotional theme from Ramayana
and so also in Orissa. There have been so many kinds of improvisations on the
presentation of Ramalila of Orissa that they
can be put into the following categories.
There are Ramalilas where characters appear
with masks. There are others who do not use masks. There are yet others who
bring in characters of mixed pattern.
There are Ramalilas where all characters speak
or sing for themselves. There are Ramalilas
where characters act and do only mime, while the Gayaka
and the chorus do the singings.
There are Ramalilas where an acting area in
the centre is needed. There are others who need a whole vast field for the
operation. There are Ramalilas which
need different locations for different actions and they carry the entire
retinue of spectators from place to place with them.
Ramalilas by tradition,
are enacted for several nights in phases. There are groups who perform it for
10 nights and specialise on the spectacular grandeur of their productions.
Associated with the Krishna
cuit, Rasa Lila happens to be of very ancient
origin in Orissa. The great sage poet Achyutananda
wrote Rasa in Oriya in the last part of 15th century which was performed
throughout the country by a band of touring artists whom he taught. Rasa
had been made into outstanding spectacles at certain places of Orissa where a
full height Kadamba tree is improvised from a
huge log with artificial leaves and flowers, with sliding Gopis
in the air on ropes.
Laudinata is the enactment of certain phases
from Krishna's life done by the Gopala
(cowherd community).
Rahasakirtana is done by the followers
of Krishna cult irrespective of caste or creed.
In Sabda Swara Nata, the presentation of plays are
in regular common Jatra style with central
stage and spectators around. The themes are drawn from mythology, mainly from Krishna's
life. The plays are highlighted by interludes of special dance numbers which
are absolute classical dances of the Tandava
variety, known as Sabda Nrutya.
Sabda Nrutya
claims 8 distinct Tandava dances such
as Siva, Durga, Kali, Ganesh,
Ananda Bhairaba Vinayaka, Rudra andNarada. Each Tandavahas
two 'Swaras' which in turn have four Pallavi dances each.
This form is located at Kumbhari village, off Barapali, Sambalpur and the
institution which keeps it living was established in 1850 by one Bhajamana Das who hailed from Sidhamunda, Kantilo of Puri.
This in short, is an account of the Theatre of the Peoples of Orissa. Creative
artists as they are the people of the ancient land of great arts, Utkala, they have even gone to the extent of attaching
ornate costumes, tuneful music stylised gaits and even dialogues in their God Jagannath to create such fantastic Jatras
like the great Ratha Jatra
of Orissa.
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanti
Dhiren Dash.
District wise List of Art Forms of Odisha
Districts Wise.
Folk
Art Forms (
Performing & Visual )
|
ANGUL 1.
Rabana Chhaya |
BALANGIR 1.
Dalkhai |
BARGARH 1.
Dalkhai |
BALASORE 1.
Chhow Dance |
|
BHADRAK 1.
Mugal Tamasa |
BOUDH
1.
Karma Dance |
CUTTACK 1.Chaiti Ghoda |
DHENKANAL 1.
Laudi & Ogal Dance |
|
DEOGARH 1.
Karma Dance |
. GAJAPATI 1.Paika Akhada |
JAJPUR 1.Mugal Tamasa |
JAGATSINGHPUR 1.
Chaiti Ghoda |
|
.JHARSUGUDA 1. Dalkhai |
KENDRAPADA 1. Ghanta patua |
KANDHAMALA 1.
Singha Badya |
KEONJHAR 1.
Kandhei |
|
KALAHANDI 1.
Ghoomra dance 8.Banabadi |
KHURDA 1.
Paika Akhada Dance |
KORAPUT 1.
Desia nata |
MAYURBHANJ 1. Chhau
Dance |
|
MALKANGIRI 1. Koya Dance |
NAWARANGPUR
1.Kui Dance |
NAYAGARH 1. Dhumpa
Dance |
NUAPADA Lariha Dance |
|
PURI 1.Gotipua Dance |
RAYAGADA 1. Lanjia Saura Dance |
SAMBALPUR
1.
Dalkhai |
SONEPUR
1.
Laxmi Puran |
|
SUNDARGARH
1.
Laxmi Puran |
|
|
|