Where mythology comes alive
THE ORIGIN of the tradition of `Dhanuyatra' is lost in antiquity but the present festival has been continuing for the last 57 years. Every year this open-air theatre is held not on a stage or in a stadium but in a whole town spread over 30 sq. km. Held every year in the month of `Pausa' (usually January) this 11-day long play known as `Dhanuyatra' culminates in the killing of the King Kansa by Lord Srikrishna, a throwback to the `Mahabharat' times. The town where this festival is held every year is Bargarh, an important industrial town in western Orissa situated on the left bank of the river Jira. The entire town becomes Mathurapuri where the notorious Kansa rules. Various parts of the town take on names of yore! Amapali is Gopapura and Baragarh is Mathura.A stage is prepared where the mighty king Kansa holds his lavishly-decorated `durbar' set in Hatapada in the middle of the town. Everyday the Kansa who had thrown his sister Devaki and her husband into a dungeon (a local temple) holds court. Besides every day the king goes on `nagara parikrama' (tour of the city) riding on elephant-back and everybody bows before him. If anybody crosses his path he is punished and fined even if it is the SP or collector! Of course all these are mock-punishment; but the raving and ranting are for real. The final confrontation between Kansa and Krishna guarantees a pulsating climax to the theatre.
Says Gopala Sahu, a police sub-inspector who has been playing the role of Kansa for 15 years, "The atmosphere is heady and infective. It feels as if one were really the king." Many in the town having a population of one lakh play different mythical roles complete with suitable costumes and rhetorical dialogue delivery. On stage there is lighting, sets and mikes to make it a larger-than-life affair. The annual fiesta makes even the present generation imbibe the age-old cultural tradition, which teaches that evil howsoever mighty falls to good.
Lok Nrutya Mahatosav
Orissa's folk tradition has a rich variety and vibrancy. The state level folk dance festival began since last year by the state's Culture department showcases a grand spectacle of folk and tribal dance forms. This year, the ten-day `Lok Nrutya Mahotsav' featured various folk dances from Orissa as well as West bengal, Gujrat and Tamil Nadu in a rich riot of rhythm, colour and gay abandon. The festival opened with a Sambalpuri dance, the most popular dance of Western Orissa and was followed by Chaiti Ghoda nacha that is traditionally performed by fishermen and women to propitiate goddess Basuli. The first evening ended with the martial dance form-Paika dance. The highlights of the other evenings were `Medha Nacha', `Danda nacha', `Chhau', `Dhana Koila' and `Ghumura' etc. `Medha nacha' has dancers essaying different mythical characters wearing colourful dresses and massive gears known as "medha" and dancing to the accompaniment of `dhol' and `changu'.'Dhana Koila' is also a ritualistic dance like `Danda nacha'. But while the latter is a homage to Lord Shiva and his consort the former is a paean to goddess Mangala. Both Chhau and Ghumura are martial in character. Every evening featured three dances and there was another variety of Chhau, i.e. Purulia Chhau from West Bengal. Unlike the Mayurbhanj Chhau of Orissa they wear masks. The dance from Tamil Nadu was `Karagam Kavadi' a dance of immense visual grandeur while Gujrat was represented through `dandia Ras'.
BIBHUTI MISHRA
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