Stories from the sands
NARESH GULATI
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The Jaipur audience had a glimpse of some of Rajasthan's traditional theatre forms.
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Culturally rich Rajasthan can boast of several traditional theatrical forms like Phad and Khyal from Shekhawati, Gavri from Mewar, Rammat from Bikaner, Pokaran and Jaisalmer, Nautanki from Bharatpur-Dhaulpur, Bhavai from areas close to Gujarat and Tamasha (distinct from the Tamasha in Maharashtra) from Jaipur.
Close on the heels of the Heritage Festival mostly about folk culture of Rajasthan, an exclusive festival of these forms of theatre in the State was organised by the Rajasthan Sangeet Natak Akademi here this week. The festival came as a pleasant surprise, for, the Jodhpur-headquartered Akademi has been headless ever since the present Government removed its president and executive committee in 2004.
Arranged in collaboration with the Jawahar Kala Kendra at the open-air stage in its Shilpagram, the `hamlet' for things with a rural facade, the four-day festival featured as many theatrical forms from the three geo-cultural regions of the state, namely Rammat, Nautanki, Tamasha and Kuchamani Khayal by Bansi Lal Khiladi. But it was Nautanki from Hindaun with all the influence from the neighbouring Brij that proved a sure winner with the audience.
Rammat
Having evolved into a theatrical form from the extempore verse competitions seen during Holi and monsoons, the Rammat is about 120-year-old. Focused mainly on historical and mythological characters, the musical form relies on nagada for rhythmic accompaniment while actors in their costumes take to the front of the stage to sing and enact their respective verses. One major exception in the form was provided by Tej Kavi from Jaisalmer, who wrote a social Rammat titled "Swatantra Bavni" in 1943, for which he was haunted by the British.
Directed by Megh Raj Acharya, the Rammat performance on the life of Amar Singh Rathore was rather slow and monotonous as the cast sat idle on a row of chairs at the back while a lone actor took his turn in the front supported by the chorus. Even as the performance could have been saved with the use of lapel mikes, it betrayed a general lack of improvisation for the form with changing times.
In contrast, with their performance of "Harishchandra-Taramati" in Nautanki on day two, Mushtaribai's troupe gave enough evidence that they had both the aptitude and the inclination to grow with the times while retaining the core elements of the form in verse set to multiple metres. Coordinated by Asha Kumari, daughter of the now aged Mushtaribai, the performance left the audience totally enthralled, also for the reason that the legend of Harishchandra stays etched on the psyche of a common Indian. Some earthy comic relief was a major factor in the success of this performance.
Tamasha
The Tamasha the next day brought yet another classic story. Depicting the transformation of Gopichand Bhrtarihari, the ruler of Bengal to an ascetic, the performance was given by the Bhat family of Jaipur, who are credited with carrying forward the form their ancestors brought to Jaipur from what should be modern-day Karnataka.
The form is mostly raga-based singing, some rhythmic dance and too little enactment by the actors who wear a special headgear. For a form where males do the female parts too, the mantle has been handed over by the veteran Gopiji Bhat to his son Dileep Bhat, who was the principal performer at the fest.
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