General Knowledge for IAS Exams (PERFORMING ARTS OF INDIA)

DIFFERENT FORMS OF TRADITIONAL THEATRE

1. 1.BHAND PATHER(JASHIN) - KASHMIR

• unique combination of dance, music and acting.
• Satire, wit and parody are preferred for inducing laughter.
• music is provided with surnai, nagaara and dhol.
• Since the actors are mainly from the farming community, the impact of their way of living, ideals and sensitivity is noticable.

2. SWANG - HARYANA

• mainly music-based.
• Gradually, prose too, played its role in the dialogues.
• softness of emotions, accomplishment of rasa along with the development of character can be seen
• two important styles are from Rohtak and Haathras.
• In the style belonging to Rohtak, the language used is Haryanvi (Bangru) and in Haathras, it is Brajbhasha.

3. NAUTANKI - UTTAR PRADESH

• most popular centres - Kanpur, Lucknow and Haathras.
• The meters used in the verses are: Doha, Chaubola, Chhappai, Behar-etabeel.
• nowadays, women have also started taking part

4. RAASLEELA

• based exclusively on Lord Krishna legends
• believed that Nand Das wrote the initial plays based on the life of Krishna.
• dialogues in prose combined beautifully with songs and scenes from Krishna's pranks.

5. BHAVAI - GUJARAT

• Main centers of - Kutch and Kathiawar.
• instruments used are: bhungal, tabla, flute, pakhaawaj, rabaab, sarangi,manjeera, etc.
• there is a rare synthesis of devotional and romantic sentiments.

6. JATRA - BENGAL

• Fairs in honour of gods, or religious rituals and ceremonies have within their framework musical plays are known as Jatra.
• Krishna Jatra became popular due to Chaitanya prabhu's influence.
• earlier form of Jatra has been musical & dialogues were added at later stage.
• The actors themselves describe the change of scene, the place of action, etc.

7. BHAONA(ANKIA NAAT) - ASSAM.

• cultural glimpses of Assam, Bengal Orissa, Mathura and Brindavan can be seen.
• The Sutradhaar, or narrator begins the story, first in Sanskrit and then in either Brajboli or Assamese.

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8. MAACH - MADHYA PRADESH

• Maach is used for the stage itself as also for the play.
• songs are given prominence in between the dialogues.
• The term for dialogue in this form is bol and rhyme in narration is termed vanag.
• The tunes of this theatre form are known as rangat.

9. TAMAASHA - MAHARASHTRA

• evolved from the folk forms such as Gondhal, Jagran and Kirtan.
• female actress is the chief exponent of dance movements in the play. She is known as Murki.
• Classical music, footwork at lightning-speed, and vivid gestures make it possible to portray all the emotions through dance.

10. DASHAVATAR - KONKAN AND GOA

• personify the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu-the god of preservation and creativity. The ten incarnations are Matsya (fish), Kurma (tortoise),Varaha (boar), Narsimha (lion-man), Vaman (dwarf), Parashuram, Rama, Krishna (or Balram), Buddha and Kalki.
• Apart from stylized make-up, the Dashavatar performers wear masks of wood and papier mache.

11. KRISHNATTAM - KERALA

• came into existence in the middle of 17th century A.D. under the patronage of King Manavada of Calicut.
• Krishnattam is a cycle of eight plays performed for eight consecutive days.
• The plays are Avataram, Kaliamandana, Rasa krida, kamasavadha,Swayamvaram, Bana Yudham, Vivida Vadham, and Swargarohana. 
• episodes are based on the theme of Lord Krishna - his birth, childhood pranks and various deeds depicting victory of good over evil.

12. MUDIYETTU - KERALA

• celebrated in the month of Vrischikam (November-December).performed only in the Kali temples of Kerala, as an oblation to the Goddess.
• depicts the triumph of goddess Bhadrakali over the asura Darika.
• seven characters in Mudiyettu-Shiva, Narada, Darika, Danavendra, Bhadrakali, Kooli and Koimbidar (Nandikeshvara) are all heavily made-up.

13. THEYYAM - KERALA

• 'Theyyam' derived from the Sanskrit word 'Daivam' meaning God.
• Hence it is called God's dance.
• performed by various castes to appease and worship spirits.
• distinguishing features - colourful costume and awe-inspiring headgears (mudi) nearly 5 to 6 feet high made of arecanut splices, bamboos, leaf sheaths of arecanut and wooden planks and dyed into different strong colours  using turmeric, wax and arac.

14. KOODIYAATTAM - KERALA

• based on Sanskrit theatre traditions.
• characters of this theatre form are:
• Chakyaar or actor,
• Naambiyaar, the instrumentalists and
• Naangyaar, those taking on women's roles.
• The Sutradhar or narrator and the Vidushak or jesters are the protagonists.
• Vidushak alone delivers the dialogues.
• Emphasis on hand gestures and eye movements makes this dance and theatre form unique.

15. YAKSHAGAANA - KARNATAKA

• based on mythological stories and Puranas.
• most popular episodes are from the Mahabharata i.e. Draupadi swayamvar, Subhadra vivah, Abhimanyu vadh, Karna-Arjun yuddh and from Ramayana i.e. Raajyaabhishek, Lav-kush Yuddh, BaaliSugreeva yuddha and Panchavati.

16. THERUKOOTHU - TAMIL NADU

• literally means "street play".
• mostly performed at the time of annual temple festivals of Mariamman (Rain goddess) to achieve rich harvest.
• there is a cycle of eight plays based on the life of Draupadi.
• Kattiakaran, the Sutradhara gives the gist of the play to the audience
• Komali entertains the audience with his buffoonery.

17. KARYALA- HIMACHAL PRADESH

• deals with serious question of life & death briefly and with simplicity of expression & diction, all enveloped in humour.
• Indeed, audience is given essence of our cultural heritage of viewing the world as a stage and as an unsubstantial pageant which is to be negotiated and lived by rising above it.
• There is often stylistic diversity, which strengthens their identity from Swang, Nautanki, Bhagat, etc..

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