LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 12 : 5 May 2012
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.
Assistant Managing Editor: Swarna Thirumalai, M.A.

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Theory and Practice of Beda Theatre in Uttarakhand, India

Hemant Kumar Shukla, Ph.D. and D. R. Purohit, Ph.D.

Abstract

Traditional theatre from all regions of the world has drawn attention of theatre practitioners and critics over the last fifty years. The curiosity has been prompted by the search for ever new theatre idioms. But very little has so far been written on the folk theatre traditions of the Central Himalaya. The present paper attempts to draw attention of theatre scholars to Beda theatre tradition of Uttarakhand, one of India’s hill states. Beda Theatre and its artists have into the process of extinction and negligence owing to changing socio-economic structures.. Laang and Bart are the two theatre rituals associated with Beda, the traditional performers. The origin myth of the ‘Beda’ tribe anticipates the sacrificial rituals Laang and Bart for the bards. Besides, farces, satires, psycho dramas, the most attractive genres of ‘Beda Theatre’ is ‘Radhakhandi Raas’ which depicts the episodes from the life of Krishna, Radha, Shiva, Parvati, Ganesh, the legendary heroes and the exceptional lovers.

KEY WORDS: Laang, Bart, Beda, Lilas, Brahmins, Swang, Radhakhandi Raas, Dholak, Ghoongharu, Ghaghra, and Cholis.

Laang and Bart: The origin myth of the ‘Beda’ tribe enunciates the profession they would do.

The creator of the universe when distributing fortune to all the living organisms sent for ‘Beda’ tribes too. But accustomed as they were to music, dance, and drama, they remained lost in their performance and failed to turn up on time to take delivery of their lot from the creator. They reported when everything available had been distributed. The creator said to them, “Now, nothing is left, your lot is to live by the performance of dance, drama, and music and such performance too will be the part of two sacrificial rituals in which you will act as sacrificial goats. You will slide down a long rope; you will dance atop a hundred feet tall Bamboo Log. Thus, falling down off a cliff or sliding down a rope will be your destiny. (Personal communication with Village: Dangchaura, Uttarakhand’s Late Purushu Beda1)

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Hemant Kumar Shukla, Ph.D.
Corresponding Author
Asssistant Professor in English
Govt. Degree College
Talwari-Tharali 246482
District-Chamoli
Uttarakhand
India
hemantkumar.shukla1@gmail.com

D.R. Purohit, Ph.D.
Professor in English
Department of English
H.N.B. Garhwal University Srinagar (Garhwal)
Uttarakhand
India
drpurohit2002@yahoo.com, drpurohit@yahoo.com
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