Folk Drama and Theatrical Conventions: Kalahandi's Danda

IAR Journal of Humanities and Cultural Studies ISSN Print : 2709-3328 | ISSN Online : 2709-3336 Frequency : Bi-Monthly Language : English Origin : Kenya Website : https://www.iarconsortium.org/journal-info/iarjhcs Research Article

Folk Drama and Theatrical Conventions: Kalahandi’s Danda Jatra in/as the Context Article History Abstract: It is a commonplace notion that the folk dramas, originating in village rituals, processions and pageants, are entirely shapeless, that they do not follow Received: 09.07.2021 any dramatic conventions, that they are without any design or sequence or Revision: 18.07.2021 structural pattern and that they have no presentational principle. However, a close Accepted: 31.07.2021 study of this primitive form of drama will show that these open-air/theatreless Published: 20.08.2021 ritual performances have a structure and follow certain mimetic conventions that make them drama proper. In this article, I have done a close study of the rituals of Author Details Danda Jatra, a religious procession of lord Shiva celebrated in the Kalahandi Jharana Rani Dhangadamajhi district of Odisha, and have explicated the various theatrical conventions integral Authors Affiliations to the rituals of this procession, thereby establishing that Danda Jatra is a drama proper. Assistant Professor, School of English, Gangadhar Meher University, Amruta Vihar, Keywords: Folk drama; Folk theatre; Ritual drama; Danda Jatra; Danda Naata.

Sambalpur , Odisha India Corresponding Author* NTRODUCTION JHARANA RANI DHANGADAMAJHI I How to Cite the Article: According to Steve Tillis, “given the nearly universal impulse toward Dhangadamajhi, Jharana. (2021); Folk Drama drama, it might well be that folk drama can teach us something not only and Theatrical Conventions: Kalahandi‟s Danda about particular cultures but about humanity at large” (Tillis 11). This Jatra in/as the Context. IAR J Human Cul. Stud. 2(4) remark of Tillis has caught the interest of scholars and researchers 32-39. working in folkloristic to study the origin and development of folk drama Copyright @ 2021: This is an open-access article in a systematic way that earlier was neglected as a kind of primitive form. distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution license which permits Moreover, the multifaced nature of folk drama has opened up possibilities unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction for the multidisciplinary approach to studying this genre. Accordingly, in any medium for non commercial use my primary objective of this study is to locate and explicate the dramatic (NonCommercial, or CC-BY-NC) provided the conventions which are a part of the ritual of the Danda Jatra. original author and source are credited. Furthermore, to conduct this study, I have first surveyed literature related DOI: 10.47310/iarjahcs.2021.v02i04.005 to the origin and development of folk drama in the West, India, and Odisha. Thereafter I have provided a detailed account of the festival of Danda Jatra as celebrated in the Kalahandi region and explicated all the dramatic conventions inbuilt in the rituals of Danda Jatra, and concluded with establishing Danda Jatra as a folk drama.

Origin of the folk drama in the West Drama is a composite form that mixes song, dance, mime, poetry and narrative. It acquires life according to the nature and possibilities of its outreach to its audience, thus creating a special bond between the actor and audience. This, in turn, reflects the nature of the relationship between drama and society, the implicit role it plays in the community that nourishes it. „Folk drama,‟ however, means different things to different people, discipline and culture, i.e., worship, sacred retellings, or visitation by a deity, musical dance, enactment, song etc., “as an etic term, it easily imposes frameworks of interpretations that are not necessarily grounded in local understandings” (Gabbert 1)

According to scholars and folklorists like Sir James G. Frazer, Baskervilles, Abrahams, Green, folk drama, in the Western context, had its earlier beginnings in the community life and rituals of the village. The villagers had to do such agricultural work as ploughing, sowing, harvesting and clearing the wasteland. This work pattern and the community‟s survival are determined by cycles of cultivation and change of season. Moreover, with time, these community activities became rituals and found their place in mythologies. These rituals were performed as types of worship to continue to maintain the cycle and recognise their significance.

Though a number of English folk plays have been lost in time, some have been preserved in written form in the eighteenth and nineteenth century as the mummer‟s plays. Mummer‟s plays are kinds of dumb shows, lively actions and wild clowning that embodied the death and rebirth of the seasons.

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As community drama drawing resources from folk The immediate historical factor responsible for the rituals, they were enacted by amateurs and itinerant emergence of folk dramas in a different geographical performers like jugglers, acrobats, tumblers, rope- location in India was the dismantling of classical dancers and animal trainers, a precursor to the circus. Sanskrit and the prominence of the new vernacular Included amongst them were the sword and morris during the Moghul period. “Historically speaking, dancers, the clowns and the buffoons, the jesters and the during the 15th -16th century, folk theatre emerged fools, who added to the spirit of the carnival by their forcefully in different regions. It used different scurrilous antics. In addition, there were ballad singers, languages, the languages of the regions in which it storytellers, and minstrels who added to the imaginative emerged” (Das, 2013, 4). Indian folk dramas are either quality of the performances with their songs and tales. religious or secular, and the two forms thrived together, Thus the mumming troupe travelled extensively, mutually influencing each other. creating an itinerant form of folk theatre that used simple ceremonial events, like weddings, funerals, Whereas folk dramas like Raslila, Nautanki, festivities associated with local legends and customs as and Ramlila are popular all over India, Some of the the basis of the performance. aanchalik folk dramas are, Koodiyattam (Kerala), Yakshagana (Karnataka), Swang (Haryana, Rajasthan, The folk drama of India Uttar Pradesh), Bhand Paather (Kashmir), Ankiya Naat In India, the dramatic tradition started with Bhaona (Assam), Tamasha (Maharashtra), Jatra (Bihar establishing classical Sanskrit theatre as early as 500 and West Bengal), Bhavai (Gujrat), Dashavtaar (Goa), B.C. Bharat Muni‟s Natya Shastra is one of the earliest Karyala (Himachal Pradesh) and Ramman treatises on Sanskrit drama and dramaturgy in India and (Uttarakhand). probably globally. In this, Bharat Muni has explicated the rules and conventions of traditional Sanskrit drama The folk drama of Odisha and his famous theory of Rasa, an essential element for The ontological and epistemological enquiries into the drama‟s success. Most of the earlier dramas in India the origin and development of folk drama in Odisha are available in narrative form, like Akhyana and have concluded that drama originated from poetry. Upakhyana of the epics and Purana with recitation, Moreover, because of which researchers define „folk singing and dancing as the indispensable elements. drama‟ as poetic drama or Chhanda drama. Moreover, therefore in India, drama is not just a Furthermore, drama is also called „visual poetry‟ particular genre but Natya, an amalgamation of because of its original connection with poetry. literature, mime, music, dance, movement. Moreover, folk drama is a composite art form with the fusion of elements from folk songs and folk dance. In In India, folk drama is deeply embedded into the other words, it is in the folk drama, the beauty of the religiosocio-cultural life of the rural folk. Whether it is multifarious folk art is fully manifested and realised. on festivals or ceremonial occasions, or other everyday Without the constituents of its two significant events in the community‟s life cycle, there emerges a ingredients, like a folk song and folk dance, there may theatrical performance integrating song, dance, myth not be any folk drama (Das, 1980, 5). So folk drama in and tale into one composite art. Whereas the Odisha is broadly divided into two categories: performances of classical drama were restricted to be 1. Non-dialogic song and dance play like Pala and viewed only by the elite few like the royalty, nobility, Daaskaathiaa and sustained because of the culture of patronage by the 2. The fully dialectical play Leela, Jatra, Suaanga court, folk drama grew out of the activities of the common folk who worked outside any formal tradition Pala is mainly performed during Satyanarayan Puja of theatre. Thus, folk drama is an alternative source of and is very popular in the eastern part of Odisha. It is knowledge and entertainment for the common masses. essential as a successful medium in bringing perfect Folk drama, which grew out of India‟s community blending in between the Oriya tradition and the tradition rituals, was based on oral tradition; the text was not of incredible India. Pandit Nilakantha Das, in his book needed to perform community rituals. Fluency and Gradual Progress of Oriya literature, has mentioned accuracy depended on the repetitive that Pala originated in Bengal during the reign of performances/enactment of those rituals wherein the Hussein Shah. In Pala, the lead male singer is called „memory‟ and „remembering‟ rituals with a degree of Gayaka, and his choric followers are called Palias, a religious honesty were crucial. In other words, these group of five male singers. The Gayaka starts his song folk dramas that developed from folk rituals survived with the accompaniment of „mridanga‟ whereas the the test of time as mimetic acts. However, with time Palias play on the cymbals, dance and simplify the they were reinscribed into texts as a rationalisation for meaning to the audience. “The depth of knowledge, performances that may have taken place. sharpness of intelligence, oratory and keen memory power are put to a severe test when two well-matched groups challenge each other in a Pala competition.”

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Dasakathia performances primarily focus on In Kalahandi, the folk drama is known as naat (a). reciting the mythological stories related to Lord Shiva. According to researcher Dhiren Das, it is called Naata However, one of the prominent aspects of this folk form because, “Nata is the apabhramsa of the Sanskrit word is satire. The performers play the Kathia, a percussion Natya; The combination of dance, song and acting. In instrument made up of a pair of wooden pieces, while colloquial dialect, only Dance (Nrutya ) is also called singing and vocalising. Naata. So Naataka and other forms of Natya are also known as Nata” (Das, 1981, 39). Jatra, Leela and Suaanga are the three main types of folk drama that are popular in the western part of Folk drama in Kalahandi originated and developed Odisha. from the ritualistic culture of religious festivals like Danda Jatra, Chaitiparav Nrutya, Chandan Jatra etc. Jatra primarily means the procession/journey of the The folk rituals of these festivals are embedded with the deity from his abode/temple to the place of celebration elements of folk drama, i.e., setting, stage, music, song, on the occasion of a religious festival and his journey dance, dialogue, characters and acting. Some of the back to their temple (Das, 1981, 38). Even today, in the distinguished characters of such dramas are Shiva, entire Western Odisha, including Kalahandi, Jatra Parvati, Krishna Vasudeva, Radha, Chandra Sena, mainly means a journey/procession of the deity during Thantel, etc. Furthermore, according to researchers, religious festivals. these rituals also eventually paved the way for establishing the Gananatya (Popular theatre) theatrical Leela means the process of the dramatic tradition in Kalahandi. performance of the divine life of the great men of the Puranas. In the case of Leela, a dedicated singer Although these dramas are primarily religious in usually sings the Leela to the accompaniment of nature, the use of „local(e),‟ i.e., the gods and goddess musical instruments, and the actors and the actresses are not the Sanskritized classical type; instead, they are perform the story without using speech (Das, 1980, 11). the localised gods and goddess, who speak and quarrel Ramleela, Krishnaleela, Gopaleela, Bharatleela, and like ordinary village folk; their occupation, their daily Alekhaleela are notable examples of this Leela in rituals, their language, all have the distinctive local Western Odisha. flavours which appeal to even the illiterate local audience. Moreover, the use of locally available Similarly, the dramatic performance abundance in musical instruments like Dhol, Nisan, and folk songs Hasyarasa and Rangarasa is known as Suaanga (Das, captivate the aesthetic sensibility of the heterogeneous 1981, 14). Suaanga is an aesthetically pleasing dramatic crowd. performance in which all kinds of dance, songs and acting are integrated (Das, 1981, 322). About the origin Danda Jatra: An Overview of Suaanga, it is believed that it originated from the Danda Jatra is celebrated before the twenty-first pictorial elements of poetry. Moreover, since the day of the Mesha Sankranti, as per the beliefs of pictorial elements are recognised as the most attractive Shaivism. In Kalahandi, it is celebrated for thirteen days feature of poetry, they came to be known as Suaanga, in March-April. In the 9th and the 10th century, the kings originally from Shobhanga (Smaranika 44). According of the Koshala kingdom rejected Buddhism and, for the to Dr Mayadhar Mansingh (1976), Balarama Das‟s propagation of Shaivism, started this Danda Jatra Lakshmi Suaanga, written in 1600 A.D., is the oldest (Nepak, 1977, 1). Danda is a combination of two root Suaanga of Odisha (332). words, “Da” and “Nda.” Etymologically, “Da” means “Prakriti,” and “Nda” means “Purush.” As such, it is Folk drama of Kalahandi Suaanga and Naata believed that the universe was created with the union of According to the researcher, Parshuram Mund Prakriti and Purush. It is mention in the Danda Janma (1982), Suaanga is the oldest form of folk drama of Pandu Lipi, Kalahandi (2). Kavi Haridasa Jyotisa‟s Sulochana Da akshara Stree Nda Purusha | Shastramatre hoichhi Harana Suaanga (The Abduction of Sulochana) and bikhyata Chandravati Harana Suaanga (The Abduction of Mata Aparna, Pita Nirakara | Shiva panchakshyara Chandrvati) are the earliest examples of folk drama in kare ahara Kalahandi ( Mishra, 1996, 352). In these two Suaanga, Hara nohile prashnna je the poet has used only the poetics of Chhanda Naatya Je Danda Kariba biphala, hoiba tara kriya karma mana and not the prosaic dialogues, thereby establishing a Je|| different tradition of verse drama in Kalahandi (Mishra, (Bhikari Das Danda Janma Pandulipi) 1986, 353). From the last decade of the 19th century till English translation the first half of the 20th century, Rasaleela of Sri „Da‟ means woman, and „Nda‟means Man | It is written Banamali Das and Dukhishyam Das have been in the Shastras performed extensively in this region. However, these Bengali Leela could not affect the popularity of the Suaanga, the original folk drama of this region.

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Mother is Aparna; Father is Nirakar| It is the name of Se sthana deba dekhai” (Mishra, 1996, 47) Shiva with five letters You must show us the place, If someone tries to disturb the Danda Under the shade of neem, He will face the wrath of an angry God. (By me) And where the water is clean (Translated by me) „Danda‟ is the symbol of Lord Shiva. Therefore, to preach the greatness of Lord Shiva with all sincerity Offering all the necessary puja items to god, the and maintain the sanctity of this august festival, the main priest says, “Kalika Mahamayi ki dhoop Samarpa devotees dance, sing, and enact the role of Shiva, yamih.” And after that, they pray to Mahadev and all Parvati, Brushava, Kalika, Veenakar, Yogi and Yogini. other gods and goddesses of the village and say in In other words, the Danda Jatra ritual has all the chorus, elements of folk drama. Danda Jagaile Danda Jagaile Caste is not a barrier to participate and celebrate Tera bhugutae Mani Dakadele Danda Jatra. The Thirteen bhagata partaking in the They kept the Danda; they worshipped the ritual of the Danda Jatra can be of any community; Danda they have discarded the caste system for a long as The thirteen devotees now pray to the Lord mentioned in the Abhinaya Chandrika (Translated by me) Mesh chadaka Samkrantyam chatakapat badayaha Mani here means Akhandal Mani or the Shiva (Panda, Vividha roopa yuktena kustritam roopa dharanam 1982, 82). Punah gramantare kurta ba udra jakadibah Acharet bibidhanrityam saramyabhalla naribat. Once the Dandabhanga is over, these bhagata (Mishra, 1996, 346) deliver their dramatic performance by playing Shiva and Parvati‟s role at the very place where Danda is Thus, people across castes celebrate this Danda placed. In Kalahandi, however, we see a deviation from Jatra for thirteen days in thirteen different places to this trend. Here the performance starts with the propagate Shaivism. For thirteen days, these Veenakar‟s song. He sings the „Baidhana/Bhaidhana‟ men/bhagata performing in the Danda Jatra take only song and narrates the mythological stories of the satwik food once a day and are forbidden to contact any Puranas to the audience. He sings, female; they have to live like brahmachari. While Karuachhun nibedana ahe Sadhujana, onboard, these bhagata do not cut their nails or shave Kuru sabha pari aagyan basichha apana their moustache; neither do they cut their hair. They Samudra baliku kehu kare ki ganana, address each other as Rishiputra (son of Rishi). The Swarga ku jae kehu nishuni lagaina wives of these devotees also maintain the same austerity Suna ahe sadhujana in their day to day lives. For example, they must fetch Aagyan kahibi haribansharu baidhana to water in the earthen pot without using bahen Baidhana gale Vrindabana. (Mishra, 1996, (supporting cloth). They cannot use hair oil or comb 347) their hair; they eat only satwik food once a day; If the O you learned men full of wisdom, hair remains untied, they have to tie it in using only one I thank you for your participation hand. After taking a bath, they have to offer prayer to Can the sand of the sea ever be counted Lord Shiva and goddess Kalika carrying water in their Can heaven be ever ascended palm (Mishra, 1996, 346) Listen to me, oh you gentlemen I will start with Harvamasa, oh‟ dear man When the group that carries the Danda chhatra and The dearest of whom went to Vrindavan accompanying musical instruments for the Danda Jatra (Translated by me) passes through to the village, the devotees of Shiva welcome them by sprinkling water on their path, and The Main Danda Naata then they worship the Danda chhatra by lighting deepa After having their last meal before sunset, these and offering dhoopa. However, the ritual of Danda Jatra troupes prepare for their performances at worshipping the Danda chhatra is different. The night. The stage is always set in an open field, like the devotees have had to create a small stage in advance for open-air theatre. On one side of the stage, on a raised the Danda chhatra to be placed and worshipped, i.e., a platform, the Danda chhatra is placed. This small area is washed with cow dung, and three wooden chhatra(umbrella) is covered with layers of black sticks are placed there. It is usually done under the coloured thread; it symbolises Lord Shiva. Thirteen neem tree. After that, the devotee has to do the ritual numbers of „ghungroo‟ are attached to this chhatra, this after taking a bath and in wait cloth only. As per is called Danda Beta, and similarly, seven gungroos are conventions, this Danda chhatra is offered Bel leaves, attached to the „Gauribeta.‟ Here, the Danda Beta is hibiscus, and milk. That is why it is said, worshipped. The leading pujari light the „Akhanda “Bhabina Madhu Kahai Deepa‟ and invokes the lord. The musicians and Bhalapani thiba, thiba gachha chhai

Jharana Rani Dhangadamajhi; IAR J Human Cul Stud; Vol-2, Iss- 4 (July-Aug, 2021):32-39 drummers sit behind Rudra Danda and play the music Puni Ishwaranka angu janmila (Mishra,1986, 348) Veenakara nama karidharana Dandajatra re milila bahana a) Prabha Nrutya Rati hela karuani After the primary puja of the god and the goddess, Satya raja jogun, dhanu janmi thila the main drummer stands on one side of the stage and Sapta ghanti baje kini (Mishra 349) beat it for the goddess „Kalika‟ to come out. This is He was the Kandarpa of Kashipura called the Parabha dance. About the origin of this Again he was born from the body of the Prabha, it is mentioned in the Shiva Chandrika, Ishwara Asura jhun Prabal hoile, Durganka age Brahma He came to be known as Veenakara janaile And met Rati in the Danda Jatara Dhanu was born because of Satya Raja Durga teja „prbha‟dei satwara, pathai dele Seven bells now tinkle from the Gauri dhwaja. asuranku maara (Translated by me).

Kalika tahin basai d) Vrushabha-Shiva-Parvati Episode Adishakti mantre pujanti Jagate satata akshyara This Veenakar Kandarpa sings the „Hara-Parvati‟ sehi || (Mishra,1996, 348) Mahima with his partner, Rati, and dance along with her. They exit the stage with their choric „haribola‟ and As the number of demons started increasing ululation. After them enters Vrushabha, and he sings, Brahma went to Durga, pleading Jayajaya Mahadeva Hara Durga immediately summoned her light-divine Manabanchha purna kara And send Kalika to punish the demon Dibi dibi je baje dambaru The world worships her as the Adishakti Kailasa kanda ru Chadhi Vrushaba, bahane She is the saviour of the world with her divine light Kale bhramana, he (Translated by me) Jaya Jaya Mahadeva. (Mishra, 1996, 350) Hail to you, lord Mahadeva, Hara One of these actors comes out as goddess Kalika. Bless us, and accept our prayer On the back of this Kalika is attached a rounded Your Dambaru sounds melodious bamboo frame covered with dazzling golden fabric. It is From deep inside the mountain, Kailas believed that the Asuras were killed with this Prabha or Riding on the back of his dearest Vrushabha Jyoti (divine light) of goddess Kalika. This actor He is moving around the Univers playing Kalika drapes a black coloured „Ghagra‟ Hail O‟ lord Mahadeva. (Translated by me) (skirt), uttariya on his body, and ghungroos on his ankle. Another long uttariya is tied at the back. Kalika Looking at the Jamhu Jatra festival celebrated by holds this uttariya in her two hands and dances her the mortals, lord Shiva reaches the earth from heaven; famous „udanda‟ dance. This udanda dance is similar to however, no one recognises him. Without Shakti, Shiva‟s „tandava‟ dance. Only a male actor performs Shiva‟s existence is meaningless. So he calls Parvati, this dance as Kalika in sixteen almakara and along the Bege asa tu jhatai go Haimabati sixteen taal of the musical instrument dhol. Some Kariba Jhamu Jatra riti believe that the „U‟ of the „Udanda‟ over time is Kariba ethare jhamu jatara omitted, and the dance form is known as „Danda‟ dance ( Das, 1978, 120). It is mentioned in the Abhinaya Tenukari Parvati go karuchhi nura (Mishra,1996, 350) Chandrika that the Danda dance of the Odradesha is Come soon, dear Hemabati part of the Tandava dance itself: We will do the Jhamu Jatra riti “Danda nrutya tatha pung sah dandakara Since I want to celebrate the Jhamu Jatra here bichakshyana || (Mishra, 1996, 349) That is why I am looking for you, Parvati. (Translated The speciality of this dance is its sixteen number of by me) enactment. Since the Danda Naata consists of sixteen specialised actors, it is also called Suaanga. This is how Shiva pleads to Parvati to join him. Paravati, on the other hand, complains about not having b) Veenakara Nrutya anything in the house to eat. Shiva then get opium, and Carrying the „Gauri beta‟ and wearing a beautiful Parvati scolds him, dress, an actor, who looks like the Narada, appears on Gunjumuhan tume khaucha ganjei dhuan the stage. Gauri beta is decorated with seven bells. This “You weird face, You ganja smoker.” Veenakar is known as Kandarpa. He was born from lord Shiva then gets angry and speaks like a farmer, Shiva‟s body part. It is mentioned in the Danda Janma, Gharakara riti na janu asati, to paragharani Kashipure gopya Kandarpa thila, nahi darkar

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Na rakhibi aja tote chhadidebi Similarly, on the other side, Srikrishna sends the Na rahibi ghare jibi aranyare, brahmajnana Dutika to Radha with his secretive love for her. japuthibi (Mishra 350) Shrikrishna boile solahajara You don‟t know how to manage the household Madhyare Radhika badsundara chore Bishesha atanti Rajaduhita I don‟t want a wife like you anymore Ta pasa ku tuhi chala turita je I will not keep you with me and leave you Mu ate Nanda Tanuja alone Eteboli Hari Dutikara Dhari Leave this house and in the forest do the Bolanti Tejina Laja. Duti go (Mishra, 1996, meditation. (Translated by me) 355) Shrikrishna said to the handmaid (female After being coaxed severely by Parvati to bring messanger) some food for their sons Kartikeya and Ganesha, Shiva, Among the thousands of women, acting like an Odia village farmer go out to the field; he Radha is the most beautiful one carries his Trishul, Naga, Brushava along and trill the Special is this princess for me, field and produces food. It is to be noted here that since You take me to her immediately 1500 A.D. in the epics of the eastern of India like the I am also prince Mandala Sarala Mahabharata of Odisha and Rameswara‟s pleaded this Hari, Shivayana of Bengal, Lord Shiva and goddess Parvati To the Duti, have been depicted as the poor village farmer and his Leaving aside all his shame. (Translated by wife respectively (Mahanty, 1977, 85-87 ). In this me). dramatic enactment of farm and farmer, there lies the And thus, the Danda Naata ends with the origin of nature and species. And after this, Shiva, Gopaleela. Parvati, and Ganesha, all exit from the stage. Explication of the dramatic conventions of the e) Gopaleela Danda Naata The last part of the Danda naata is Gopaleela. It is  Mimetic Action: Danda Naata has a dominant called Vanibotala (Mishra 351). Whereas the central ritualistic character. These rituals and ceremonies philosophy of Dandanrutya is self-control and self- that form the dramatic action are placed within the discipline, austerity, that of Gopalila is romance and broad literary framework, which is prepared from love, merry-making, that pleases the aesthetic multiple sources, both ancient and modern and oral sensibility of all kinds of audience. First, the sister of and written. Different scenes and episodes, i.e., the Thentel or Chandra Sena, Baeri (Mad Woman), comes Prabha Nrutya, the Veenakara Song, the Dhuli to the stage, and while dancing to the tune of dhol, she Danda, Jhamujatra episode, Vanibotala, and the narrates contemporary life in the local dialect. Gopaleela of Danda Jatra, are performed on the Gopaleela is sung in “Rasakulya” Raaga. The song of very spot in which the Danda chhatra is placed and Thentel is viral in this area, worshipped. Thus it can be safely concluded that the ceremonies and rituals and the improvisation Mora na Sukumara bohu- mora na Sukumara and imitation of action fused into one to build the dramatic whole. Both the mimetic action of these Bela budigale bhuinti suisin khatke lagsi dara ceremonies and the deliveries of the versified (Mishra, 1996, 351) verbal material of this Danda naata follow a pattern with which the audience is thoroughly My name is Sukumar, O dear Sister-in-law, my familiar. Furthermore, the action is portrayed by name is Sukumar stylised pantomimic gesticulation. The recitation serves a double purpose by supporting the mimetic At night, I get scared of the bed and sleep on the action and giving significant facts about the floor (Translated by me) developing plot.  Plot: Folk dramas are not built up of well-knit And then Radha calls Thentel to give her company scenes. Their plot construction differs significantly to go outside, from what it is generally understood. Instead of Asa asa nananda re kaen deuchha pahara scenes and acts, it creates self-complete phases of Nananda bhauja bulijimu epara, separa (Mishra, dramatic action, as in the Leela type. There is a 1996, 351) kind of looseness in the whole scheme of dramatisation. This loose anatomy of the folk Come you, dear sister-in-law, don‟t be my drama offers an excellent opportunity for bodyguard improvisation, for the use of mimetic arts, for the festivity and spectacle, for a slow and elaborate Once it is dark, we will sneak out and explore the movement of the story giving peculiar rhythm to world (Translated by me). the dramatic action.

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 Characters: Characters of the Danda Naata are not the characters are also selected as per with imprisoned on the „picture frame. They are not the medieval period Sanskrit Drama. epic stereotyped Gods and Goddesses, with whom  Dramatic dance: Theatrically most compelling is the illiterate village folk cannot connect; instead, this mixture of dance and drama in which the they are the localised version of the Gods and performer gesticulate a short mythological episode Goddess whose lives are deeply embedded in the while the chorus sings the text elucidating the Odia village culture. For example, the localised mimetic action. The dance depicting the battle Shiva and Parvati (who quarrel like ordinary between the good and the evil with its pictorial village couples), the unsophisticated Thentel and composition and slow mimetic movements Radha (who maintain a village type nanand-bhabhi gradually building up to a climax seem to be relationship) etc. Through this localisation, the enactments in the spirit of the ancient Hindu drama. socio-economic-cultural realities of contemporary However, sometimes a single performer putting on life are presented to the audience, with which they a mask or an elaborate, complicated makeup intimately are connected. develop surprising theatrical intensity in his  Stage and Settings: Given the narrative characters pantomimic presentation on a narrative piece. In of these performances, folk dramaturgy has Danda Naata, the Prabha Dance of Goddess evolved a technique of simultaneous stage setting, Kalika is one such example of dramatic dance. This the entries and exist even the simultaneous scene actor playing Kalika drapes a black coloured shifting and makeup are done in full view of the „Ghagra‟ (skirt), uttariya on his body, and audience. Sometimes the stage is set amid the ghungroos on his ankle. Another long uttariya is audience, who never regard it as a place tied at the back. Kalika holds this uttariya in her somewhere else, where only the dramatis personae two hands and dances her famous „udanda‟ dance. can meet, as we regard the proscenium stage. The  Songs: The dialogues in Danda Naata are lack of any scenic apparatus changes the entire presented in the verse form taken from various character of the folk theatre, both in relation to the sources, both oral and written. However, along actor and its relation to the audience. The with these poetic verses taken from the simhasan, chauki, manch, dhol, nisaan, mahuri etc., mythological and Puranic sources, Danda Naata form part of the grand pageantry of Danda naat. has integrated various folk songs like the Baidhana The thirteen Bhagata, along with the main song or the song of the Vanibotala or Thentel to Bhagata, who are also the actors, move from suit the taste of the local audience. villages to villages on their route of the procession.  Rasa: Rasa is considered the essential ingredient in They are separated in time and divided into several Indian classical dramatic tradition. If all the nine „drama days.‟ This technique of simultaneous stage rasas are evoked in the audience by perfectly setting is very suitable for the epic dimension of expressing the Bhavas by the characters, then the this Danda Naata and has obvious theatric dramatic performances are considered subliminal. advantages. It makes possible a splendid and highly Following the dramatic convention of the classical diversified spectacle. It allows the scene from one theatre, the audience of the Danda Naata also gets locale to another, from Kailasa to Gopapura, from the taste of all kinds of Rasa. Because of its Swarga to Martya. The final thought about this mythological origin, the plot may not have the Danda Naata is that the multiple settings, the scope for Hasya Rasa, but this Rasa is offered selection and arrangement of episodes, movement through the peculiarity of characters like Duti, and grouping of actors are pictorially effective in Dwari, Narada, Thentel, Chandra Sena. Similarly, all their aspects. Sringara Rasa is presented mainly through the Similarly, the openness and barrenness of the stage is a mimetic action of Radha and Krishna. positive virtue. It affords directness in imitation of action, simplicity of make-belief, and immediacy of ONCLUSION emotional contact and response. C  Costumes: The costumes and makeup of the actors All these general devices and conventions of Danda playing the role of Gods and Goddesses are also Jatra have evolved a specific folk theatre idea. This impeccable. There is no provision for women to theatre idea is the fundamental and significant thing in perform in this Danda Naata since the rituals and any discussion and study of folk drama. This theatre the ceremonies are performed only by the male idea does not have a static character. It grows and Bhagata. Therefore the role of the female changes with the changing social perspective and characters is also enacted by the good looking cultural content, giving birth to new practices and young men. The male characters always use white conventions, enlarging and readjusting the old ones and colour make, and the female characters use creating varying versions and styles of one dramatic excessive jewellery and sarees. A handkerchief is form. This theatre idea and the convention of the always tied to their waistband. The character of the dramatic tradition of Danda Jatra are only different demon always uses the mask. Thus the costumes of from those of the drama of the literate people, and it is wrong to think that they are in any way inferior or less artistic. Their theatre-lessness does not in any way 38

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