Tamasha: Tamasha is an extremely lively and robust form of folk theatre, going back to over 400 years. In this form, some topic is selected and then a chorus of six to eight male singers cum performer and two or more female dancer-singers make the troupe. The more vigorous form of tamasha is called song troupes and is believed to be the genuine or real form. It has a cast of three to six female dancer singers (one of whom is the star artist) a tabla player and a harmonium and tundun player. The story part is the next element. The most important is the performance. The story of tamasha in the form of agricultural dialogue, song and dance is based on stories derived from myth and folklore. It is in this section that comments are made on contemporary and social problems. Government-sponsored tamasha troupes also educate the masses on family planning. Tamasha needs no elaborate act or costumes and place and time.
Nautanki: Nautanki is like other folk drama forms. It has a simple dramatic structure comprising small units led by a Ranga or Sutradhara- the narrator. Music is of prime importance in this folk drama. The main musical instruments used are kettle drum and dholak. As in opera, the dialogues are sung to popular folk melodies but now even to film tunes. The nautanki form is popular in the fields of agriculture and rural development. It can be in the form of Doha, Thumari, Dadra, Sher, Gazal and Quawwali which are very common among the rural people in many states. This dramatic form may easily be adopted in the social, agricultural and rural development programmes. The people can be educated through the medium to bring about desirable changes in their behaviour.
Keertana or Harikatha: This is a religious folk theatre. The Keertana or Harikatha is a kind of concentrated drama or monodrama in which a gifted actor enters a whole series of characters. Saint Narada is believed to have invented and practised the form with great success. It is believed to have spread from Maharashtra to Karnataka and Tamil Nadu about 150 years ago. It is a mainly associated with the Bhakti movements in religion and literature. It was used by saints like Kabir, Guru' Nanak, Farid and Tukaram to preach the faith as also to bring about social reform and political change. It is such a potent weapon in social education that Lokmanya Tilak is reported to have said if he was not a journalist, he would have been a keertankar. Harikatha is also used by Central and State governments to educate the masses on family planning, developmental activities, democratic values and national integration with help of Keertankar or Kathakars. All India Radio and the Doordarshan too are using the keertan form for broadcasts aimed at industrial workers and rural audiences.
Street play: In this form, one narrates a story which is related to a particular theme. These plays are not like theatre but they attract a large number of people. They also have some music built in by way of folk songs adapted to the theme. The only material used in this form is a number of banners on which slogans are written. It is a non-costume, no-property no--script play. It is also known as Nukad play. Street plays are increasingly used to spread messages of family planning, sanitation, adult education, etc and they create awareness against social evils.
Participants