|
|
In the villages many festive occasions arise and the
villagers celebrate these moments by dancing and singings songs
individually or in a group. In Maharashtra the Lavani and Povada songs are
a popular source of entertainment of the village-folks. Folk-songs known
as "Bhaleri" are sometimes sung to encourage farmers working in
the field, but at the harvesting time farmers sing special songs to
enthuse, as it were the bullocks treading corn.
The "Owi" is a song sung by village women at dawn, to the
accompaniment of the pounding of the grindstone. The words of the song
describe the 'Maika', her mother's home or the 'Sasural', her husband's
home. Other famous folk songs include the auspicious songs sung by "Suvasinis"
at the Halad and Ghana ceremonies in a marriage, "Palane" or
lullabies and cradle-songs which are soothing songs sung to put a child to
sleep, propitiatory songs sung to appease the wrath of deities like
smallpox, plague, "Artya" or songs in praise of gods and
goddesses, and "Ukhane" which are riddles set in rhymes and also
ditties composed for woman to utter her husband's name in an involved way.
Bhajan, Bharud, Gondhal, Kirtan, Lalita, Abhangas and
Tumbadi singing are the other forms of community entertainments based on
folksongs found in Maharashtra. Of these,
Bhajan-singing, which aims at a religious communion to be achieved by
chanting devotional songs on chorus, is widely popular.
Occasionally, "Bhajan Saptahas" or non-stop sessions of
Bhajan-singing for seven days, are held in celebrated temples. The
'Bharuda' with a strong religious base is directly derived from the
'Kirtan Parampara' and presents an enactment of a lyrical composition of
the saint poets. Cymbals and Mridanga are used for percussion support.
In "Gondhal" is a semi-musical performance given by a
professional 'Ghondhali' and his troupe in praise of gods and goddesses
such as Malhari, Bhavani, Lord Rama and other legendary heroes. A "Kirtan"
is a musical discourse given by a 'Kirtankar' in which God and religion
are described and expounded in poetry and prose.
"Lalita", the probable precursor of Marathi drama, is a form of
crude theatrical, which has for its plot an incident from the puranas. "Tumbadis"
are musical satires on social problems. "Abhangas" are
devotional songs typical of Maharashtra. These were popularised by
renowned saints like Sant Tukaram, Swami Ramdas, Sant Eknaath, etc.
The "Lavani" is a song-and-dance sequence, erotic in content, stressing on the 'Shringar Ras'. The Lavani offers pure entertainment to the weary villager at the end of the day. The Dholki plays an important role here, along with the harmonium and the mouth organ.
The Povadas songs are the most famous in Maharashtra and these songs are sung describing the events in the life of the great Maharashtrian leader, Shri Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Maharashtrians remember their leader in this way.
Tamasha, which is perhaps the most popular and alluring
recreational activity in the rural areas consists of a 'Bari' of five to
seven artistes of histrionic talent and musical skill. The 'Nachya'
(dancer) in an amateur Tamasha troupe is generally a boy dressed as a
girl.
In a professional Tamasha a female dancer and singer are the centre of
attraction. 'Gana', 'Gavalan' and 'Vag' are the principal components of a
Tamasha, and the ruling sentiment maintained throughout by means of
dialogues and Lavanis is usually crude and sensuous humour leaning to the
erotic.
One can say that the folk songs are an inseparable part of the daily
lives of the rural people. However, a lot of these art forms are dying out
as performers are finding it difficult to sustain themselves. Many have
migrated to the cities but have not been able to make a living. But it is
still possible to catch some of these performers live at the cultural
fairs organised by the state government from time to time, such as the
Kala Ghoda fair held in Mumbai every winter, which remains a great tourist
attraction.