Rejuvenating Karayala: An Endangered Folk Theatrical Form of Himachal Pradesh

Manoj Thakur pkmanuthakur@gmail.com

The Central University of Himachal Pradesh Dharamshala, India

This work is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International.

Folk art and culture are indispensable unit of a society. There is hardly any society across the world without folk art forms such as dance, drama, and songs. India too had “God’s plenty” in terms of folk art forms. Our diversity has kept numerous folk traditions intact. But it has been observed that their existence has largely been endangered due to the onslaught of media multiplicity and many other factors contributing to it.

Folk theatre in India is heaving hard to survive. At present, it requires urgent patronage from the state, as folk culture preservation hardly finds any place in the state policy. Rajoo Baroot laments, “While doing (Gujrati) theatre I had to face many problems, obstacles, financial constraints and competition. . . I do feel that had there been a national level forum, I could have survived in spite of all those forces” (26).

Amateurs and professionals in the field of folk theatre are grappling with numerous problems. They lack both space for rehearsal and space among audience. They have to struggle for their livelihood. Yet, they are not giving up. Neelam Mansingh Chaudhury appreciates their passion in the following lines:

The endeavors of regional groups, individually and collectively, need to be celebrated. They continue to work, struggle, create and dream despite the pathetic working conditions that they have to contend with. They lack rehearsal space, have budgetary constraints, and fewer shows. Despite this they continue with their efforts to keep theatre alive. (8)

We have to understand that the life force behind folk theatre is its socio-cultural ties. However, it has been observed that playwrights are trying to infuse folk elements into regular theatre without caring if these elements are assimilating with each other or not. Devendra Raj Ankur criticizes Badal Sircar by saying that he felt that Sircar and likes of him were following a reverse process in theatre: “[W]e look for the form, for the first and then try to infuse theatre into it” (23). In India, people have started interrogating the western superiority since the nineteen sixties and seventies. Efforts are still under way to establish the roots and identity of the Indian theatre but, as A. Mangai observes, “[i]ronically, these very forms became the basis of experimentation globally under the influence of Grotowski, Barba, Artaurd and Peter Brook . . . While critique of multiculturalism and cultural piracy are levied against foreign artists, little thought is given to how the Indian artists deal with the same arts and artists” (85).

More, Folk theatre is bearing the brunt of indifference on the part of the government also. The achievements of the federally funded National School of Drama in Delhi are many but its activities are restricted mostly to the national capital. Indira Prathasarthy vehemently criticizes the NSD by calling it Delhi School of Drama which, according to her, is “catering to those hailing from a privileged region of this vast country with a privileged language as their mother tongue” (43).

In present Indian context, we have to recognize that there are different forms of regional drama such as Kuchipudi, Ram Leela, Bhavai, Naqqal, Karayala, Bhagat, Yakshagan, Prasang, Tamasha, Koodiyattam, Kathakali, Nacha, Gondhal, Dashavatar, Sowang, Nautanki, Jhamatra, Therukoothu, Ras Leela, Jhanki, Jatra, and Tiyatra. Keeping in mind this diversity, Anantha Murthy states: “I do not think that there is anything ‘national’ apart from the ‘regional’ in India and there is hardly anything like the one and only way of doing theatre. The way for us to be truly Indian is by belonging to various regions of India” (14).

Himachal Pradesh, as is the case with India, has rich cultural diversity. There are around nine folk theatrical forms practiced. They are Karayala, Dhaja, Banthara, Haranyatatr, Bhagat, Ras, Horing-fo, Singh, Budha, and Barlaj. Despite such plenty, it is sad that these forms are not thriving as they should have been or as they used to thrive in the past. There are numerous reasons which account for the dismal scenario of the folk theatre. Firstly, patronage for drama in India is too arbitrary. For example, in 2004, National School of Drama got twelve and half crore Indian rupees as its annual expenditure while expenditure for the rest of India was only ten crore rupees (Subbanna 47). As far as Himachal is concerned, there is no patronage for folk theatre either from the provincial government or from the federal government. Secondly, inferiorization, the process of making someone inferior, contributed as a massive jolt to the folk theatre. Colonization played significant role in this process. Frantz Fanon rightly observes, “Every effort is made to bring the colonized person to admit the inferiority of his culture” (157). People belonging to lower castes were, and they still are, the major custodians of folk theatre in Himachal. These people faced inferiorization first at the hands of our colonizers and then so-called high caste Hindus. Their existence has been demonized to an extent that their current generations are not willing to do anything which reveal their identity based on caste.

More, today people are busy in the vicious cycle of earning and spending. They lack both time and interest. Further, artists earn meager sum of money and hence it is not a lucrative business for the youth. Furthermore, folk theatre’s inability to counter modern means of media technology is another important factor. The sophistication of TV, cinema, and now mobile phones is difficult to match. M.R. Thakur in his book Himachal ke Loknatya aur Lokanuranjan succinctly remarks that our cultural heritage has been badly affected by the achievements in the field of industry and instruments. Cinema has beaten our folk theatre strongly (21).

Karayala has its origin in the myth pertaining to King Junag of Junga, a former princely state. At that time his kingdom was tormented by the repeated attacks of Dev Shirgul. Despite his earnest efforts, he was unable to check Shirgul’s menace. At the end, he sent for King

Bijeshwar, ruler of Bajwara principality in Kashmir. In the battle field, iron-hails of Shirgul were greeted with lightning and thunder bolt of Bijeshwar which Shirgul could not stand and fled.

Karayala began during the reign of Dev Junag in Garh, i.e., present day Subathu. Junag was the reigning monarch of the area. The bonded laborers called as bethoo used to relax themselves in the evening by “singing and whatever they could coin and compose” (Hans 16). They also used to perform swaang (mimicry/act) keeping in mind their subjective experiences in everyday life. Dev Junag encouraged them to continue with some improvements. This form came to be known as present day karayala.

Karayala is a folk theatre of Himachal. It is ritualistic in nature. It is a night long ritual which includes acting, dancing, and singing. Acting includes swaangs i.e. mimicking and caricaturing vices and follies of individual and society. In one karayala performance minimum three and maximum four acts are played. Artists in karayala are proficient in dancing and singing. In between the acts, they present musical interludes and sing variety of songs: Pahari, Hindi, and Punjabi. At present, it has lost its glory but prior to the advent of TV, and cinema, it was the sole mode of the people’s entertainment in the four districts of hilly state of Himachal namely, Solan, Sirmour, Shimla and Bilaspur. Till date, only men participate in acting.

The dialogue is steeped in the socio-cultural milieu and employs folk-idiom which is exaggerated, twisted as the moment demands, improvised and used to satirize, mock and lampoon people and the powers that be. It is at its creative best as the spectators involve in the fun by passing witty remarks, or make funny interventions. The actors too converse frequently with the audience in the course of the play. The language is further subverted by mispronouncing/ misusing words, scoffing at pedantic use of language by some sections of society, upturning the conventional articulation of mainstream languages, and by misquoting from scriptures and twisting popular vocabulary in a way that provokes laughter. Since karayala was meant for the lowest wrung of the society, it enlightened people about contemporary political, social and economic issues. The motifs such as death, sex, love, deity (deva) or god (bhagwan), clan names were mostly alluded to quite frequently alongside sexual innuendoes that are used volitionally in a disguised and ambiguous idiom.

Karayala is deeply embedded in folk culture. It can be organized throughout the year on any occasion except death. In all the texts explored so far, hosting karayala is usually associated with the fulfillment of any wish. But it is not the only condition; there are others as well. Village people host a karayala collectively as a token of gratitude for their deity’s grace on the village as well as a way of fulfilling the bol (promise) or the kar (debt) owed to their deity by them or their ancestors.

Karayala can be organized to express gratefulness to the deity for his kindness over one’s family also, or when a person achieves something in his life. This kind of karayala is called as khushi ra karayala .karayala as an offering out of happiness). Nowadays people host karayala even on occasions like job retirement and anniversaries.

Another form of karayala is prevalent around the areas of the national highway no. 22 up to Solan hosted on the eve of the marriage of the family’s eldest son (jhete bête ki jabari). This is considered to be a compulsory kar or debt which if not paid may bring some curse on the family. So, in every wedding season, there are karayalas hosted by the grooms’ families.

The aforementioned are a few reasons as to why karayala is hosted. This gives us a fair idea about karayala’s deep-seated connection with folk culture and thus consciousness.

How is Karayala Performed?

The karayala performing party includes a deuan or brahmin, (who under goes holy frenzy) artists called karayalchi (actors, singers, and instrument players), and musical instruments like nagara, dhol, karnal, and nafeeri. The arranger invites his relatives, friends, and other people of his / her village and the neighboring villages. The host arranges for the dinner of all the guests and the karayala party. Arrival of the karayala party is marked by “an instrumental music based on Jang Taal” (27) which is an indication that karayalchishave either reached or about to reach. Before the play starts, karayalchis are offered refreshments.

On the day of the play, the host fasts until dyoots(trashed pots) are lighted. Prior to performance, ghiana (bonfire) “conical wooden stack” (Hans 24) is fired. Great care is taken to ensure that it does not extinguish in any case. This ghiana is worshipped by the priest or deuan along with the hosting family. Then ambers from ghiana are picked and placed on dyoots which are kept on the “tripod of branches” (22) of a particular tree (either cactus or baloje / chirne). Now these dyoots are worshipped; “[r]ight dyoot is the first to be worshipped in the name of Dev Biju.”(27). The whole family then sprinkle homan, i.e., the mixture of ghee (butter milk), rice, barley, sesame, bael (Aegle marmelos, L.), lotus seeds, shakkar (brown sugar), and many other auspicious things over dyoot.

After dyoot lightning ceremony, karayalchis take food. While karayalchis have refreshments, audience assemble for the show. Thus starts karayala with karayala taal. Chandravali (man in guise of mythological woman) enters along with other actors. They sing an arti .jaya jaya he jagdamba mata, dwar thumare jo koi ata . . .” In the end of the arti, other actors leave the stage and Chandravali and her escort remain on the stage. They perform a dance called Chandravali nritya. “The gestures and the postures along with bowing head of the dancers are in such a way that right hand is being placed a little forward from the right side of the chest facing its left and the left hand on the left side of the chest touching it. After taking one round on the circumference of akhara (acting arena) from left dyoot to right dyootwhich is also called to draw kaar (circumambulation), the dance is performed in the middle of The akhara and on the axis of the body by revolving first to the left side, i.e., clock-wise direction and then to the right, i.e., anti clock-wise direction and then to the right, i.e., clock-wise direction” (31).

After this, the escort leaves the stage and Chandravali keeps dancing to the rhythm of karayala taal, till sadhus’(ascetics) words starts reverberating. Karayala has numerous swaangs, but it is mandatory to stage Sadhu’s Swaang. Throughout the night, three to fourdifferent swaangs are played, each is followed by a musical interlude. These interludes are presented by singers who dance as well. They also perform songs on the demand of the audience. People give money to karayalchis for fulfilling their demands. Karayala ends with an arti, followed by worshipping the dyoots with flour, jiggery, and ghee cooked together and then tumbling them down. Also, ghiana is worshipped and sprinkled with water which marks the end of karayala. Karayala parties can wind up their show any time after 4 am.

Globalization is a reality today affecting every person and thing on this globe. In numerous ways it has proved boon to our civilization but as far as folk art is concerned, it has paralyzing effect. Before the advent of technology folk art was at its peak, but as soon as media and technology occupied Indian market, it started erasing our folk art forms. As a result of which we are interrogating transformations in traditional folk performing arts and evolution of tradition.

When we say transformation, we have to consider the transition from past till present in karayala. It was and it is live impromptu theatrical action mastered by karyalchis (actors) through repeated performances. There was such a craze for the show that not only the invitees but if the person who was not even invited came to know about the performance by chance would come along with his relatives, but such enthusiasm is lacking at present. The performances were so captivating that none would leave or sleep during performances but at present audience starts depleting after a swang or so—once during my field work in the end there were no spectators, there were only karayalchis and me. The musical instruments were all folk instruments indigenously made, whereas at present instruments like keyboard player etc are also used. There was no loud speaker or electronic equipment involved in the performance, but they are part of it now and some time they are very annoying. As karayala was night performance; for lighting purpose lanterns were used however, electricity has made it handy now. The costumes and make up which they wore was entirely local, although they have started spending a bit more on it now. The actors of karayala were all males which has not changed yet. They even play women roles disguised as women. Initially, when karayala started it was played by the people of scheduled caste only, though picture has changed now, men from upper casts have entered the acting arena. Karayalchis were and they are proficient in acting, dancing, singing and even playing musical instruments. They never had any formal training in these disciplines, which is a reality at present as well. Playing musical instruments was legacy passed from generation to generation. Having said that, new generation is least interested to learn and play traditional folk instruments. The performance was entirely in Bhaghati (local dialect) and use of Hindi was scanty. As of now use of Hindi has become extensive otherwise also and Bhaghatihas been shoved to the margins, so much so that it has been enlisted in the UNESCO’s list of endangered languages. The performance included mimicking and caricaturing vices and follies prevalent in the society at that time, which is still the same. Couplets in Bhaghati were spiced with wit, satire, pun, humour and practical wisdom which spell bound people. The characteristic is still there but aged spectators long for aged wine.

The future of karayala is very uncertain as there is no appreciation. Least monetary benefits. Modes and means of media today are so strong that karayala troupers cannot beat it alone. In order to protect karayalaand the likes of it, our state and central government should formulate a policy. It needs platforms like IPL and Pro Kabbadi League to introduce competitiveness among the karayala troups.

Famous KarayalaActs

There were numerous swaangs (acts) in karayala. They deal with range of issues mentioned in previous section. Titles of few known swaangsare: Jhoolana, Sadhu ka swang, Mem-Saab ka swang, Julaha-Julahin ka swang, Jogi-Jogan ka swang, Bangale ka swang, Gaddi-Gaddan ka swang, Jangam ka swang, Gangi-Sundar ka swang, Barada-Baradi ka swang, Rajput ka swang, Chooranwale ka swang, Hathi ka swang, Daag-Daoon ka swang, Nawab ka swang, Oonth ka swang, Tau-Tai ka swang, Sahukar ka swang, Chamar-Chamari ka Swang, Bachole ka swang, Tarde Naai ka swang, Coolee ka swang, Lamberdar ka swang, Brahmin ka swang, Badhal ka swang, Chacha-Bhateeje ka swang etc. Highlighted above are the few swaangsstill played during karayala.

The present paper is an attempt to portray a verbal image of an endangered folk theatrical form of Himachal Pradesh. This is also an endeavor to expose the attitude of state towards folk arts. A shift from past till present easily communicates that the form is losing its base very swiftly, media and technology have contributed helping hand in this. Saving karayala means making it more competitive and lucrative in terms of earning and career.