Folk Arts

Folk Arts

Subject: Art and Culture

Section:

Context: To mark the celebration of 75  years of India’s Independence, Sangeet Natak Akademi celebrated Rang Swadheenta – a festival to cherish the memories of freedom fighters who laid down their lives to free India from the shackles of imperialism.

Concept:

• Powadais a rich traditional style of singing ballads popular in Maharashtra. Powada singing has also played an important role in the socio-cultural and political development of the region. Its origin is considered to be from the time of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
• Ragini is a Kauravi folk song form which is very popular throughout northern India particularly western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
• Dastangoiis a compound of Persian words ‘dastaan’ meaning a long tale and ‘goi’ meaning to narrate.Dastangoi is a 13th century Urdu oral storytelling art form. The Persian style of dastan evolved in 16th century. One of the earliest references in print to dastangoi is a 19th-century text containing 46 volumes of the adventures of Amir Hamza titled Dastan e Amir Hamza.
• Oggukathacomes from the compound ‘oggu’ meaning a damarukam (pellet drum) and ‘katha’ meaning tales. Although oggukatha usually centers around Myths and Gods,Oggukatha is a traditional folk theatre form which is an ancient narrative form of Telugu speaking region.
• Panduan KeKadde is very specific and significant art form of the Meo community of Mewat region. It is a form of cultural identification for the community. The narrative (on which the tradition is based) written by SaddalahMeo in the 16th Century, originally consisted of two thousand five hundred couplets and took approximately forty eight hours of musical rendition. The main instrument Bhapang remains the core instrument for the exposition of the narrative but choruses use Harmonium, Dholak and Khanjari too to encompass the performance.The existence of Panduan ka Kada, traditionally performed by the Jogi Muslims, is at stake as its patronage has declined.
• Dhadi singing tradition of Punjab was begun by Guru Hargobind to inspire bravery among armed men in the battlefield.Dhadi, is one who sings ballads using Dhadd and Sarangi, the folk instruments of Punjab. According to Kahn Singh Nabha’s Mahan Kosh the definition of dhadhi is “One who sings ballads of warriors playing Dhadd”.Dhadis are a distinct group performers emerged in the time of Sikh gurus