Laughter Sentiment in Garhwali Folk Plays/ Traditional Dramas/ Community Theaters Part-2

  गढ़वाली लोक नाटकों में हास /हौंस  भाव

Review of Characteristics of Garhwali Folk Drama, Folk Theater/Rituals and Traditional Plays part -14

                                        Bhishma Kukreti

  When a ‘Devar ‘(husband’s younger brother in relation) pretended ‘Jeth’ (elder brother of Husband)

              There are dramas played by individuals in every village. I remember one spontaneous drama played by a young man named Jaya Nand (here, imaginative name).

  It is normal custom that when a newly married girl striates settling in law village. A sister in law or family member or a villager introduces the newly married girl to villagers.

   In Garhwal, It was a custom (still persists in some villages) that if a Jeth (elder brother of husband in relation) touches a Bwari (wife of younger brother in relation) both had to take bath. The touching of elder brother of husband with Bwari is called ‘Chaun lagan’. Therefore, Jeth (elder brother of husband) and Bwari (wife of younger brother) are always cautious not to touch each other.

          One day, a newly girl (bahu) was going to fetch water with her sister in law (nanad or husband’s younger sister). Bwari had to bow /salute before Jeth just from far. From another direction, Jaya Nand was coming. Before, nanad introduces the man to her Bhabhi (brother’s wife that is newly married girl) Bhabhi (newly married girl) bent to touch foot of Jaya Nand. Now Jaya Nand wanted to bless her and he was coming closure to the newly married bahu. Bahu thought that Jaya Nand was Jeth in village relation and she went back. However, Jaya Nand was eager to touch her na dat the same time he was saying, bwari ! How is your father”. As Bahu was trying to distance from Jeth , Jeth was coming closure to touch Bahu . Newly married bahu was in aghast as he kept Jaya Nand kept his hand on her head and asked,” Bwari (wife of younger brother) How is your father ?”

 Suddenly Nanad started laughing loudly. Now, Bahu understood the trick of Jaya Nand that in reality he was ‘Devar’ for newly married ‘Bahu’. The pretending drama performance of Jaya Nand as Jeth was marvelous. For many weeks, the story was roaming in the village and people used to laugh on this dramatic event.

  Such dramatic pretentions are many in each village and these events become folk story after some time.

Copyright @ Bhishma Kukreti, bckukreti@gmail.com 8/10/2013

Review of Characteristics of Garhwali Folk Drama, Folk Rituals and Traditional Plays part to be continued…

                    References

1-Bharat Natyam

2-Steve Tillis, 1999, Rethinking Folk Drama

3-Roger Abrahams, 1972, Folk Dramas in Folklore and Folklife 

4-Tekla Domotor , Folk drama as defined in Folklore and Theatrical Research

5-Kathyrn Hansen, 1991, Grounds for Play: The Nautanki Theater of North India

6-Devi Lal Samar, Lokdharmi Pradarshankari Kalayen 

7-Dr Shiv Prasad Dabral, Uttarakhand ka Itihas part 1-12

8-Dr Shiva Nand Nautiyal, Garhwal ke Loknritya geet

9-Jeremy Montagu, 2007, Origins and Development of Musical Instruments

10-Gayle Kassing, 2007, History of Dance: An Interactive Arts Approach

11- Bhishma Kukreti, 2013, Garhwali Lok Natkon ke Mukhya Tatva va Charitra, Shailvani, Kotdwara