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| Bagha Nacha |
Thakurani Yatra
, a post- harvest celebration ,with the main attraction of the Goddess’s
procession from the temple to the
temporary abode and return along with
daily tour to the surrounding areas in each of the evenings for about a month
create a carnival like atmosphere. Male members, mostly young, between
5 to 25 years decorate themselves as
characters from mythology like
Krishna, Rama, Hanuman or folk characters like
washerman , fisher man, hawkers or dance
groups on various themes to join
such procession. Bagha Nacha is one
of the most popular folk dances of Berhampur during Thakurani Yatra.
In Bagha Nacha (Tiger Dance), a young male paints himself as a tiger and
wears a special head gear and tail while
dancing to the tune of Dhampa
(a musical instrument played by beating with two sticks on drums). Anybody can perform
Bagha Nacha. However, traditionally,
many people promise a wish to perform on the event of a troublesome phase of
daily life praying for Goddess’s blessing to overcome. Bagha Nacha or other roles played during the Yatra are considered as thanks giving to the Goddess.
Though Bagha Nacha performer need not be a professional dancer and the
performers belong to different walks of life, he needs regular practice sessions
under the guidance of a Guru (a
master dancer). The aspiring dancers undergo a minimum of two to four weeks of
training sessions, usually during the evening hours.
The date of performance for Bagha Nacha for each of the individual
is selected well in advance. On the day of performance, the dancer keeps
fasting and a few rituals are performed by the family members. The dancer’s
whole body is shaved and coloured with enamel paint. It starts from the morning
hours and takes about 5 to 6 hours for painting the entire body. During
afternoon the headgear and tail to be used by the dancer is taken to Yatra mandap for puja (ritualistic worship) and by evening the dancer painted like a
tiger walks to the Yatra site dancing
along with the drum beaters. Bagha Nacha
performers usually attract a good number of admirers to join them in the
procession. After Darshan of Goddess
and puja at the Yatra site the dancers move from one acquaintance to another
performing Bagha Nacha.
During the olden days the Bagha
Nacha performers used to dance throughout the night moving across
the streets of the City. However, now a days, the police has imposed
restrictions to stop such dance performance between 11 pm. and 5am. Bagha Nacha performers are presented
with cash as pleasantries after each performance at their acquaintance’s
residence. People of the surrounding areas enjoy such performances.
Each of the Bagha Nach performers are usually accompanied with a minimum of 4
to 6 Dhampa
drum beaters. The Dhampas are to be
warmed up in a short interval of time and for the purpose a cycle rickshaw
stored with hey follows the drum beaters throughout the procession. The drum
beaters light up hey in the road side to warm up their Dhampas every now and then whenever required.
Bagha
Nacha performers ensure a
few friends and well wishers to accompany them throughout their performance
tour in the city. These volunteers contribute towards maintaining discipline
during the course of performances. While petromax lanterns were used to lighten
the performances in the past, halogen lamps and mini generators are used in the
modern times.
Bagha
Nacha performers commanded
celebrity status in their locality. Many of them regularly performed during Yatra in alternative years. Though Bagha Nacha in some other form are
performed in neighboring Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal, the performance of
Berhampur is unique. Neither the attire nor the dancing positions or the Dhampa tune has any resemblance to any
classical dance forms. Bagha Nacha continues
to be one of the favorite folk dances of the City performed exclusively during
the Thakurani Yatra.
PHOTOGRAPH BY: Laxmi Bej
1 comment:
Well written sir...Thanks for introducing with such traditional folk dance..
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