The Stage of Bhavai

The elegant art of theater

India is a country known for her rich of art forms. Literature, Music, Dance and Theatre being the foremost forms of artistic traditions combine to form a source of rich story-telling. These art forms were of prime importance to the society as they exhibited not just the people's religious faith but also depicted the ill effects of social stigmas.

Gujarat, a land of immense cultural importance, has its own dance theatres, of which Bhavai is one of the most prominent. The historical importance of Bhavai is established from the fact that it is said to have originated out of a major political event of the time.

Bhavai was started in the 14th Century by Asaait, a scholar in dance and music, with the help of his three sons. The aim of the theatre was to educate people and society while entertaining them. It thus concentrated more on the plots (called Vesh) that were 'popular' and appended a social message to them. Some of the most popular Veshas included the Ram Leela, based on the mythology of Ramanaya and Kaan-Gopi (based on stories of Lord Krishna).

Primarily, Bhavai was dedicated to the Goddess Amba and even today, during the Navratri festival, it is performed at the famous Amba temple near Mount Abu. The connection with the Goddess is in the name 'Bhavai' itself. Etymologically, it contains two Sanskrit words – ­Bhav meaning Universe and Aai meaning mother; and together meaning, Mother of the Universe –Amba. However, it is also said that Bhavai is called so because it is performed through Bhav­­ -Sanskrit word for 'Expression'.

It is said that Asaait produced 360 Veshas, out which, only 60 have survived. The artists are known as ­Bhavaiyaasand Naayaks.  Bhavai more or less retained its original purpose, but one of the branches is said to have off shot to a more contemporary form which focused mainly on entertainment and lost its sheen subsequently. 

One of the most interesting facts of Bhavai is that it is performed only by males – even the female parts. The women are only spectators. The Bhavai artists travel and perform for eight months in a year. The villagers recognise the group when it enters the village and eagerly wait for the sounds of Bhungal (a longer form of Bugle) which signals the start of the performance.

Bhavai is an extremely simple form of theatre when considered in terms of production requirements. It is not dependent on heavy stage, lights and theatrical assistances and is performed in the available open space. Historically, it didn't have rules as such, but with time, certain practices have become common to it. For example, the portrayal of famous historical personalities has become a cult. Thus the Naayaks do not build the characters in the plot as they are recognised by their dresses and props. The only musical instruments used are Drums, cymbals and Sarangi. Thus, it can be said that the brilliance of this art form can be attributed to its sheer focus on acting, which obviously requires tremendous energy on part of the actors.

Colours of Expression: A Bhavai artist getting ready for the show

Through humour, the dance form conveys special social messages, reflecting on social injustice, caste stigmas, etc. The Naayak is the chief protagonist and he is assisted by a Jester. The main humour comes from Ranglo or Ranglee who lights up the audience through his hilarious acts.

Bhavai became popular in the courts of feudal lords and nawabs of the time. During this time, the Naayak – Bhavaiyaas prospered. But with the onset of advanced contemporary theatre, slowly but gradually, Bhavai lost its prime place. The new theatres however owe many of their hit performances to it. It is important to mention here that the Government of Gujarat, recognising the importance of Bhavai as a key cultural tradition, has announced an assistance of `90 lakh for its benefit.

Bhavai is to be seen and not just read about. It is to be understood through its artistic representations. Any amount of writing shall not do justice to its beauty. The very history it originated from, the dedication of Naayaks, and their connect with the folks – the heritage it represents now, shows the strong will of the Bhavaiyyas who have preserved it for over 600 years – no amount of oral or written material can fully represent what Bhavai is, but Bhavai itself.

(The article was originally published in 'the Gujarat' quarterly, October, 2012 edition)