Dhamtari: Don't be surprised if you find Lord Hanuman, Ravan and a few other characters of Ramayana, narrating anecdotes of the bygone time at your doorstep. A group of artists, who originally hail from Karnataka, are bringing mythological characters to life through poignant performance of their drama, a common practice in the history of street play.
There seems to be nothing new in their approach of emphasising historical accuracy in costumes and settings to engage audiences, but what sets Chalit Ramayan Mandali's street play artists apart is the passion they displayed to keep their art alive in another state, which is far-off from their native state, Karnataka.
These artists are going from street to street and shop to shop dressed as the epic characters of Dwapar and Treta Yug and winning the hearts of people with their art. These artists dress as Ravan, Surpanakha, Chitragupt, Shri Krishna, Lord Hanuman and others.
They narrate the big events of Dwapar and Treta Yug to the people with the accompaniment of harmonium and tabla. For a moment, the listeners feel as if the events of the Ramayana era are happening in front of them. "We are originally from Karnataka but now we have built a house in Bhilai and are living here," Krishna, an artist of Chalit Ramayana Mandali, said.
He continued, "We do not even understand the need to learn from the events of Ramayana and Mahabharata. We do not even discuss the great treasures of Dwapar and Treta Yug and participate in the theatrical enactment of Ramayana and Mahabharata. We return from Ravana Dahan after watching the fireworks on Vijayadashami.
Poignant street performance
Such a street play with such aplomb, not previously seen, is becoming a hit with connoisseurs of the art in Chhattisgarh town. "Not only just preserving the folk art but educating local people about two great epics is what we aim for. We are finding widespread applause and acceptance from the people of Dhamtari," said Govind Nishad, an artist of Chalit Ramayan Mandali.
'A slice of Dwapar and Treta Yug in the modern era'
According to him, bringing a slice of Treta and Dwapar Yug in this modern era has been his troupe's forte. The storytelling, dialogues and acting skills are captivating audiences, he said.
Nishad said this tradition has been going on since the time of his grandfather. He has been performing this art in front of people for the last 30 years. He also talked about challenges strewn in the path as people's interest in Ramayana, Mahabharata and Bhajans is decreasing.
Krishna also echoed Nishad. "People are forgetting the great characters of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Everyone's interest in films is continuously increasing. We are engaged in serious efforts to preserve cultural heritage through folk tales and folk music," he said.
"We go from one city to another and present our programs. I have been engaged in this work with full dedication for 30 years. My family members are also engaged in this work. Whatever money we get from the performance of our art, our family survives on it," Nishad said.
A local shopkeeper, who watched street plays, performed by Chalit Ramayan Mandali, said, "We are getting away from our old civilization and culture. These artists are working very hard to keep this near-extinct tradition alive. Thanks to these artists. They are introducing our future generations to this cultural heritage," he said.
