Classification of Folk drama

Folk drama can be secular or religious. The main aim of secular folk dramas are to entertain people.On the otherhand the main objective of religious folk dramas are to eradicate evil from society and unite the people for well being and prosperity. The Ramayana and the Mahabharata were main source of themes of folk dramas. However gradually with the change in political and social set up, there came drastic change in the theme of the folk drama.

Folk tale, legend, mythical story entered into the periphery of folk drama.

“Folk theatre, is an expression of the creative urge of the people, belongs to several overlapping regional and local tradition.”^[1]

In his article “Folklore as a means of mass awakening with special reference to the folk drama of India”–Triochan Pande has discussed about Indian folk dramas,according to their subject matter,which can be classified into three broad categories viz:-

1. The religious type of dramas. These may be called the sacred means of communication.

2. The religious-cum-social type of dramas.These may be called semi-sacred means of communication.

3. The social type of dramas.These may be called the secular means of communication.

According to him Indian folk dramas can categorized as “The “Ramlila” and “Raslila’o f Uttar Pradesh,the“Yakshagana” and“Terukttu” of South is said to belong to the first category as mentioned above.Under the second category of folk dramas that are semi-sacred nature,we may consider the “Jatra” of Bengal,the “Khyal’ of Rajasthan and the “Maach” of Madhya Pradesh. Under the third category of folk drama, which may be said secular means of communication, we may include the “Tamasha” of Maharastra, the “Bhawai” of Gujrat, the “Nautanki” of Northern india,the “Bhand Pathar” of Kashmir and the “Swang” of Hariyana and Himachal Pradesh.”^[2]

If we apply this classification in context of Assam, then the first category will contain Ojapali, Bhaona,Matheni etc. The second and third category will contain Puppetry, Kamrupia Dhulia,Khulia Bhaona,Bharigan etc.

According to Dr.Sailen Bharali, folk dramas of Assam can be classified under three heads.They are-“Dance and music based folk drama,Folk drama with semi -dramatic element,Jatra.”^[3] The dance and musical based folk dramas of Assam are–Ojapali, Kamrupia Dhulia,Putola nach or Puppetry,Kushangan,Bharigan,Bansi puran, Joy Dhulia, Khulia Bhaona,Mainamoti etc. These form of dramas are endowed with every elements of folk drama.The second category contains Matheni,Mohoho,Paseti,Kati Puja, Kali Chandi dance etc. are the example of folk drama with semi–dramatic element. Example of Jatra are-Goaloni jatra, Bhasan jatra, Manai jatra etc.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Mathur J.C: Drama in the Rural India, Asia Publishing House,New Delhi,1964, p:105

[2]:

Pande T: “Folklore as a means of mass awakening with special reference to the folk drama of India”,Vol.22.1981,p:135

[3]:

Bharali Sailen: Asamiya Lokanatya Parompara, Bani prakash,1984, p:16