Assamese culture embraces
various performing arts and Ojapali is one among them. This is a traditional
art form and is considered to be one of the oldest. Though perceived in the
districts of Kamrup, Nalbari etc. in Lower Assam, it is but most popular in the
district of Darrang. Ojapali showcases a combined performance of narrative
singing, dancing gestures and dramatic dialogues.
Generally performed by a group
of five men, the name Ojapali comes from the words oja and pali. The lead
artiste is known as Oja and he is accompanied by assistant artistes known as
Palis. The chief among the Palis is the Daina-pali or the right-hand aide,
who makes the theme further interesting by his humorous dialogues. A small pair
of cymbals called the Khutitaal is the sole instrument used during the
performance.
The performers of Ojapali
render two types of songs called malanci geet and jagar. The songs are sung
in Sanskrit. They also sing Patsha Geet, a type of mixed song, which was
composed during the Muslim reign. Besides singing, Oja, the chief performer,
maintains the rhythm with his feet. Simultaneously, he explains the theme with
suitable body movements and facial expressions. The costume worn by the performers
are white gowns with long sleeves. They also wear various jewelry and nupur
on their feet.
Ojapali can be categorized into
two major forms - Byah Ojapali and Sukananni Ojapali, based on their style of
performance. Byah Ojapali performers are also known as Vyah-gowa or singers
of Vyasa’s works, as they primarily focus on the great epics. On the other
hand, Sukananni Ojapali performers are known as Maroi-gowa or singers of
Maroi Puja. These performers sing songs of the snake-goddess Manasa Devi,
composed by Sukavi Narayana Dev, an ancient Assamese poet.
Ramayana and Mahabharata are
the dominant subjects of Byah Ojapali. The stories are sung in pure classical
style based on various ragas, with dancing movements made by hands and fingers
known as mudras. To entertain the crowd and make them understand, amusing
dialogues with explanations are presented during the performance.
The heart-rending tale of
Behula and Lakhindar from the Padma Purana is presented by the performers of
Sukananni Ojapali. This art form is usually performed during Manasa Puja, to
worship the Deity of serpents. The entertainers start their performance by
singing songs in praise of several Gods and Goddesses before going on to the
story divided into three parts namely, Deva Khanda, Baniya Khanda and Bhatiyali
Khanda.
Another form of Ojapali known
as Ramayani Ojapali is gradually declining. In this art form, stories from the
Ramayana are presented. According to records in history, Barbyahu and
Sarubyahu, two talented artistes of the Koch kingdom, were summoned by the
kings time and again to sing numerous mythological verses and subsequently,
their style of performance became prevalent among the masses. However, some
other reports relate Ojapali to the pre-Vaishnavite period.
[Published in ‘North-East India’ on 16 March 2012]
No comments:
Post a Comment