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Literary and Performing Arts
Origins of the Bhavai as such are shrouded in complete obscurity, but we can plausibly discern some significant resemblances and affinities to a few of its characteristic features and elements in the popular traits embedded in certain Classical and post-Classical Sanskrit dramatic and balletic forms. The elements of burlesque, farce and social satire found in some of the 'roles (reśa) of the Bhavāi were also characteristic of the Sanskrit dramatic types Prahasana and Bhāņa. But for our purpose the Uparūpaka types of the Classical Sanskrit drama are more relevant than the Rūpakas. The Uparūpakas were predominently balletic or operatic, and many of them had usually only one actor. In their form, subject-matter, characterization and language many of these types bear quite clear marks of earlier popular origin. Unfortunately the information available in old works of drama, the names, number, structure and characteristics of the Uparūpaka types is scanty, vague and contradictony, and all the early examples are lost. Moreover there seems to have been periodic changes in their forms and vogue. There are indications that some of the Uparūpakas made use of speech besides dance, singing and acting. Some new forms that developed in the post-Classical period were treated in medieval musicological works.
For the dance-based Uparūpakas like the Hellisaka, Gorghi, Nartanaka and Rāsaka, song too was indispensable, and similarly for the song-based types like the Rāga-kāvya, Bhāṇa and Carcari (also known in some sources as Rāsakānaka or Nāțya-rāsaka), dance also was absolutely necessary. The theme of the songs used in these types related the episodes from the early life of Krşņa or else it described the joys of the Spring season. In the type called Dombikā, a woman of the Domba caste accompanied by a party of singers performed before a king to win rewards by singing his eulogies. Its characteristic song had as its contents a request made to a prince by a Dūti on behalf of her mistress, who was longing for a clandestine love-affair with him.
The type called Sidgaka had as its theme the heroine's reproach to the hero for once playing false to her.
| SR No. | 022756 |
| Book Title | Indological Studies |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | H C Bhayani |
| Publisher | Parshva Prakashan |
| Publication Year | 1993 |
| Total Pages | 376 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Book_English |
| File Size | 25 MB |