The Types of Folk Theatres you Must Know!

Folk theatre is a composite art form that amalgamates music, dance, recitation, and graphics with the regional and cultural essence of India. While it has long been a tool for entertainment, folk theatres have also considered social practises and cultural and political issues and enjoy a prevalent position as art forms in the nooks and corners of India. Today, we are talking about some of the popular folk theatres in India from various regions.

Sang/Swang - Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh

Considered one of the most ancient folk theatre forms, Sang is performed in Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, and the Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh. It often includes suitable theatrics and mostly mimicry (or naqal) that is accompanied by song and dialogue. Swang is further divided into Rohtak and Haathras, while it also gives birth to another popular theatre like Nautanki and Tamasha. 

Nautanki - Uttar Pradesh

A very popular folk theatre from Uttar Pradesh, Nautanki is a depiction of plays, scenes and more. Historically, only men were supposed to take part in it; however, it does include women now. It is majorly performed in places like Kanpur, Lucknow, and Hathras.

Bhand Pather -  Kashmir 

The traditional theatre form of Kashmir is Bhand Pather, which is a unique combination of dance, music, and even acting. In this theatre form, the music is often provided with Surnai, Dhol and Nagara. The play is usually held in open spaces. One of the unique features of this theatre is that there are no scripts, and the stories include those of Rishis, both sufi sagas of Hindus and Muslims, marking the secular attributes of this theatre. 

Rasleela - Uttar Pradesh

Coming back to Uttar Pradesh, especially Vrindavan and Mathura, we see Rasleela, which is based on the legends of lord Krishna. The belief is that the initial plays were written by Nand Das. These plays are mostly organised during the festivals of Krishna Janmashtami and Holi.

Bhavai - Gujarat

In western India, Gujarat’s Kutch and Kathiawar witness Bhavai, a traditional art form of Gujarat that includes both devotional and romantic kinds of plays. The vibrant theatre is performed with music, dance and even humour to portray social issues. This was another theatre, back in time, where men would perform women’s roles.

Maach - Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh’s traditional art form, Maach, is a form of theatre where songs are given more preference over the dialogues. The tunes used in the form are called ‘Rangat’. The Malwa region of Madhya Pradesh mostly witnesses this art form, which includes musical plays and various religious themes within it.

Jatra - West Bengal

Move to the eastern side of North India, and Jatra from West Bengal comes to mind. It was the great influence of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who made this theatre popular the way it is in Bengal. While the earlier form of the Jatra would be musical, some dialogues were added at a later stage. Jatras are also conducted with fairs in devotion to gods, religious rituals and ceremonies.

Tamasha - Maharashtra

Popular in Maharashtra, this traditional folk theatre is performed in various parts of the state. Here, the female actress is considered the chief exponent of the dance movements, and she is referred to as a Murki. Tamasha includes skits, singing, dancing, and mimicry. One of the most impinge elements here is humour and social commentary.

Dashavtar - Goa and Konkan regions

Coming from the Goa and Konkan regions, Dashavtar includes the performers to personify the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu, where the performers wear masks made of wood and papier-mache. Usually, these performances are held outdoors at night and feature male actors, who mostly belong to the community of farmers or labourers.

Bhaona - Assam, Bengal, Odisha, Mathura, Vrindavan

Another north-eastern state, Assam, boasts the Bhaona art form that is practised in Assam, Bengal, Odisha, Mathura, and Vrindavan. While the stories mostly begin in Sanskrit, even Brajboli or Assamese is used. The form includes various mythological events and folklore. Some of the songs in this art form date back to the 16th century and were composed by the Vaishnavite saint Sankardev.

Krishnattam - Kerala

Going down south takes us to the folk theatre of Kerala, Krishnattam, which came into prominence under the reign of King Manavada of Calicut. The theatre is mostly based on the themes of Lord Krishna. You might be amazed to know that Krishnanattam is also a cycle of eight plays performed for eight consecutive days.

Yakshagana - Karnataka

Karnataka’s folk theatre is popular in places like Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Shimoga, and the western parts of the Chikmagalur district. The theatre form includes dance, music, dialogue, costume, make-up, and stage techniques! These plays are mostly based on mythological stories and the Puranas.

Therukoothu - Tamil Nadu

Another south-Indian state, Tamil Nadu, has its traditional folk drama, Therutoothu. This style is also followed in Tamil-speaking regions of Sri Lanka. The theme in this street play is usually from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, focusing on the character Draupadi.

Burra Katha - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana

Performed in the villages of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Burra Katha is an oral storytelling technique in the rural regions of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The performance includes one main performer and two co-performers while the narrative consists of prayers, solo drama, dance, songs, poems and jokes that surround a Hindu mythological story (Jangam Katha) or a contemporary social issue.